London, May 13 : Ray Winstone turned down the chance to appear in the Harry Potter movies - because he was not offered enough money.

The 'Beowulf' star admitted he was offered a role in a big-screen adaptation of the boy wizard book series, but declined the part because the makers were not paying him enough.

"I nearly did a movie. They earn fortunes from those films but for the time that is involved in making one they don't want to pay you," The Sun quoted Winstone, as saying.

"I'm sorry, but I make movies to get a living.

"Besides, I would have made two films in the time it would have taken to make one Potter movie," he added.