Alan Cumming Was Approached for a Part in Harry Potter -- Why He Told Franchise to 'F--- Off'

If it felt like the sprawling eight-part "Harry Potter" film series featured just about every major actor and actress from the British Isles at one point or another, that's because it did. Well, it almost did.

One of the biggest stars out of Scotland had his shot at appearing early in the franchise, when Alan Cumming was in the running for the role of the dashing, arrogant and incredibly inept Professor Gilderoy Lockhart in the first sequel, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets."

Instead, he wound up telling producers to "f--- off." In a new interview with The Telegraph, the "Schmigadoon!" star was adamant in emphasizing that he didn't turn down the role, he "told them to f--- off!"

Cumming explained that he was in the running for the role alongside Rupert Everett, but he ultimately stepped away when financial negotiations fell through. And they fell through because Cumming had some inside intel.

According to the actor, the studio wanted both him and Everett to do a screen test, but they were also balking at any talks of offering him more money. "They said they couldn’t pay me more than a certain sum," he said. "They just didn’t have any more money in the budget."

There was just one tiny, little problem with that. He and Everett shared the same agent, "who of course, they were going to pay more." So basically, they were "blatantly lying, stupidly lying, as well," said Cumming, adding, "If you’re going to lie, be clever about it."

"I said, tell them to f--- right off," Cumming recalled, thinking at that point it would be Everett's part. "They made him screen test, and I remember he brought his own wig. And then they f------ gave it to Kenneth Branagh," who Cumming said "came out of the shadows."

So long as fans hold out hope of a reboot for the venerated franchise, either as a new series of film or -- as most seem to want now -- a big-budget streaming television series -- there's always hope for Cumming to make his way to the Wizarding World.

Wonder how strong his beard game is? Hogwarts always needs a headmaster.

In the meantime, Alan Cumming stars alongside Cecily Strong and Keegan-Michael Key on the Apple TV+ comedy-musical series "Schmigadoon!" with new episodes dropping each Friday.