No, Cillian Murphy will not play Voldemort in HBO’s upcoming “Harry Potter” series.
Murphy dispelled rumors when he appeared on Josh Horowitz’s “Happy Sade Chaos” podcast on Thursday. He said he showed him an online chat from fans who wanted to see his kids play the “Harry Potter” villain, but there was no truth to that. “I know nothing about it,” he said.
“It’s really hard to follow anything Ralph Fiennes does,” Murphy added. “This guy is an absolute acting legend, so I wish everyone good luck to those who fill in those shoes.” He also jokes that he is “very obsessed” with his nose, as Voldemort’s nose is depicted as flat with narrow slits in his nostrils.
The rumors may just be born among hopeful fans, but at least one Hollywood figure has provided them with legitimacy: Fiennes himself. In December, the original Voldemort actor appeared in Watch What What Happes Live, where he was asked to give him an idea on the issue.
“Chillian is a great actor,” Fiennes said at the time. “That’s a great suggestion. I’m sure everyone agrees with Chilean. Yes.”
In the first film, in 2001’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Voldemort appears as the face behind the head of Professor Quirrell, played by Ian Hart, and is further expressed in flashbacks by Richard Bremer. The second film, “The Chamber of Secrets,” in 2002, Christian Coulson, plays Voldemort in a teen flashback. Voldemort does not appear in the third film, 2004’s “Prisoner of Azkaban.” However, it starts with 2005’s “The Goblet of Fire” and ends with “The Deathly Hallows: Part 2.” The villains are played in adult form by Fiennes.
So far, the cast of HBO has found actors who play Harry, Ron, Hermione, Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall, Hagrid and more. Check out the complete Harry Potter series cast guide.
