Every Actor Who Has Played Voldemort, From Ralph Fiennes To Eddie Izzard
Lord Voldemort is one of the most iconic characters from the 'Harry Potter' franchise, and he's been played by more actors than you might think.
While Lord Voldemort is an undeniably crucial part of the Harry Potter movies, because of his almost inhuman features, it became somewhat easier for the filmmakers to change actors for that character than it would be for any of the other roles. The many actors that have portrayed this timeless villain have all made their mark, and they have honored the books while adding their own personal touch.
Regardless of who every fan’s favorite actor is, every single one has proved their talent. But how many actors have taken over this role? Let’s review all of them, and learn more about their experience with the Harry Potter franchise.
7 Ralph Fiennes Played Voldemort The Most
Ralph Fiennes is probably the actor most associated with Lord Voldermort, and certainly one of the fans’ favorites, but it wasn’t until 2005, in The Goblet of Fire that he first appeared in the franchise. It was one of the greatest additions to the cast, and we were very lucky because he almost turned down the part.
“I hadn’t read the books but I was aware of the first two films being these young children and wizards. I hadn’t invested in it or been curious. I had no clue as to how important Voldemort was and possibly, in my ignorance, was a bit dismissive,” Ralph admitted. It was his sister Martha, who is a director, and her children, who convinced him to take the part. “Martha has three children who were then maybe 11, 10 and seven. I said ‘I don’t know, I’ve been asked to do this Voldemort, what do you think?’ And she went ‘what? what? You’ve got to do it, you’re crazy, crazy’ so then I kind of woke up. I got into what it meant in the JK Rowling universe. That he was this extreme satanic figure, snake-like, evil. And then I went for it and got completely into it and loved it.”
6 Richard Bremmer Was The First Voldemort On The Big Screen
While many readers might not know much about him, Richard Bremmer was actually the very first Voldemort to ever appear on the big screen. He appeared in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in 2001, and although his time in the franchise was brief, its importance is indisputable.
Among other great projects Richard participated in there are The Borgias, The 13th Warrior, and many stage productions.
5 Ian Hart Played Professor Quirrell And Lord Voldemort
One of the main reasons fans probably don’t associate Ian Hart with Voldemort is because he’s been known for playing another Harry Potter character: Professor Quirrell. His connection to Lord Voldemort is because, in the first movie, he was in charge of providing a voice for the CGI-generated face of the villain. After Harry Potter, he took on many amazing roles such as Dr. Watson in the movie The Hound of the Baskervilles, based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s work. Added to that, he also portrayed Conan Doyle in Finding Neverland. This great author’s work has been taken to the screen in many opportunities, and Ian Hart’s contribution to one of the great adaptations shouldn’t be overlooked.
4 Christian Coulson Played Young Voldemort
Christian Coulson’s portrayal of Voldemort is slightly different from what readers are probably imagining. He was in his early 20s when he appeared in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets as 16-year-old Tom Marvolo Riddle, the villain’s actual name.
Some of his other movie credits include Love Is Strange and Bite Me.
3 Hero Fiennes Tiffin Played Voldemort At 11 Years Old
It’s clear that artistic talent runs in the Fiennes family. Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Ralph Fiennes’ nephew, played the child version of Voldemort in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince when he was 11 years old. While it was a great part, he wasn’t a child actor. It was in 2019, with the release of the movie After, where he starred as Hardin Scott, that he became the star that he is now.
2 Frank Dillane Briefly Played Teenage Voldemort
Frank Dillane had the chance to briefly portray the 16-year-old version of Voldemort in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince in 2009. Originally, the producers had considered casting Christian Coulson again, but since he was supposed to play a teenager and Christian was almost thirty, that was not possible. After Harry Potter, one of the most successful projects Frank worked in was Fear the Walking Dead, a spin-off from the original series The Walking Dead. His experience in Harry Potter, he said, was very useful for the level of fame that came with such a popular series.
“I think it has (helped) because I was exposed to that kind of hysteria quite early on, so I kind of expect it,” he explained. “It’s not going to be a surprise at least. I don’t really like it, but I kind of expect it at least.”
1 Eddie Izzard Played Voldemort In A Different Franchise
Eddie Izzard’s performance as Voldemort was… unconventional. She’s not in the main Harry Potter movies, that much is certain, but nonetheless she did get to play the villain. It was in The LEGO Batman Movie that she was asked to provide the voice for the LEGO version of Voldemort.
Recently, Eddie caused somewhat of a controversy by expressing her opinion on J.K. Rowling’s comments, which were deemed as transphobic. As a trans person, she had this to say:
“I don’t think J.K. Rowling is transphobic. I think we need to look at the things she has written about in her blog. Women have been through such hell over history. Trans people have been invisible, too. I hate the idea we are fighting between ourselves, but it’s not going to be sorted with the wave of a wand. I don’t have all the answers. If people disagree with me, fine—but why are we going through hell on this?”
While she hasn’t appeared in the movies that follow the Harry Potter canon, she has proved that, should the opportunity arise, she could be a possible choice.
