Ralph Fiennes has shared his thoughts on the possibility of reprising his iconic role as Lord Voldemort in the upcoming Harry Potter TV reboot. The acclaimed actor, known for his portrayal of the dark wizard in the film series, revealed that while he once considered returning to the role, he now has a different idea for who should take over.
During an appearance on Friday night’s episode of The Claudia Winkleman Show on BBC One, Fiennes joined Anna Faris, Olivia Cooke, and Michelle de Swarte. The conversation eventually turned to his performance as Voldemort, with the TV reboot set to launch on HBO Max in the coming months.
Claudia Winkleman, the show’s host, asked Fiennes directly about the possibility of him rejoining the franchise. “Ralph, I have to ask you about Voldemort, because they’re about to shoot a new series,” she said, to which the audience responded with applause. “Everybody has been cast. Nobody – I’m not saying this to be nice to you – but nobody else can play the Dark Lord. So would you do it again and are you doing it again? We won’t tell anyone.”
Fiennes, who appeared thoughtful during the exchange, admitted that he had been asked this question before. “I remember being asked the question once we’d shot the total film series, would I reprise the part, and this was some years ago, and I said: ‘Yes, I’d love to,’” he recalled. However, he added, “But then, nothing’s happened, and I think that ship has sailed.”
Despite this, Fiennes suggested that Tilda Swinton could be a strong candidate for the role. “I think she would be amazing!” he said, with Claudia agreeing, “She would be fantastic!”
No official announcement has yet been made regarding who will play Voldemort in the TV series, even though the character first appears in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
For a time, it was speculated that Peaky Blinders star Cillian Murphy might take on the role, but he quickly dismissed the rumour. During an interview with The Times, the 49-year-old stated, “I’m categorically not playing the dark wizard.” He even quipped, “Can you make that the headline?”
Other names that have been floated by fans include Ralph Ineson, Paul Bettany, Benedict Cumberbatch, Bill Skarsgård, and Matthew Macfadyen.
The Harry Potter TV reboot has faced its share of controversy since its announcement, largely due to the author J.K. Rowling’s past comments about the trans community. Despite this, the series is set to premiere on HBO Max this year, with each of the seven books adapted into a season. It is expected to run for a decade.
The cast of the TV reboot includes several notable names, such as:
Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter
Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley
Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger
John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore
Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall
Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape
Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid
Lox Pratt as Draco Malfoy
Warwick Davis as Filius Flitwick
Sirine Saba as Pomona Sprout
The Claudia Winkleman Show airs on Friday nights on BBC One and is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
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