Harry Potter Rumor: Was Warner Bros. Almost Sued Over Dobby's Alleged Resemblance To Vladimir Putin?
Despite appearing in just two of the eight films that make up the original "Harry Potter" film franchise, it's safe to say that Dobby the house-elf (voiced by Toby Jones) is one of the most beloved characters in the series. First appearing in "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets," Dobby was a house-elf who served under Lucius Malfoy (Jason Isaacs) before being freed by Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) himself in the film's final moments.
Dobby returns in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1," where he sacrifices himself to rescue Harry and his friends from the depths of Malfoy Manor – a tragic death consistently ranked as one of the most heartbreaking moments in the franchise. Aside from his surprising heroism, part of what makes Dobby so memorable is his iconic appearance. His high squeaking voice, bulging round eyes, and enormous ears help him fit in with other magical creatures of the Wizarding World.
Although Dobby's fantastical design might have endeared him to plenty of young moviegoers, a long-running rumor claims that one man, particularly, took extreme offense at Dobby's appearance — Russian President Vladimir Putin. This rumor has been perpetuated online since the early 2000s, with some news outlets suggesting that Putin himself accused the franchise of adapting his likeness into Dobby's design. Some reports even claim that Putin threatened legal action against Warner Bros. for the supposed similarities between himself and the disheveled house-elf. Unfortunately, this story seems to be based entirely on rumor, as Warner Bros. was never sued over Dobby's resemblance to Putin.
The entire story is based on an unsubstantiated rumor
While it might be funny to imagine Vladimir Putin fuming about his resemblance to Dobby the house-elf (since they somewhat resemble one another), the rumors about him suing Warner Bros. appear unsubstantiated.
These rumors stem from reports that emerged in 2003, which stated that an unnamed Russian law firm was planning a lawsuit against Warner Bros. for the similarities between Dobby and Vladimir Putin. The reports claimed that a collection of Russian lawyers perpetuated the lawsuit and never specified Putin's involvement with the case. A 2003 report from The Guardian asserts that the story first popped up in a Russian newspaper and that a possible lawsuit was later discussed by a spokesman for the Russian lawyer's guild on Radio Free Europe. The report also reflected the online buzz generated by this rumor, with over 5,000 "Harry Potter" fans voting in a BBC poll regarding Putin's similarity to the balding, pointy-eared elf.
A second report from The New York Times clarified that no lawsuit was ever actually filed and that none of these supposedly aggrieved lawyers could be reached for comment — even after contacting the Russian newspaper that originally reported the story. Since nothing substantial ever came from these reports, it's worth assuming that they are nothing more than rumors, albeit highly amusing ones.