Ralph Fiennes has said he believes the “ship has sailed” for him to reprise the role of Lord Voldemort in HBO’s upcoming “Harry Potter” television series, but has thrown his support behind Tilda Swinton as a potential successor.
Speaking on “The Claudia Winkleman Show” on Friday, Fiennes revealed that while he had previously expressed interest in returning as the Dark Lord, nothing had materialised. “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. I said, ‘Yes, I’d love to,’” he said. “But then nothing’s happened and I think that ship has sailed.”
However, Fiennes was quick to suggest an alternative. “But I’ll tell you, Tilda Swinton was mentioned somewhere as being a contender, and I think she would be amazing.” Swinton’s name has been rumoured to be in the running alongside Cillian Murphy, though Murphy recently dismissed the speculation on the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast, calling Fiennes “an absolute acting legend” and wishing good luck to whoever takes on the role.
Fiennes had previously endorsed Murphy for the part in December 2024, telling Andy Cohen: “Cillian is a fantastic actor. That’s a wonderful suggestion. I would be all in favor of Cillian. Yeah.”
The first season of HBO’s “Harry Potter” series is scheduled to premiere this Christmas.
