Harry Potter star calls out Miriam Margolyes for ‘terrible’ comments telling adult fans to ‘grow up’

Professor Sprout actor previously brushed off the enthusiasm of grown-up fans

A Harry Potter star has hit back at Miriam Margolyes’s remarks stating that adult fans of the franchise should “grow up”.

The 82-year-old, who played Professor Pomona Sprout in the film series, said in two recent interviews that she worries about adult fans of the 24-year-old movie franchise because “they should be over that by now”.

Jessie Cave, who played Ron Weasley’s love interest Lavender Brown in the sixth, seventh and eighth films of the series, called the statements “terrible” at the Enter The Wizard World convention in Paris over the weekend.

The actor and YouTuber said it was “a shame” in response to a fan question about Margolyes’s comments, adding that she hoped the comedian did not expect her words to be taken seriously.

“Obviously, it’s terrible,” Cave noted. “I really don’t like that she said that. It’s such an amazing thing that Harry Potter has done.

“It’s created a fan base that has aged and is still bonded through it and it’s passed on to younger generations and that’s what is so amazing,” she added.

“She probably just doesn’t understand that or get that. Just let her be. I think this situation is very unusual.”

Margolyes offended adult fans of the franchise as she implored them to ‘grow up’ (Channel 10)

Her response was met with applause by the audience of Potterheads as she sat as part of a panel alongside Devon Murray, who played student Seamus Finnigan in the movies.

Other stars to have attended the convention included Rupert Grint who played Ron Weasley and Matthew Lewis who played Neville Longbottom.

Earlier this month, Margolyes’s comments sparked debate when she candidly dismissed the enthusiasm of adult Harry Potter fans.

“It was 25 years ago, and I think it’s for children,” Margolyes told New Zealand’s 1News.

Jessie Cave played the loved-up Gryffindor student in the movies (Warner Bros / Getty)

“I do Cameos [personalised video messages] and people say they are doing a Harry Potter-themed wedding, and I think, ‘Oh gosh what is their first night of fun going to be?’ I can’t even think about it. Harry Potter is wonderful, I’m very grateful to it. It’s over. That’s what I think.”

The Call the Midwife actor later told ABC News Australia that once teens are through puberty, “it’s time to forget about it and go on to other things”.

“If your balls have dropped, then it’s time to forget about it. You know, go on to other things,” she said.

“I just think that it’s for children. And then it’s time to move on.”