Lord Voldemort remains one of the biggest question marks currently hanging over HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter series.
The Dark Lord, originally played by Ralph Fiennes in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) through Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (2011), has yet to be cast in the series. HBO has confirmed as much, with chairman and CEO Casey Bloys telling Collider, “No, we have not,” adding, “I would take everything you read with a grain of salt.”
The studio’s first trailer for Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone — the confirmed title for Season 1 — debuted last month, showcasing newcomers such as Dominic McLaughlin (Harry Potter), Alastair Stout (Ron Weasley), and Arabella Stanton (Hermione Granger), alongside John Lithgow (Albus Dumbledore), Janet McTeer (Minerva McGonagall), Nick Frost (Rubeus Hagrid), and Paapa Essiedu (Severus Snape), as well as the new Hogwarts.
But even with those reveals, Voldemort remains absent — hardly surprising given he only appears as a face on the back of Dark Arts teacher Quirinus Quirrell’s head in Philosopher’s Stone. What is interesting, however, is the rumor he could be played by a woman.
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Last year, according to industry insider Daniel Richtman (via SFFGazette.com), HBO has been “auditioning both men and women for Voldemort,” opening the door to a potential “gender-swapped” version of the character.
That rumor has circulated for months, drawing mixed reactions online. But now, Fiennes himself has weighed in. During an appearance on The Claudia Winkleman Show (via the BBC), he said actress Tilda Swinton would be “fantastic” in the role.
Swinton, best known for playing the White Witch in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005), has since become one of the most frequently suggested names to play a female Voldemort, alongside Cynthia Erivo (Wicked, Wicked: For Good).
Other possibilities include Eva Green (Casino Royale), Ruth Negga (Ad Astra), Gugu Mbatha-Raw (The Cloverfield Paradox), Cate Blanchett (The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring), Nicole Kidman (Moulin Rouge!), and Jessica Chastain (Interstellar).
The discussion comes as the series continues to generate backlash over the casting of Black actor Paapa Essiedu, who replaces Alan Rickman as Severus Snape. Essiedu recently told The Times he has received racist abuse online, with reports suggesting HBO has increased on-set security as a result.
HBO’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone premieres Christmas 2026.
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