Miriam Margolyes, beloved for her role as Professor Sprout in the Harry Potter series, has opened up about the difficult reality of her health and her limited time left. The 84-year-old actress recently shared in an interview with The Times that she believes she may only have “five or six years, if not before” to live.
“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 said, as quoted by the Mirror. “It’s such a joy. I yearn to play roles that don’t confine me to wheelchairs, but I’m just not strong enough.”
Her comments come as she reflects on retirement and the impact of her declining health. Back in 2023, during an appearance on the Table Manners podcast, Margolyes revealed she had undergone a heart procedure. “I’ve got a cow’s heart now,” she said. “Well, not the whole heart. I’ve had an aortic valve replaced by a cow’s aortic valve.”
“I don’t know how common it is. I’d never heard of that operation. But it saves you from having open heart surgery, which would be infinitely more invasive,” she added.
Margolyes also touched on her evolving perspective on life and death in a conversation with British Vogue, saying, “When you’re young, you never think about death. You just think about your next f—k basically. I think about death a lot.”
“You can’t help but be aware that the amount of time ahead is less than the time before you,” she reflected. “I’m still ducking and diving. I’m still open to new experiences. I’m just very conscious that there is no light at the end of the tunnel.”
One of her biggest concerns, she admitted, was financial security. “I don’t want to run out of money before I die,” she said.
In 2024, Margolyes confirmed she had been diagnosed with spinal stenosis, a condition that has severely limited her mobility. “I’m registered disabled. I use all kinds of assistance,” she told Closer Magazine. “I’ve got two sticks and a walker and they’re such a bore, but I’ve just got a mobility scooter, which is a lot of fun.”
Despite the challenges, Margolyes continues to embrace life with humor and resilience, showing the same honesty and warmth that have made her a favorite both on and off screen.
