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Maybe you can use a laugh this morning. Maybe you\u2019re still deep in your feelings, thinking about the \u201cHacks\u201d series finale<\/a> and that shot of Hannah Einbinder looking at Jean Smart on the dance floor, grief seeping into her eyes. Maybe you\u2019re lamenting the chaos at our treasured national parks<\/a>. Hell … maybe you took out a loan to buy a tomato<\/a> over the weekend. <\/p>\n If you\u2019re feeling down, Gary Oldman would like a word. And that word is: Hufflepuff. <\/p>\n I\u2019m Glenn Whipp, columnist for the Los Angeles Times and host of The Envelope newsletter, back in your inbox for the next few weeks as we navigate our way through Emmy season. <\/p>\n (Jennifer McCord \/ For The Times)<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n Gary Oldman is a Hufflepuff. <\/p>\n Never mind that the 68-year-old actor, who played the rebellious, impulsive wizard Sirius Black in the Harry Potter film franchise, couldn\u2019t tell you the difference between a Hufflepuff and, say, a Gryffindor. <\/p>\n When journalist Josh Horowitz reads a list of core personality qualities \u2014 loyalty, hard work, patience, fairness, dedication \u2014 and asks Oldman if that describes him, he nods his head. <\/p>\n You\u2019re a Hufflepuff. <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m a Hufflepuff?\u201d Oldman says, trying the word on for size. He likes it. \u201cI\u2019m a Hufflepuff!\u201d <\/p>\n This video clip<\/a> is a favorite of mine, one I could watch on a loop for the sheer delight Oldman takes in pronouncing the word Hufflepuff. <\/p>\n It\u2019s easy to see why Oldman takes such pleasure in being a granddad these days, one of the things we talked about at length not long ago for an Envelope digital cover story<\/a>. He can access his silly side with ease. <\/p>\n I asked Oldman about the upcoming HBO \u201cHarry Potter\u201d television series, a decade-spanning endeavor that will spend a season adapting each of J.K. Rowling\u2019s seven fantasy books. <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve seen a trailer for it, and I think it\u2019s a great idea,\u201d Oldman says. \u201cThey\u2019re doing the whole book, which I love, because there were a lot of wonderful things, fabric and character detail, we had to lose for the sake of telling the story in two hours.\u201d<\/p>\n Would Oldman be keen to don a distressed velvet overcoat again and participate in the reboot?<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think they want any of us from the movies contaminating or muddying the waters,\u201d Oldman says, pleasantly. \u201cBesides, I\u2019m too old.\u201d<\/p>\n But with AI, is anyone too old now? Oldman could drop into \u201cHarry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban\u201d and look like he hasn\u2019t aged a day since the movie was released 22 years ago. <\/p>\nDigital cover story: The world according to Gary<\/h2>\n