Margolyes opens up on aging, mobility aids, and assisted dying

Miriam Margolyes, the 84-year-old star of the Harry Potter films, is speaking candidly about a health journey that has left her reliant on mobility aids and confronted with difficult choices about her future care. In recent interviews, she detailed ongoing mobility challenges linked to spinal stenosis and osteoporosis, described the impact on her daily life, and raised consideration of assisted dying if her condition worsens and independence becomes impossible to maintain. At the same time, she emphasized that she has no interest in pursuing newer weight-loss medications and remains focused on family, work, and plans for the near future.

Margolyes has long been open about the physical toll of aging, including a spinal condition that narrows the spinal canal and can cause limb pain and weakness. She has described reduced mobility and dependence on canes, a walker, and, more recently, a mobility scooter. “I have to walk with a walker now,” she said, adding that she wishes she had exercised more in younger years and acknowledging the “ghastly waste of time” of not taking better care of her body. She has also spoken about living with osteoporosis and the broader limitations that...