Ralph Fiennes is finally ready to hang up Voldemort’s cloak.
The actor was asked about HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter series and the rumors surrounding who will take on the role of the Dark Lord on the Claudia Winkleman Show on Friday night.
“I remember being asked the question, ‘Would I reprise the part?’ This was some years ago. And I said, ‘Yes, I’d love to,'” he said. “But then nothing’s happened, and I think that ship has sailed.”
So who does the actor want in those robes? “I’ll tell you, Tilda Swinton was mentioned somewhere as being a contender, and I think she would be amazing. She would be fantastic!”
This is not the first time Fiennes has been asked about the role. During a press interview for 28 Years Later with Entertainment Tonight, he offered some hilarious advice to his successor: “Make sure you can handle the long flowing robes, and don’t trip over them. Practice your long flowing robe walk.”
Swinton is no stranger to playing genderbent characters. She played Ancient One in Doctor Strange, which caused a lot of discussions about whitewashing from fans since the character is a Tibetan man in the comic books. Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige later admitted the casting was a mistake, calling it a “wake up call”.
In September 2025, it was circulated that HBO was auditioning both men and women for Lord Voldemort, which then included Oscar-Winning Cillian Murphy as one of the contenders.
Fiennes had already fanned the flames on that rumor in an earlier interview, he said: “I’m told [my shoes] are already filled, aren’t they? I think Cillian Murphy is very good. A very good choice.”
Murphy, however, was quick to shut it down. “I’m categorically not,” the Oppenheimer star told The Times. “Can you make that the headline?”
He also weighed in on the task of following Fiennes, telling the Happy Sad Confused podcast that it is just really hard to follow anything Ralph Fiennes does, calling him “an absolute acting legend” and wishing good luck to whoever ends up filling those shoes.
Meanwhile, Fiennes is already suited up with different robes for his next antagonist role. He is set to play President Coriolanus Snow in the Hunger Games prequel Sunrise on the Reaping, which is scheduled for release on November 20, 2026. The role was originally played by the late Donald Sutherland who portrayed the character in all four original Hunger Games films, and later by Tom Blythe in the first prequel, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes.
Related: Andrew Garfield Causes Stir With Harry Potter Comments, Shades J.K. Rowling
This story was originally published by Men’s Journal on Apr 12, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men’s Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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