Cillian Murphy has denied rumors that he will portray Voldemort in HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter series. During an interview on Josh Horowitz’s Happy Sad Confused podcast on Thursday, Murphy addressed the speculation, confirming there is no basis to the reports despite his children sharing fan hopes with him online.
Murphy Acknowledges the Challenge of Replacing Ralph Fiennes as Voldemort
While Murphy showed awareness of the online rumors, he pointed out the difficulty any actor would face stepping into the role previously played by Ralph Fiennes. Murphy described Fiennes as “an absolute acting legend” and wished
“good luck to whoever’s gonna fill those shoes.”
He also humorously noted his own attachment to his nose, referencing Voldemort’s distinctive flat, slit-nosed appearance.
I don’t know anything about that,
—Cillian Murphy
Also, it’s just really hard to follow anything Ralph Fiennes does,
—Cillian Murphy
The man is an absolute acting legend, so good luck to whoever’s gonna fill those shoes.
—Cillian Murphy
Ralph Fiennes Seems Supportive of Murphy Potentially Taking Over as Voldemort
Although the rumors appear to originate mainly from enthusiastic fans, Ralph Fiennes, who portrayed Voldemort in five Harry Potter films, seemed to endorse the idea in a December appearance on Watch What Happens Live. He praised Murphy’s acting talent and expressed his approval of the suggestion that Murphy might take on the role.
That’s a wonderful suggestion. I would be all in favor of Cillian. Yeah.
—Ralph Fiennes
Background on Voldemort’s Portrayal in the Harry Potter Film Series
The character of Voldemort has been depicted by different actors over the course of the Harry Potter films. In the 2001 release Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Voldemort’s face appears attached to Professor Quirrell’s head, played by Ian Hart, while the character’s voice was provided by Richard Bremmer in flashbacks. Christian Coulson took on the role in teenage form in 2002’s The Chamber of Secrets. The character was absent in 2004’s Prisoner of Azkaban, but from the 2005 film The Goblet of Fire until 2011’s Deathly Hallows: Part 2, Ralph Fiennes played Voldemort as an adult.
Current Casting Progress for HBO’s Harry Potter Series
HBO’s adaptation has announced casting for key characters including Harry, Ron, Hermione, Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall, and Hagrid. While the role of Voldemort has yet to be officially cast, rumors about Cillian Murphy’s involvement have been firmly dismissed by the actor himself, keeping fans eager to see who will eventually bring the iconic villain to life in the new series.
