Martin Freeman is "annoyed" he wasn't in Harry Potter.

The British star was never cast in the boy wizard film franchise - which starred Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and a host of other UK talent - and jokes he is still upset at being one of the few major actors to miss out.

"I was one of the only people who wasn't in Harry Potter, and I'm still annoyed by that," he said.

The 41-year-old star is now making up for missing out by landing the lead role of Bilbo Baggins in Lord of the Rings prequel The Hobbit', and has had to prepare himself for how being in the sure-fire blockbuster will change his life: "You have to police yourself not to become an idiot about it. Because its not normal and it doesn't happen to people with normal jobs. if you're a doctor - and what's more important than that? - then people don't stop you in the street and say, 'Loved the way you took that pulse.' So its skewed and its silly, I know that. But I think I've been pretty rigorous and self-flagellating about it."