![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/SEC_282210535-a299.jpg\")
\n\t\tIs Cillian Murphy the next Voldemort? (Picture: Getty\/Warner Bros.)<\/p>\n
\t\t
\n\t\tIs Cillian Murphy the next Voldemort? (Picture: Getty\/Warner Bros.)<\/p>\n
Did Ralph Fiennes<\/a> just leak the identity of the new Voldemort actor for the Harry Potter<\/a> TV adaptation?<\/p>\n The 63-year-old three-time Oscar nominee, of course, played He Who Cannot Be Named in the hit film series, first appearing in 2005\u2019s Goblet of Fire and concluding with the Deathly Hallows \u2013 Part 2 in 2007.<\/p>\n And with HBO<\/a> taking charge of the wizarding franchise and developing each movie into a season of television, speculation remains rife over who will don his cloak next.<\/p>\n However, it looks like Ralph may have just let a major casting secret<\/a> slip.<\/p>\n In a recent interview at an event, the Bafta winner was asked on a red carpet: \u2018Who do you think should fill your shoes for Voldemort in the upcoming HBO show?\u2019<\/p>\n He replied with a smile: \u2018Well, I\u2019m told they\u2019re already filled, aren\u2019t they?\u2019<\/p>\n \t\t \t\t \u2018Who do you think it should be?\u2019, the journalist probed. \u2018If anyone could do Voldemort the way that you did Voldemort\u2026\u2019<\/p>\n \u2018I\u2019ve already said, I think Cillian Murphy<\/a> is very good,\u2019 Ralph replied.<\/p>\n \u2018Very good. Very good choice,\u2019 he praised, uncertainty suddenly spreading across his face as the reporters remained silent.<\/p>\n \u2018I think they\u2019ve cast it, haven\u2019t they?\u2019, he asked.<\/p>\n The interviewer responded with, \u2018I hope so. I love Cillian Murphy,\u2019 as Ralph turned to his team in panic.<\/p>\n \u2018I don\u2019t know. I thought they had,\u2019 he then stuttered upon realisation.<\/p>\n As the initial reporter began chuckling, Ralph moved on to the next, but not before feigning annoyance by pointing a finger at her, as if to say, \u2018You caught me out\u2019, albeit inadvertently on her part.<\/p>\n Once the clip made its way online, it didn\u2019t take long for Harry Potter fans to share their thoughts on the rumoured casting, with many also in stitches over how it was \u2018confirmed\u2019.<\/p>\n @Agora_hillss wrote on X: \u2018That\u2019s what happen when you tell an actor who isnt even in the series a secret you don\u2019t want people to know lmao\u2019.<\/p>\n Others admitted they felt \u2018disappointed\u2019 in the Peaky Blinders<\/a> star if the claims are true.<\/p>\n \u2018There has to be some kind of misunderstanding here. I really can\u2019t see Oscar-winning Cillian Murphy attaching himself to this. There is no way he doesn\u2019t have people around him warning him of the intense backlash that would come with it\u2019, wrote @DapperSteve.<\/p>\n \u2018Disappointing from Cillian tbh expected better from him\u2019, added @walyacup.<\/p>\n \t\t @kaplans616 echoed: \u2018well this is just\u2026 a huge bummer isn\u2019t it\u2019.<\/p>\n Although some were keen on the idea, with @BushiSays declaring the 49-year-old Irish actor a \u2018darker, scarier, and somehow even more stylish\u2019, choice.<\/p>\n The development is undoubtedly confusing, given how Cillian seemed to rule himself out of the Voldemort role<\/a> just last September, saying it would be \u2018really hard\u2019 to follow in \u2018acting legend\u2019 Ralph\u2019s footsteps.<\/p>\n Still, there\u2019s no denying that anyone who has taken parts in the TV adaptation has come under fire.<\/p>\n JK Rowling<\/a>, the author of the original Harry Potter book series, aka the best-selling book series in history, has publicly made anti-trans comments in recent years.<\/p>\n The likes of Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint<\/a>, and Emma Watson \u2013 who rose to fame as child stars<\/a> in the lead parts \u2013 have publicly condemned her remarks and voiced support for the trans community, prompting the writer to make jibes at them<\/a> in return.