Baz regrets ‘Potter’ snub
Baz Lurhmann regrets turning down Harry Potter.
The Great Gatsby director admits he snubbed the offer to direct the first big screen adaptation of JK. Rowling’s best-selling wizarding adventures, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, because he had never heard of the books at the time, a decision which has haunted him ever since.
Speaking on 17 May on The Graham Norton Show, Lurhmann said: "The first one came along and they rang me, and while I love the pictures and the books now, then I thought, ‘What’s that?’
"And said, ‘Well that sounds interesting, but I’m thinking of doing a reinvention of the modern musical’, and that was Moulin Rouge.
"So I’m an obvious idiot, because I should have taken Harry Potter."
The fantasy flick was subsequently entrusted to Chris Columbus, and grossed a massive R8-billion at the worldwide box office.
Luhrmann – who was joined by Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe on the BBC One chat show sofa – also spoke about his new decadent drama, The Great Gatsby, and how crucial star Leonardo DiCaprio’s involvement was in making the movie.
He said: "For that role you need to be a movie star and a great, great actor and he is both.
"People can say what they like about the movie, but no-one is questioning his performance. He is at the height of his powers."
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