Among the many challenging casting choices facing the upcomingHarry PotterTV series, landing the perfect actor to portray the franchise’s main antagonist, Lord Voldemort, is an unenviable task thanks to the incredible performance ofRalph Fiennesin the role across severalHarry Pottermovies. However, in a recent interview, the actor, who has also been part of the James Bond franchise and willsoon be seen in28 Years Later, recalled how what he calls “totally misplaced snobbery” almost cost him one of his most iconic roles.
The idea of another actor playing Voldemort is one that fans of the movie franchise are still not quite ready to accept, as, along with several prominent players in the movies, Fiennes’ portrayal of the evil character has become a deeply ingrained part of pop culture. While discussing his role withThe Hollywood Reporter, he explained how he only took the role because of an intervention by his sister, Martha. He said:
“I hadn’t seen the films to dislike them, I just hadn’t seen them and I hadn’t read the books. I was aware of their big success. I think I was probably guilty of a sort of totally misplaced snobbery of witches and goblins and things. I was resistant, until I told my sister Martha that I’ve been asked to play this Voldemort person. She said, ‘Voldemort, you’ve been asked to play Voldemort? You have to do it! Ralph you don’t realize, you don’t realize.'”
Ralph Fiennes Would Play Voldemort in the ‘Harry Potter’ TV Series
Just like many formerHarry Potterstars, Fiennes has frequently been asked if he would consider reprising his role as Voldemort again, and although the character’s journey came to a definitive end inHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2,he would be more than happy to return as the villain if asked.
While it is likely that the decade-long plan for theHarry PotterTV show could rule Fiennes out of the role, with producers perhaps looking for someone a little younger to take on the role, the casting may not even happen for several years until the TV series adaptsHarry Potter and the Goblet of Fire– which saw Fiennes play Voldemort for the first time on screen in the movies. However, the actor does have an idea of who he thinks would be “wonderful” as his successor. He previously revealed:
“Cillian [Murphy] is a fantastic actor. That’s a wonderful suggestion. I would be all in favor of Cillian. Yeah.”
10 Times Harry Potter Almost Became a Dark Wizard
The titular star of Harry Potter is a force for good, but a few events in the series almost made him (and the franchise) take a dark turn.
TheOppenheimerstar has been at the top of many fan-castings for the role of Voldemort, and his role inPeaky Blindershas proven that he is just as adept at playing small screen roles as he is starring in some of Hollywood’s biggest blockbusters. For now, though, there is no way of knowing who will end up becoming the Dark Lord in the new iteration of theHarry Potterfranchise, but hopefully, they don’t make the same mistake Fiennes almost did when considering the role.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
