Warning: This article discusses topics of sexual abuse.
While the cast list for the HBO’s remake of the Harry Potter series is a fascinating commission, and regardless of the origins of the Boy Who Lived’s story, the new TV show is likely to draw in audiences old and new to the magical world of Hogwarts. Lord Voldemort, or He Who Should Not Be Named, is one of the villainous figures in literary history.
Tom Riddle’s journey from student to a tyrannous evil is a brilliant subplot across actors play Voldemort in the Harry Potter movies, but Ralph Fiennes is the most prominent, starring in the last four titles of the series. However, there are plenty of ideal candidates to take on the role in the TV release.
10 Matthew McNulty
Known For: Doctor Who, Deadwater Fell, The Terror
Matthew McNulty is a fantastically underrated German-British actor. While his career has been limited, his most prominent projects prove that he is a true talent. He has starred in multiple gripping British dramas over the years, but in recent times, he is most recognizable for his role in the creepy TV show The Terror as Edward Little. McNulty appears opposite David Tennant as Police Sergeant Steve Campbell in the drama Deadwater Fell, who is at the center of a baffling investigation surrounding Tennant’s character, Tom.
It’s unknown how HBO will execute Voldemort’s physical appearance, but McNulty isn’t hesitant to wear unusual makeup in his roles.
He also makes a guest appearance in the Doctor Who episode "Praxeus," a Thirteenth Doctor adventure. McNulty is no stranger to acting in shows that delve into the mystical and unusual, and he’s an interesting potential choice for the role of Voldemort. It’s unknown how HBO will execute Voldemort’s physical appearance, but McNulty isn’t hesitant to wear unusual makeup in his roles. Edward has chains on his face in The Terror, so the actor is obviously fine with altering his face for the sake of a character.
9 Cillian Murphy
Known For: Peaky Blinders, Oppenheimer
Cillian Murphy is a huge name in both TV and film right now. The Irish actor is best known for playing Tommy Shelby in the incredible drama Peaky Blinders, and he’s guaranteed to provide just a powerful performance in the Peaky Blinders movie. Murphy’s Oscar win comes from his role as the titular character in the biographical thriller Oppenheimer, in which he receives frequent praise for how well he replicates the physical features of the real-life historical figure.
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Of course, Murphy’s strongest talent is in his portrayals of his characters. Both Oppenheimer and Shelby are gritty and tense people who dominate every scene they feature in, a quality that is very comparable to Lord Voldemort. Cillian Murphy’s best movies and TV shows all highlight the actor’s ability to encapsulate every personality he slips into the shoes of, and they are a significant part of why his name keeps cropping up in fan casting of the new Harry Potter show.
8 Christian Coulson
Known For: Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets, Nashville, Mozart In The Jungle
Christian Coulson’s career has been relatively quieter compared to other possible actors who could play Voldemort, but he definitely has the most experience out of the bunch. Coulson plays the teenage Tom Riddle in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, and he does a beautiful job of translating the unhinged Slytherin’s mannerisms and quirks to the screen.
In recent years, Coulson has made a move into American TV and has starred in titles like Nashville and Mozart in the Jungle for short stints.
The fact he has already played Voldemort makes Coulson more than qualified, but other factors his casting. Director David Yates decides against bringing Coulson back in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince because of his age, but this is no longer an issue, and he has a lot to offer as an older version of the character (via MTV). Coulson is an actor who deserves to reenter the spotlight, and the new Harry Potter TV show is a great opportunity for him to do just that.
7 Andrew Scott
Known For: Sherlock, Fleabag, Ripley
Andrew Scott is a force to be reckoned with and is a part of the casts of some of the best TV shows of the last couple of decades. The actor has played some of the most iconic characters ever, such as Jim Moriarty in the BBC Sherlock and the Priest in Fleabag, both of whom viewers continue to talk about nowadays. He also takes on the role of Tom Ripley in the Netflix show Ripley, a bold and thrilling title that shows Scott at his best and earns him his Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor.
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Andrew Scott is an incredibly talented and versatile actor who shot into the spotlight in 2010 and has continued to shine brighter ever since.
The reason why Scott is such a powerful performer is that his characters are so varied. Moriarty, the Priest, and Ripley are all very different personalities, but Scott is exceptionally natural as each of them. Moriarty is an especially strong example of Scott’s ability to portray villains, and Voldemort would ire just how erratic and dangerous Sherlock’s arch-nemesis is. Every character that Scott turns his hand to is layered with charisma and an aura that makes it hard to stop watching him, which are solid qualities that can help him in playing Voldemort.
6 Nicholas Hoult
Known For: Skins, The Great, X-Men: First Class, The Menu
Like many of those from the Harry Potter cast, Nicholas Hoult knows how it feels to grow up in the spotlight. The actor’s career spans the majority of his life, spending his childhood and teenage years starring in films like About a Boy and TV shows like Skins. Throughout his adult life, Hoult appears in The X-Men superhero franchise as Hank McCoy and in titles such as The Menu and The Great, to name a few. Hoult is critically acclaimed for his performance as Peter in The Great, and his comedic side is one of the best things about his acting.
As Hoult works alongside Ralph Fiennes in The Menu, it would make it easy for him to pick up some pointers on playing Voldemort. Of course, his acting abilities alone are enough. Hoult is very good at balancing humor and drama in his works, which would be an intriguing way to present Voldemort, but it also makes sense for the character, too. Nicholas Hoult has lost out on some major roles in the past, despite his stellar career, but Voldemort is one character that he deserves a shot at.
