Miriam Margolyes, the beloved actress who portrayed Professor Sprout in the Harry Potter films, has opened up about her heartbreaking health struggles, sharing that she “doesn’t have long to live.” The 85-year-old star revealed the devastating news in an interview with Weekend Magazine, where she discussed the toll her ongoing health issues have taken on her body.
Margolyes admitted that her current condition, which has left her dependent on a walker, was largely due to her own neglect of her health. “I’ve let my body down,” she said. “I haven’t taken care of it. I have to walk with a walker now. I wish I’d done exercise. It’s the most ghastly waste of time, except that it keeps you going. So, I’m foolish.”
When asked about trying Ozempic, a medication for people with type 2 diabetes, she firmly declined, saying, “Absolutely not. That’s for diabetics. You shouldn’t take medicine meant for people who are really sick.” Margolyes also shared her opinion on food advertising, saying, “We should not have food advertising on television.”
The actress also revealed her grim outlook on life, admitting that she is not sure how much longer she has to live following a heart procedure. “When you know that you haven’t got long to live, and I’m probably going to die within the next five or six years, if not before, I’m loath to leave behind performing,” Margolyes shared. “It’s such a joy,” she continued, adding that she yearns to take on roles that aren’t confined to a wheelchair but admits she is “just not strong enough” to do so.
Miriam’s health struggles also include mobility issues due to a diagnosis of spinal stenosis, a condition that causes narrowing of the spinal canal. She’s been forced to register as disabled and uses various mobility aids, including canes, walkers, wheelchairs, and a scooter. Despite these challenges, she remains determined to stay active in her work.
Last year, Miriam underwent a successful transcatheter aortic valve replacement surgery to avoid more invasive heart surgery. Reflecting on the procedure, she joked, “I’ve got a cow’s heart now. Well, not the whole heart. I’ve had an aortic valve replaced by a cow’s aortic valve.”
Although she has spoken openly about her declining health and the possibility of an early death, Miriam shared that she isn’t afraid of dying. “When you’re young, you never think about death. You just think about your next f—k basically,” she said. “I think about death a lot… There is no light at the end of the tunnel.”
Miriam has lost many of her co-stars from the Harry Potter franchise, including Alan Rickman (Severus Snape), Richard Harris (Albus Dumbledore), and Robbie Coltrane (Rubeus Hagrid), and she continues to cope with the reality of losing those close to her.
