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Imagine the world ofHarry Potterwithout Lord Voldemort. Harry would live with his parents and not the Dursleys. He would be completely knowledgeable about magic. Thus, there would be no thrill, drama, or even theHarry Pottersaga to speak of. Could you picture it? No, not even any of us. But we nearly experienced a setback when Ralph Fiennes (the man behind this cherished villainous character) revealed that he almost declined the role.
Why?He was not familiar with theHarry Potteruniverse.
Yes, the 60-year-old legendary actor, best known for playing Lord Voldemort in theHarry Potterfilm series, once revealed that he almost declined the part that would make him a household name.
Surprisingly,The Menuactor almost passed on the Voldemort role by offering one of the wackiest justifications imaginable.
When the actor was initially approached in 2005 for the secondHarry Potter and the Goblet of Firefilm, he claimed he was“ignorant” about J K Rowling’s wizard series.
Read More:‘I understand where she’s coming from’: Voldemort Actor Ralph Fiennes Defends Harry Potter Author J.K. Rowling, Says Abuse Against Her is ‘Appalling’
When Ralph Fiennes Nearly Rejected Lord Voldemort’s Role
TheHarry Potterfilms are not only a hugely successful franchise, but also home to some of the best legendary actors. It had stars like Richard Harris, Maggie Smith, and Alan Rickman, who stuck with the series for all eight movies. In addition to featuring these illustrious industry veterans, the films also successfully launched the careers of their young stars, includingDaniel RadcliffeandEmma Watson.
Despite everything,Ralph Fienneshad his moments of doubt about taking on the role. The 60-year-old actor once discussed his reasons for initially not being interested in playing the dark wizard during a visit toWatch What Happens Live.
“In my stupid ignorance I hadn’t read the books, I hadn’t seen the first movies, and I was, I have to say, a little snobby about it.”
This proclaimed snobbishness, however, would not stop him from donning the robes for very long because he would get some encouragement from several people to play the infamous role.
For the unversed, Voldemort served as bothHarry Potter’smortal foe and the series’ main antagonist. He was the most powerful dark wizard the world had ever seen. And his ultimate goal was to take control of both the wizard realm and the entire planet.
Read More:Ralph Fiennes Abandons J. K. Rowling, Wants To Return as Voldemort In David Zaslav’s Rumored 2-Film Adaptation of “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”
What Made Him Accept The Role?
When Ralph Fiennes was chosen to play Voldemort after the first three films, the series had already been a huge success. Thus, there was no question about the popularity and potential longevity of theHarry Potterfranchise.
Even though it was obvious that the offer was lucrative, Fiennes was not sure whether to accept it. According to him, it took some insistence from a number of people, including the movie’s casting director, for him to decide to accept the role.
“Until the casting director, great lady, English Lady, Mary Selway sat me down– I mean, I’ve known Mary for many years. She could be tough, and very insistent, and she just said, ‘You have to do this movie. Just do it Ralph.’ And she said it with such emphasis.”
However, it appeared that Fiennes’ sister’s remarks, which he mentioned inHarry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts,did more to influence his choice.
“My sister has children who were then around 11 and 12, and I said, ‘Martha, I don’t know about this Voldemort.’ Her response? ‘What? You’re being asked to play Voldemort? You’ve got to do it!'”
Even though it might seem like a sentimental justification for such a significant choice, it would not be the first time someone accepted a role in order to appease the kids in their family.
Well,Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, the final film in the series, was released in 2011 and marked Fiennes’ final performance in the role.
Harry Potterfilms can be streamed on Max.
Read More:“This is not flying with me”: Harry Potter Star Ralph Fiennes, Who Refused James Bond Role, Fought With Director for His Role in Daniel Craig’s 007 Movie
Source-Watch What Happens Live
Siddhika Prajapati
Senior Journalist & Content Head
Articles Published :3309
With over 3,300 articles carved into the digital walls of FandomWire, Siddhika Prajapati excels at creating, curating, and elevating engaging stories. She takes pride in giving these stories a home and, of course, she’s got a Google Knowledge Panel to prove it!Whether it’s reviewing the latest drop on Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Apple TV+, or analyzing the cultural echoes of a streaming hit on Paramount+ or Max, Siddhika is always writing three steps ahead of the discourse.
