Gary Oldman Says "Thank God" For the HARRY POTTER and DARK KNIGHT Films Because "They Saved Me"

Gary Oldman has had a long and exciting career. With over 100 acting roles in his portfolio, he is a household name, with most people recalling some role he has played over the years. The biggest franchises in his past are undoubtedly the Harry Potter films, as well as Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy, which Oldman says came at the exact right time in his life, and ultimately saved him.

In a recent interview on The Drew Barrymore Show (via Variety), Oldman opened up about what these films mean to him, and why they saved his career, as well as his relationship with his kids.

“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.”

He went on:

“Thank God for ‘Harry Potter.’ 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.”

While filming Christopher Nolan’s first Batman movie, 2005’s Batman Begins, Oldman repeatedly flew back and forth from his home in Los Angeles to the movie’s London set in order to continue raising his children after 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.”

Oldman’s sons speak highly of their dad, who they themselves have defended against their mother’s claims that Oldman was abusive. After divorcing Donya Fiorentino in 2001, a judge found the claims against Oldman to be unfounded, and he was granted custody of his children. His son, Gulliver, published a letter in support of his father after his ex-wife once again claimed abuse in their marriage after the actor won the 2018 Oscar for Darkest Hour. Gulliver called Oldman his “one and true guiding light” and “only hero,” adding that he was “granted the good graces” to be raised by only his father.