“I Would Like to Not Let That Go”: Ralph Fiennes Discusses His Love for Lord Voldemort

Known to be the archenemy of Harry Potter and the last known descendant of Salazar Slytherin himself, Lord Voldemort is so feared in the wizarding world that witches and wizards dare not utter his unspeakable name. Despite his obsession with blood purity and ridding the wizarding world of Muggle heritage, You-Know-Who is a character Ralph Fiennes feels especially protective over.

Notorious for playing the most evil of characters in Red Dragon, Schindler’s List, and the Harry Potter franchise, Fiennes remarks on how such roles “f*** with your head” because “you have to put your head in the place of that person.” Despite his decision to avoid that characterization of evil, Fiennes claims fierce possession over the role of Voldemort.

Since Voldemort is clearly a character close to his heart, Fiennes reckons that he would play Voldemort again if the opportunity ever arose. Ironically, Fiennes initially had no interest in playing the most feared wizard known to wizardkind and only did so after speaking with his sister. Once Fiennes became aware of how enthusiastic Potter readers were, including his sister’s children, he came to realize the importance and intensity of the role.

Whether Fiennes became possessive over Voldemort through his attempts to understand and sympathize with him is unknown; however, one thing is clear – Fiennes played Voldemort brilliantly. Just as Voldemort claims he “can live forever,” so too does Fiennes feel he can play Voldemort forever.

Do you think Ralph Fiennes was the best actor to play He Who Must Not Be Named? How excited would you be if Fiennes returned to J.K. Rowing’s wizarding world?