20 Mind-Blowing Facts You Never Knew About Harry Potter

16. Vladimir Putin Was "Disturbed" By Dobby's Resemblance To Himself

It didn't take long after the release of 2002's Chamber of Secrets for media outlets to pick up on the "uncanny" resemblance between Dobby the House Elf and Russian President Vladimir Putin, which while primarily a means of mocking the political figure, wasn't too far off the mark either. It was true enough, at least, that Putin himself was reportedly "disturbed" that Dobby appeared to have been rendered in his image, and in 2003 began mounting a lawsuit against Warner Bros. for using his "likeness". At the time, a Russian legal expert said, "Similar suits have taken place. But it's very difficult for courts to rule on them; lots of experts have to be called in. It's doubtful if it has a chance." Over a decade later, nothing came of it, unsurprisingly, because suing a movie company over an animated character that might or might not be based on a world leader's likeness is the easiest way for said leader to lose credibility at the world table. Not that Putin really needed much help, anyway.