Caution: Don’t pick a fight with Robbie Coltrane

Although he may be smaller in stature than his Harry Potter persona, Rubeus Hagrid, Robbie Coltrane is by no means short on personality. In a recent interview with The Guardian, Coltrane spoke quite candidly regarding his feelings towards his secondary school experience, his journey leading up to realizing he wanted to be an actor, and the complete image overhaul he underwent during and post-Potter. He also chatted about his recent project playing Mr. Jaggers in a film adaptation of the classic Charles Dickens novel Great Expectations, which is under the direction of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire director Mike Newell.

While reminiscing upon his days at secondary school, Coltrane makes it very clear that he was not to be messed with, saying “I didn’t accept the hierarchy, basically” and “It’s essentially survival of the fittest and I was one of the fittest, so I have no complaints.” He later addressed how he finds his new exemplar position to his younger Potter fans, saying “Kids come up to you and they go: ‘Would you like to sign my book?’ with those big doe-eyes. And it’s a serious responsibility.”

This film version of Great Expectations was adapted by David Nicholls and features several other Potter actors: Ralph Fiennes (Lord Voldemort) Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange), Jessie Cave (Lavender Brown), Ralph Ineson (Amycus Carrow), and Helena Barlow (Rose Weasley). Though this film was not quite on the same budget scale as Potter, Coltrane says that the cast really bonded, adding “it was a good company feel.” The full interview can be seen right here.

Great Expectations will be released in Ireland on November 30, 2012.

NOTE: Although this is a very enlightening and rather humorous interview, please be aware that there is some profanity that may not be appropriate for younger readers.