Harry Potter star Miriam Margolyes, 84, opens up about her health battles and shares candid views on assisted dying, saying she wouldn’t want to lose her dignity.
Harry Potter Star Miriam Margolyes Says She’d Want to Be “Put Down” If Health Worsens
Beloved Harry Potter actress Miriam Margolyes, known worldwide for playing Professor Sprout, has made a heartbreaking but candid admission about her health struggles at age 84.
“I Don’t Have Long Left to Live”
Speaking to the Daily Mail, the British actress revealed that her declining health has left her feeling like she has “let [her] body down.”
“I haven’t taken care of it. I have to walk with a walker now,” she admitted. “I wish I’d done exercise. It’s the most ghastly waste of time, except that it keeps you going. So, I’m foolish.”
Margolyes has long battled spinal stenosis and osteoporosis, conditions that have limited her mobility and caused ongoing health issues.
A Frank Admission About Assisted Dying
The actress explained that she doesn’t want to endure a long period of pain and loss of dignity:
“If a stroke meant I couldn’t speak, or I was doubly incontinent, or I lost my mind completely, I would ask to be put down. That’s because I want to be who I am. I don’t want to be less than I can be.”
Currently, assisted dying is not legal in the UK, though more than 10 U.S. states have legalized some form of it. In Britain, lawmakers are considering the “Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill,” which would allow terminally ill patients with six months or less to live to choose medically assisted death — provided they are mentally competent and approved by a panel of professionals.
Still in Good Spirits
Despite her struggles, Margolyes remains characteristically witty and self-aware. She has often joked about her diet and lifestyle, admitting her love for fudge, chopped liver, and cheesecake.
“I’ve limited my life because of my longing for fudge… all these absurdities,” she said on the How to Fail podcast. “I shouldn’t have been so greedy. I should have been stronger.”
Fans around the world continue to admire her honesty, humor, and strength as she navigates the challenges of aging and illness.
