'Harry Potter' series: Cillian Murphy confirms he won't play Voldemort
What's the story
The upcoming HBO Harry Potter series has sparked widespread speculation about who will portray the iconic role of Lord Voldemort. Among the fancasts, Oppenheimer actor Cillian Murphy is a frontrunner. However, he has now once again dismissed these rumors. In a recent interview with Variety, Murphy said: "No, no, no. It would be very hard to follow Ralph Fiennes." When asked if he's keeping his casting a secret, he said, "Ha! No, I don't play those games."
Earlier comments
Murphy's previous denial of the role
Murphy first addressed the Voldemort rumors in early September. He said, "My kids show it to me occasionally, but I'm like, 'No, I don't know anything about that.'" He had also echoed his recent comments about following Fiennes's footsteps. "Also, it's really hard to follow anything Ralph Fiennes does," he said.
Support from Fiennes
What did Fiennes say about Murphy?
Interestingly, Fiennes, who played Voldemort in the film series, has already given his stamp of approval for Murphy to take over the role. In December 2024, he said, "Cillian is a fantastic actor." "I actually think that's a wonderful suggestion. I would be all in favor of Cillian. Yeah."
Other contenders
Other actors linked to the role
Apart from Murphy, Matt Smith is also in the running for the role. The Crown and Doctor Who star said, "Can anyone play him after Ralph [Fiennes]? He was so good." Succession actor Matthew Macfadyen was also linked to the role. However, he has been cast as the voice of Voldemort in Audible's new series of audiobooks.