Warner Bros. In Hot Water Over Harry Potter & Co.'s Tiny Pay

Posted Monday, November 12, 2001 at 10:40 AM Central

by Heather Koehler

The hype behind Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone has made it one of the most anticipated movies of the year as fans picked up their theater tickets a week in advance in some cities.

In a movie this big, Julia Roberts would have taken home at least $20 million, but much-less-known British actress Zoe Wanamaker was paid less than what she gets for her role on a British television show. Ms. Wanamaker wasn't the only victim of Warner Bros. Harry Potter himself, 12 year-old Daniel Radcliffe was offered $97,000 until the British Actors' Union Equity jumped in on his behalf.

The studio even kept journalists away from certain stars at the press conference held in the mansion where the movie was filmed, regardless that the actors wanted to talk.

Harry Potter comes out nationwide Friday.