"Harry Potter" actor Miriam Margolyes has revealed that she can no longer walk due to a worsening spinal condition and is now "registered disabled."
The 83-year-old, who famously portrayed Professor Pomona Sprout in the film franchise, is battling spinal stenosis, which is the narrowing of the spinal canal. In an interview with Closer Magazine, Margolyes opened up about her health's decline.
"I can't walk very well, and I'm registered disabled," she said, according to People. "I use all kinds of assistance. 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."
Margolyes jokingly added that it was like "having a new toy."
"It's very good for shopping because it's got a basket on it – and I do enjoy whizzing around on it immensely," she said.
Margolyes has long struggled with multiple health conditions, which she has been vocal about in recent years.
She has also been diagnosed with osteoporosis and underwent major heart surgery last year to replace her aortic valve, according to Page Six.
In May 2023 a chest infection resulted in her being admitted to The Royal Brompton Hospital in Chelsea, London. A month later, she spoke candidly about how her diet affected her health, which contributed to her health issues.
"I've limited my life because of my longing for fudge or chopped liver, cheesecake," she told British Vogue at the time. "All these absurdities. I shouldn't have been so greedy. I should have been stronger."
The actor also spoke about death, and how she no longer feared it.
"When you're young, you never think about death. You just think about your next [expletive] basically," she joked. "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 added. "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."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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