By all accounts, this beloved Harry Potter veteran would like to continue acting, but
there are a few factors that might be making directors a bit hesitant to work with him
these days.
Here's why Robbie Coltrane isn't landing the high-profile roles he used to, and how he
could turn it around.
Many creative professionals struggle with substance abuse, and it seems to be especially
common in Hollywood.
No matter how successful someone looks on the surface, there's no guarantee that they
aren't struggling behind the scenes.
Like many other actors, Coltrane has had a troubled relationship with alcohol.
The Guardian quoted him as saying,
"Booze is my undoing.
I can drink a gallon of beer and not feel the least bit drunk."
Coltrane isn't the only former Harry Potter cast member who has a history with alcohol.
Daniel Radcliffe has also owned up to drinking heavily during those early years of his career,
and he's said he was even under the influence while shooting some scenes in the films.
While Coltrane may be far from alone in this struggle, it's still likely had an impact
on his ability to land new roles.
"Why do you drink so much?"
"I like it!"
Between long days on set, physically demanding scenes, and the lack of sleep that comes with
a long schedule, acting can wear a person down.
Dealing with health problems can really set an actor back, and unfortunately, Coltrane
has been in poor health for years.
He suffers from osteoarthritis, which has only been getting worse with age.
Chronic pain caused by the condition has become so severe that he spends most of his days
in a wheelchair.
He's planning to get a knee replacement at some point in the future, and his doctors
have been encouraging him to lose weight to make it possible.
Coltrane is also diabetic.
Hopefully, his knee replacement will alleviate some of the pain and help him get back in
front of the camera.
After his Potter years came to an end, Coltrane continued working on a variety of films and
TV shows.
Unfortunately, none have received the same kind of adoration that the Wizarding World
has.
It's unlikely that Coltrane expected to experience that same level of acclaim again, but it's
probably frustrating to star in such a popular series and then appear in films that don't
go over as well with audiences and critics.
In 2013, Coltrane played Jaggers in an adaptation of Charles Dickens' Great Expectations.
Although it was based on a classic story, and Coltrane's performance was generally well
regarded, the film itself got a mixed critical response.
In 2015, he played the doctor in Effie Gray, a film about a love triangle in the Victorian-era
art world.
It too was met with a mixed response.
For a successful actor like Coltrane, a string of mediocre films can probably make him feel
like he has to prove himself all over again.
Some of Coltrane's post-Potter roles have been far from family-friendly.
For example, he took a risk by starring in the British Channel 4 TV series National Treasure
as a fictional comedian accused of assaulting a teenage girl.
It focuses on the pitfalls of trial-by-media and how it affects legal proceedings.
Coltrane was enthusiastic about the project from the beginning, but people warned him
that playing such a controversial character, especially with similar current issues in
the entertainment industry, might not be the best idea.
Coltrane decided to go for it anyway.
As he told Channel 4,
"A lot of people said, 'Don't touch it, Rob, it's poisonous, it's not going to do you any
good.'"
His response to those objections was the sensible reminder, "It's pretend!"
Still, it was a 180 from his previous roles, and casting directors might be wondering what
to do with him.
Coltrane hasn't been completely out of work.
Since 2016, he's hosted the series Robbie Coltrane's Critical Evidence, in which he
explores some of the strangest and most confounding murder cases in Britain.
There's no question that true crime stories are intriguing for many viewers, and the show
definitely has an audience, as it's run for two seasons so far.
Critical Evidence has been Coltrane's main project for the past two years.
It truly seems like a passion project for him.
Judging by some of the roles he's taken on over the years, like his character in his
breakout work on the '90s TV series Cracker, he's clearly interested in the psychology
of criminals.
For now, Critical Evidence has taken precedence over other potential jobs.
"The difference between success and failure?
Critical evidence."
Despite his health problems, Coltrane is not quite ready to hang up his hat just yet.
In 2018, his agent, Belinda Wright, told Express that Coltrane was slated to appear in an in-development
film and a TV series.
However, since his health issues have worsened recently, these projects may have been put
on the back burner.
At the moment, it's unlikely that Coltrane would be able to put in long hours on set
due to his chronic pain.
A source told Express that Coltrane wants to end his career in TV with one final award-winning
performance, and ideally, he'll get that chance after his knee operation.
Hopefully, his surgery will be a success, and he'll be able to return to doing what
he loves most.
His fans definitely miss his presence on the big screen.
Check out one of our newest videos right here!
Plus, even more Looper videos about your favorite stuff are coming soon.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel and hit the bell so you don't miss a single one.