The iconic villain role that Tim Roth turned down
In 1983, English actor Tim Roth made his television debut in Made in Britain, starring as a racist skinhead named Trevor. His bold performance was received well, leading him to secure his first film role in The Hit. By the end of the decade, he was considered one of the Brit Pack, standing alongside the likes of Daniel Day-Lewis and Gary Oldman as some of the country’s finest young actors.
Through the 1990s, Roth frequently collaborated with Quentin Tarantino, starring in his first feature, Reservoir Dogs, before reuniting for the beloved Pulp Fiction. Moreover, he won his first BAFTA in 1995 after starring in Michael Caton-Jones’ Rob Roy, which also earned him an Academy Award nomination.
Roth directed his first and only film, The War Zone, in 1999. The bleak drama remains highly underrated, although its complex subject matter (sexual violence and incest) makes for challenging viewing. Since then, Roth has stuck to acting, appearing in various productions, from Planet of the Apes to Funny Games and several Marvel films, such as The Incredible Hulk.
Although Roth has enjoyed a successful career, in the early 2000s, he turned down a role that could’ve launched him to even greater stardom. He was chosen to play Severus Snape in the Harry Potter franchise, a part that eventually went to Alan Rickman. The complex character, described by author J.K Rowling as an “antihero”, became a beloved member of the franchise, appearing in all eight films.
However, Roth turned down the role, which suited Rowling because she had her heart set on Rickman playing the part anyway. Appearing on the show, There’s Something About Movies, Roth explained why he passed up the offer. He said: “I was like ‘OK, OK, that’s interesting,’ and then I just thought, ‘I’ll be on every lunchbox or whatever it is. I’ll be known for that role.'”
During a Reddit AMA, Roth further detailed his decision not to join the Harry Potter franchise. “Do I regret it? I don’t know if I ever think about things that way. If I had done it, everything would have changed. That’s the nature of the randomness of life. It would have been nice to have a 7-year gig; that’s a nice and comforting space to be in. But no, I think the better man for the job did the job.”
Roth praised Rickman’s performance, writing: “Alan took it and ran with it, and that was that. It was very different from what I was planning to do with the character, and that’s OK.” Despite Roth’s acting talents, it’s hard to imagine anyone else in Rickman’s role, which only further established him as one of the most beloved actors of his generation.
