Cillian Murphy has cleared the air over the rumors of his casting in the upcoming Harry Potter series. The actor confessed that he will not be playing the role of Voldemort, originally portrayed by Ralph Fiennes in the movie franchise.
The Oscar-winning star joined Josh Horowitz on the latest episode of his podcast, Happy Sad Confused, where he shared that his kids try to make him watch the Wizard movies occasionally, but he hasn’t stepped up to it yet.
The Oppenheimer star also showed his respect for Ralph Fiennes, as he claimed that it is difficult to fill the shoes of the man who is an “absolute acting legend.”
Cillian Murphy to not play Voldemort in HBO’s Harry Potter series?
Reacting to the rumors of the actor playing the role of Voldemort in the Harry Potter series, Cillian Murphy said, “No. No. Genuinely—I mean, my kids show me occasionally, but I don’t know anything about that.” He further added, “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.”
The podcast host went on to joke that if the movie star takes up the character, he would have to lose his “beautiful nose.” To this, Murphy quipped, “I’m very attached to it!”
Meanwhile, the first season of the new series, hailed by HBO, is currently in production, with the cast assembling in England to film the scenes. The adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone will be dished out in the course of eight episodes.
As for the One Who Must Not Be Named, the antagonist does not appear in the franchise until the climax of the fourth J.K. Rowling book, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
For the cast of the show, Dominic McLaughlin will play Harry Potter, while Nick Frost has been roped in to play Hagrid. Additional members who have joined include Arabella Stanton, Alastair Stout, John Lithgow, Janet McTeer, Paapa Essiedu, and Katherine Parkinson, among others.
The Harry Potter series is expected to hit the digital screens in early 2027.
ALSO READ: Harry Potter Director Chris Columbus to NOT be Part of Upcoming HBO Series Adaptation: Here’s Why
