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The $9.5BHarry Potterfranchise turned several actors into legends for their incredible performance and commitment. And one such actor is Ralph Fiennes who played the role of the Dark Lord, Voldemort. But while the actor did a phenomenal job, he wasn’t the only one who was after the role of the legendary dark wizard.
Apparently,Mr. Beanactor Rowan Atkinson as well as hisJohnny Englishco-star John Malkovich wished for a super serious role in theHarry Potterfranchise. Although Ralph Fiennes turned out to be the perfect choice for the character, the producers of the franchise initially went through Atkinson and Malkovich.
Also read:Mr. Bean Star Rowan Atkinson’s $20M McLaren F1 is More Than 5X the Price of ‘Fast and Furious’ Star Vin Diesel’s Most Expensive Car
Rowan Atkinson And John Malkovich Wanted To Play Voldemort
Although the role of the dark wizard Lord Voldemort in theHarry Potterfilm series turned Ralph Fiennes into one of the most legendary actors of the era, he could have almost lost his $9.5B opportunity to two comedy actors. Apparently, before Fiennes,Rowan Atkinsonand hisJohnny Englishco-star John Malkovich were sought for the legendary role.
Willing to put an end to hisMr. Beanrole, Atkinson initially came up with his notableJames Bondspoof character Johnny English featuring John Malkovich. But eventually, after two sequels, Rowan Atkinson expressed his desire to land a serious role. And what better than the character of Lord Voldemort as a British actor, in theHarry Potterfranchise?
Surprisingly, along with Rowan Atkinson, evenJohn Malkovichexpressed his interest in the role. And even he was auditioned to play the character of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. But, unfortunately, in the end, neither of the twoJohnny Englishactors made their way into the billion-dollar franchise.
Also read:“If you don’t have my money then you are mine”: Matt Damon Could Not Understand Why His Crew Members Were Applauding For a “Terrible Actor”
Ralph Fiennes Ended Up Bagging The Role Of Voldemort
After going through myriads of auditions for the character of Lord Voldemort, the producers finally found the best actor who previously excelled in a villainous role, inSchindler’s List. Well, it was none other than Ralph Fiennes, who eventually landed the titular character of the Dark Lord. But surprisingly, Fiennes wasn’t initially aware of the gold he found.
Admitted to having never read anyHarry Potterbooks at the time of his audition,Ralph Fiennesstated he wasn’t quite familiar with the character or the franchise. During an interview withGQ, the actor mentioned his initial thoughts after he was offered the role.
“I wasn’t that aware when it was first proposed to me… I hadn’t invested time in reading the books. I knew there was a Harry Potter huge thing happening but I hadn’t seen the earlier film so I had no sense.”
Fortunately, despite having no idea of his character’s potential, Ralph Fiennes accepted the role after his sister, director Martha Fiennes convinced him to say yes. According to Fiennes, his sister said, “What? You’re being asked to play Voldemort?! You’ve got to do it”. And that’s how we ended up having the most vile yet appreciated villain of the Wizarding World.
Watch theHarry Potterfranchise on Max.
Read more:“I think there was a price to pay”: Harry Potter Star Started Sympathizing With Real-Life Nazi Criminal in Steven Spielberg’s $322M Movie With Liam Neeson
Source:GQ,ScreenRant
Krittika Mukherjee
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3217
Krittika Mukherjee is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on films, TV shows, and celebrity news with over 3,000 articles published. With an educational background in Journalism, and a keen interest in filmmaking, Krittika blends factual precision with creative flair, when crafting her editorials, or dissecting fan theories.Her coverage often includes news and analyses of critically acclaimed films, celebrity news, and franchises like the Wizarding World, LOTR, DC, and MCU—particularly Harry Potter, Fantastic Beasts, Superheroes, and fan theories. As a Wizarding World aficionado, Krittika has spent countless hours exploring hidden backstories, unadapted book moments, spells, and trivias surrounding J.K. Rowling’s lore.An imaginative writer with a way with words, Krittika has worked as an entertainment journalist for the past two years and a web content writer for a year. She brought her experience and expertise to FandomWire to pursue her desire for sipping coffee while dissecting films and tracking celebrity drama.