<\/p>\n \t\t \t\t Longtime Harry Potter fans continue to express disdain for her and those who tie themselves to her by accepting roles<\/a> in future adaptations, such as the Audible book series, which will feature the likes of Keira Knightley<\/a> and Bill Nighy<\/a>.<\/p>\n Rowling is serving as an executive producer on the HBO series.<\/p>\n So far, confirmed cast members include Dominic McLaughlin\u00a0as\u00a0Harry Potter<\/a>, Alastair Stout as\u00a0Ron Weasley,\u00a0and\u00a0Arabella Stanton\u00a0as\u00a0Hermione Granger. <\/p>\n John Lithgow\u00a0will play\u00a0Albus Dumbledore<\/a>,\u00a0Janet McTeer\u00a0is\u00a0Minerva McGonagall,\u00a0Paapa Essiedu\u00a0will be\u00a0Severus Snape, and\u00a0Nick Frost\u00a0shall play\u00a0Rubeus Hagrid.<\/p>\n As for the villainous Voldemort, it was previously reported that\u00a0Matthew Macfadyen<\/a> was the bookies\u2019 favourite, but it later emerged that he will voice Harry\u2019s archenemy in the audiobook versions.<\/p>\n Last August, former\u00a0Doctor Who<\/a>\u00a0star\u00a0Matt Smith<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Marvel<\/a>\u00a0alum\u00a0Paul Bettany<\/a>\u00a0were also tipped for the antagonist role, while Cillian\u2019s odds sat at 4\/1.<\/p>\n \t\t His name entered the race<\/a> after Ralph gave him his blessing, having never made a secret of his admiration for Oppenheimer lead.<\/p>\n During an interview on Watch What Happens Live, he once said: \u2018Cillian is a fantastic actor. That\u2019s a wonderful suggestion. I would be all in favour of Cillian. Yeah.\u2019<\/p>\n Although we could still be in for a surprise, as Tilda\u00a0Swinton was being circled to portray a female Voldemort last autumn.<\/p>\n Development on the series was revealed to have begun in January 2021, with production planned to span across a decade.<\/p>\n A final release date is yet to be confirmed, but the first season will consist of eight episodes and is due to land on HBO in the United States<\/a> in early or mid-2027.<\/p>\n Reps for Cillian Murphy have been contacted for comment.<\/p>\n Got a story?<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk<\/a> entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff<\/a> page \u2013 we\u2019d love to hear from you.<\/p>\n Arrow Arrow Arrow![\"Film:](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/SEI_65250221-4034.jpg\")
\n\t\tRalph Fiennes famously played the antagonist throughout the Harry Potter film series (Picture: David Tarling)<\/p>\n![\"LONDON,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/SEI_282217643-6589.jpg\")
\n\t\tHe believes his successor has already been chosen (Picture: Rasid Necati Aslim\/Anadolu via Getty Images)<\/p>\n![\"TELEVISON](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/SEI_178245191-b285.jpg\")
\n\t\tPeaky Blinders star Cillian has Ralph\u2019s full blessing to take over the villainous character (Picture: BBC\/Caryn Mandabach Productions)<\/p>\n![\"Harry](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/SEI_279358594-d7bc.jpg\")
\n\t\tEmma Watson, Daniel Radcliffe, and Rupert Grint shot to stardom in the lead parts as children (Picture: Warner Bros.)<\/p>\n![\"This](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/SEI_253407924-2e40.jpg\")
\n\t\tArabella Stanton, Dominic McLaughlin, and Alastair Stout will not play Hermione Granger, Harry Potter, and Ron Weasley, respectively (Picture: AP)<\/p>\n![\"LONDON](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/SEI_275413408-8e53.jpg\")
\n\t\tAuthor JK Rowling has been criticised after expressing anti-trans views in recent years (Picture: Gareth Davies\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
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