Ralph Fiennes, known for his portrayal of Voldemort in the Harry Potter films, may have hinted at who will portray his iconic character in the upcoming HBO TV series.
Since HBO’s announcement in 2023 about developing a Harry Potter series, with each season designed to be ‘authentic to the original books and bring Harry Potter and these incredible adventures to new audiences around the world,’ there has been much speculation about the casting of the main roles.
Last year, the network revealed that they had cast three actors to take on the roles originally made famous by Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint. Dominic McLaughlin will play Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton will portray Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout will step into the role of Ron Weasley.
Additional casting announcements followed, with Hot Fuzz’s Nick Frost, Interstellar’s Jon Lithgow, and I May Destroy You’s Paapa Essiedu joining the show.
Despite confirming these key roles, HBO has yet to announce who will play the infamous villain, Voldemort, in the series. However, Fiennes, who brought the character to life in the film series, might have unveiled who is set to take on the mantle.
At a recent red carpet event, the Conclave actor was asked who he thought should take over his role. He replied: “Well, I’m told they’re already filled, aren’t they? I’ve already said I think Cillian Murphy is very good.
“A very, very good choice. I think they’ve cast it, haven’t they? I don’t know, I thought they had.”
Fiennes had previously shown support for Peaky Blinders’ Cillian Murphy possibly taking on the part. Speaking to Andy Cohen on Watch What Happens Live in 2024, he said: “Cillian is a fantastic actor. That’s a wonderful suggestion. I would be all in favour of Cillian. Yeah.”
Although there have been no official statements from HBO or Murphy, many fans of the Wizarding World are excited at the potential casting of the 28 Days Later actor.
One fan expressed on X: “If that is really true, I would be very pleased,” while another commented: “I wouldn’t be mad at this.”
Another fan added: “The best choice.”
During an appearance on the Happy, Sad, Confused podcast last September, the Oppenheimer star was asked about the possibility of playing Voldemort. He seemed to dismiss the notion, stating:
“No,” he immediately responded. “My kids show me occasionally and I don’t know anything about that.”
Murphy elaborated: “It’s really hard to follow anything Ralph Fiennes does. He’s the man. An absolute acting legend. Good luck to whoever is going to fill those shoes.”
Further casting announcements are anticipated soon, with the HBO series set to debut in 2027.
We have reached out to Murphy’s representatives and HBO for further comment.