Harry Potter’s Ralph Fiennes Confirms He Was Asked to Reprise His Role as Lord Voldemort

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Ralph Fiennes has reaffirmed his interest in reprising his role as Lord Voldemort. He previously mentioned he would be open to playing the character again.

I just heard on Claudia Winkleman’s show that Ralph Fiennes has talked about potentially returning as Voldemort! Apparently, someone did reach out about him reprising the role before they announced the reboot, but he’s now saying he’d genuinely love to do it again. As a huge Harry Potter fan, that’s amazing news – I’d be thrilled to see him back as the Dark Lord!

Ralph Fiennes Would Play Lord Voldemort Again

Several actors have portrayed Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter films. However, Ralph Fiennes became most associated with the character when he took on the role in 2005’s Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and continued to play him through the series’ conclusion in 2011.

I’m so excited about the new Harry Potter series! They’ve cast a lot of the characters already, but it seems like they’re really taking their time with Harry himself. HBO’s Casey Bloys recently said they haven’t found the right actor yet, and honestly, that’s a good thing – it means they’re not rushing it and want to get it perfect. There’s been a lot of speculation online about who it might be, but nothing official yet.

When asked if he’d consider returning to the role, Fiennes recalled being asked that very question himself.

He recalled the event happening several years ago, saying he happily agreed when asked. However, the actor confessed that nothing has come of it since, and he believes the opportunity has passed.

The actor has said he’d be willing to play Lord Voldemort again, but the new show is primarily using a fresh cast. The main exception is Warwick Davis, who is returning as Professor Flitwick.

Ralph Fiennes has publicly supported Cillian Murphy as the next actor to play the role, most recently just last month. However, rumors are circulating that the producers might reimagine Lord Voldemort as a female character, with Tilda Swinton, known for her role in Doctor Strange, potentially taking on the villainous part.

Asked about Swinton possibly taking over, Fiennes replied that she would be “fantastic.”

Lord Voldemort Being Gender-Swapped Wouldn’t Be the Biggest Change

When Warner Bros. decided to adapt the story as an HBO series, they admitted the original movie didn’t fully explore all the plotlines and characters, and would work better with more time. While some were hesitant because the films weren’t that long ago, the biggest complaint about the show centered on changes made to the character of Professor Severus Snape.

The character of Severus Snape, famously played by Alan Rickman in the films, will be portrayed by Paapa Essiedu in the new series. Given Snape’s complex and often problematic behavior – including being a bully and being accused of wrongdoing – this casting change could spark discussion.

Sadly, actor Essiedu is facing serious consequences due to this situation. He revealed he’s been threatened, saying someone told him, ‘Quit or I’ll murder you.’

Look, it’s genuinely scary sometimes. I was just scrolling through Instagram and saw a direct threat – someone actually messaged me saying they were going to come to my house and, well, you can imagine. I’m pretty confident nothing will actually happen, but honestly, you never know, right? It’s unsettling to think about, and that comment could easily come back to haunt me!

There hasn’t been much controversy about the possibility of recasting Lord Voldemort with a different gender, as the reports are still just rumors. Many people think Tilda Swinton would be a great choice for the role, but it’s unclear how they’d maintain the character’s identity without changing his name completely.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone debuts on Christmas on HBO Max.

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2026-04-11 18:15