Gary Oldman credits 'Harry Potter' and 'Dark Knight' films for saving him
Gary Oldman recently appeared on "The Drew Barrymore Show" and conveyed his appreciation for the "Harry Potter" and "Batman" film franchises, acknowledging them for resurrecting his career and personal life. Before landing the roles of Sirius Black and James "Jim" Gordon, Oldman faced a decline in acting opportunities. These iconic roles not only made him a beloved figure among genre fans but also injected newfound star power into his career.
"At 42 years old, I woke up divorced and I had custody of [my] boys. That, in itself, was… that was hard because there was a shift in the industry where a lot of productions were being [filmed in] Hungary, Budapest, Prague, Australia, you know, all of these places. So, I turned down a lot of work," Oldman said.
"Thank God for 'Harry Potter.' I tell you, the two — 'Batman' and 'Harry Potter' — really, they saved me, because it meant that I could do the least amount of work for the most amount of money and then be home with the kids," he expressed.
During the filming of Christopher Nolan's first Batman film, "Batman Begins", in 2005, Gary Oldman frequently traveled between his home in Los Angeles and the movie's London set. This arrangement allowed him to fulfill parenting responsibilities and continue raising his children following his divorce.
"When we did the first Batman… London doubled for Gotham. I did 27 round trips of flying back from LA. I'd fly in for a day. I'd do a shoot a day. To Chris Nolan's credit.. he stayed on schedule. I would go home for three days. Come back for two. Go home for a weekend. Come back for a day… otherwise, I just felt my kids are being brought up by a nanny," explained the actor.
Gary Oldman has two sons with Donya Fiorentino, his wife from 1997 to 2001. The divorce involved accusations of domestic assault against Oldman, which led to a judge granting him custody of their two sons after dismissing Fiorentino's abuse claims. In 2018, amid Oldman's Oscar win for Best Actor ("Darkest Hour"), Fiorentino brought up the abuse allegations again, congratulating the Academy for honouring whom she termed an abuser. Oldman's son, Gulliver, responded with an open letter fending his father.
"It has been troubling and painful to see these false allegations against my father being written about again, especially after this was all settled years ago. There is good reason that these specific articles and accusations subsided years ago," Gulliver wrote.
Gulliver expressed deep admiration for Oldman, referring to him as his "one and true guiding light" and "only hero." He acknowledged feeling fortunate to be raised solely by his father, emphasising the positive impact Oldman had on his life.