5 Naveen Andrews
Known For: Lost, The English Patient, Once Upon A Time In Wonderland, The Dropout
Naveen Andrews is a British actor who is most famous for his Golden Globe and Emmy-nominated portrayal of Sayid Jarrah in Lost. He has also appeared opposite Ralph Fiennes in The English Patient as Kip, a military engineer. In recent years, Andrews has starred as Jonas Maliki in Sense8 and as Sunny in The Dropout. Andrews proves in The Dropout that he is great at replicating an already notable figure. His performance as Theranos' COO is rife with paranoia and obscure behavior, which is also perfect for Voldemort.
Sayid is also one of the best main characters in Lost. Even though Andrews isn’t typically known as a villain, Sayid’s complex backstory and battle with his inner demons are definitely qualities that can be applied to a character like Voldemort. One antagonist that Andrews does well as, however, is Jafar in Once Upon a Time in Wonderland. Although Voldemort and Jafar are very different, there is undoubtedly an underlying hatred against anything good that they both possess.
4 Michaela Coel
Known For: Chewing Gum, I May Destroy You, Black Mirror
There are several incredible female performers who could be Voldemort, too, and Michaela Coel is a fabulous example. Coel rises to prominence in the hilarious Chewing Gum, winning her the BAFTA Award for Best Female Comedy Performance. However, Coel is just as powerful a comedic actor as she is a serious one. I May Destroy You is based on a true story and a fascinating commentary on sexual assault and misogynistic attitudes, and she is more than deserving of her Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series, Movie, or Dramatic Special for it.
Coel is an incredibly powerful person both on and off-screen.
Coel has previously spoken about her isolated upbringing as the only black pupil at school and her past as a bully (via The Guardian). These experiences allow her to relate to Voldemort in some ways, at least in the sense of how it feels to be different from others. Coel is an incredibly powerful person both on and off-screen, and if there is anyone who could offer a diverse twist on the character of Lord Voldemort, it’s her.
3 Michelle Gomez
Known For: Doctor Who, Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina
Michelle Gomez is a brilliant Scottish actress whose experience in comedy makes her an ideal candidate to play Voldemort. Gomez is famous for portraying the first female incarnation of the Master in Doctor Who, also known as Missy, and the character is the perfect example of why the actress is a perfect casting choice as Harry Potter’s main villain. Missy is completely unhinged and manic, with zero regard for the safety of others, and she is generally a fantastic antagonist.
Gomez has starred as the villainous Madam Satan in Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, where she demonstrates these character traits once again. A large majority of Gomez’s roles are considered antagonistic or at least suspicious, whether it is as the belligerent teacher Isobel Pickwell in the British comedy series Bad Education or as the shifty Miranda Croft in The Flight Attendant. Gomez is a true talent when it comes to embodying the criminally insane, so she would naturally be a great Voldemort.
2 Bill Skarsgård
Known For: It, Clark, John Wick: Chapter 4
Swedish actor Bill Skarsgård is known for playing one of the greatest villains in movie history, Pennywise, in It and It: Chapter Two. Pennywise’s ability to make viewers’ skin crawl and spark deep fear in children is unmatched, and this is something that Skarsgård would easily be able to replicate in a performance as Voldemort. The actor is also ed for portraying the titular character in the Netflix miniseries Clark, the notorious criminal behind the events of the 1973 Norrmalmstorg robbery.
Skarsgård constantly proves that he’s an amazing villain. He stars as antagonists in several of his titles, such as the powerful Marquis Vincent Bisset de Gramont in John Wick: Chapter 4 and as the enigmatic prisoner “The Kid” in Castle Rock. Skarsgård has even been cast as Count Orlok in the remake of Nosferatu, a character who is pure evil. Skarsgård’s career has taken off in recent years, but taking on the famous persona of Lord Voldemort could be the highlight of his filmography.
1 Danny Pudi
Known For: Community, Mythic Quest, DuckTales
Danny Pudi is an unusual choice to suggest as Lord Voldemort, but one that makes sense upon taking a closer look at his past works. Pudi is most notably known as Abed Nadir in the sitcom Community, and he provides a hilarious yet nuanced performance as the aspiring director. The creative genius is supposedly at the center of the plot of the Community movie, and audiences are thrilled that Pudi is reprising his most famous character. Outside of Community, Pudi’s career extends into voice acting work, like in the reboot of DuckTales. He also stars in Mythic Quest.
Pudi is a fabulous impressionist, too. His impersonation of Nicolas Cage proves not only that Abed is the best character in Community, but also that the actor himself is astonishingly talented. The way Pudi manipulates his voice and body language at the drop of a hat is fascinating, and if he can change himself into Nicolas Cage that easily, then he could definitely become Voldemort without any issue. Lord Voldemort is a character that can be interpreted in multiple ways, so there’s no reason why Pudi wouldn’t fit in perfectly in the new Harry Potter TV show.
Harry Potter
- Showrunner
- Francisca Gardiner
- Directors
- Mark Mylod
- Writers
- sca Gardiner
- Franchise(s)
- Harry Potter
Cast
Dominic McLaughlinHarry Potter-
Arabella StantonHermione Granger
-
Alastair StoutRon Weasley
Albus Dumbledore
Harry Potter is HBO's remake of the iconic Wizarding World film series that consisted of eight films between 2001 and 2011. Each season adapts a book from JK Rowling's popular series and provides more book-accurate details than the movies did.
- Seasons
- 1
- Main Genre
- Adventure
