As HBO continues to build the cast for its new Harry Potter television series, speculation has linked Cillian Murphy to the role of Lord Voldemort. The Oppenheimer star has now addressed the rumors directly.
Appearing on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Murphy acknowledged that he was aware of the speculation but clarified that there was no truth to it. “No, my kids show me it occasionally, but no, I don’t know anything about that,” Murphy said.
He went on to explain why he would not consider the part, citing the difficulty of following Ralph Fiennes’ performance in the original films. “I mean, 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.”
While Murphy may not be interested, others in the Harry Potter world have voiced support for the idea. Fiennes himself expressed openness to Murphy taking on the role, and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone director Chris Columbus also praised the casting suggestion, saying, “Well, Cillian is one of my favourite actors, so that would be amazing.”
The HBO series, which will feature Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, is expected to bring a new generation of actors to iconic characters while reimagining J.K. Rowling’s novels for television.
