While much of the main cast of HBO's Harry Potter reboot has been announced there's still one major role that remains a mystery: He Who Must Not Be Named.
While there have been many rumors surrounding the casting of Lord Voldemort over the past few months, nothing official has been announced yet. However, a recent interview with Harry Potter star Ralph Fiennes may have given us the scoop.
During a red carpet interview, Fiennes, who played Lord Voldemort in the original Harry Potter movie franchise, was asked who he thinks could play the part in HBO's upcoming series.
"Well, I'm told they're already filled, aren't they?" the actor said, before dropping Cillian Murphy as the possible choice.
"I've already said I think Cillian Murphy is very good," he said. "A very, very good choice."
What’s unclear is whether his comment confirms the casting or is simply his opinion. Or maybe he's just like the rest of the internet and has been tricked by online rumors and unverified claims that Murphy had already landed the coveted role. Rumors of Cillian Murphy playing Lord Voldemort date back to last year, so it's possible that Fiennes was repeating what he had seen online and doesn't actually have any inside information.
"I think they've cast it, haven't they? I don't know, I thought they had," Fiennes quickly, either trying to cover his inadvertent slip-up or perhaps honestly not knowing if Murphy has been cast for the role.
For what it's worth, Fiennes has previously endorsed Murphy to carry on the legacy of Harry Potter's infamous villain.
"Cillian is a fantastic actor. That’s a wonderful suggestion," Fiennes told Bravo's Watch What Happens Live back in 2024. "I would be all in favor of Cillian. Yeah."
Murphy's name has been floating around as a possible candidate for Lord Voldemort for a while now. In September of last year, the Oppenheimer Oscar-winner appeared on the Happy Sad Confused podcast and seemed to suggest he did not get the part.
“No, my kids show me it occasionally, but no, I don’t know anything about that. I mean, also, it’s just really hard to follow anything Ralph Fiennes does. The man is an absolute acting legend. So, good luck to whoever is going to fill those shoes," Murphy said.
Murphy isn't the only actor who has been speculated to fill the role of Lord Voldemort. One unexpected name swirling around the internet has been Tilda Swinton, though this has always felt more like speculation since the series was reportedly auditioning actors of all genders for the character.
Production on the Harry Potter series officially began in July 2025 with filming still currently underway. The series will star Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley. They'll be joined by John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid, Luke Thallon as Professor Quirinus Quirrell, and Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch.
Who are you hoping to see play Lord Voldemort in the upcoming series?