James McAvoy recently disclosed that he was offered a significant role as Tom Riddle, a young version of Voldemort, in the Harry Potter film series early in his career. During an appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, he revealed that he auditioned for the role and was put on retainer with a monetary offer of around £40,000, which was a substantial sum for him at the time. However, he ultimately declined the role, feeling that accepting it would hinder his ability to take on other work for several months. McAvoy's agent advised against the decision, leading him to choose a smaller theater role instead. Christian Coulson eventually portrayed Riddle in the second film, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, while Ralph Fiennes later played the adult Voldemort. Despite the missed opportunity, McAvoy expressed no regrets, stating that his experiences contributed to his development as an actor.