The revelation by Ralph Fiennes that Cillian Murphy has been cast as Voldemort in the upcoming HBO series has sent the Harry Potter fandom into a frenzy. The Peaky Blinders star and Oppenheimer Oscar winner has been rumored to be in the running to play the evil wizard in the new show, but has denied reports of his involvement.
However, Fiennes, who previously played the character in the film adaptations, appeared to have jumped the gun when asked on the red carpet about who should fill his shoes for Voldemort in the upcoming HBO show. In a viral TikTok clip shared by Let’s Talk Film, he responded, "I'm told they are already filled, aren't they? I think Cillian Murphy is a very good choice."
His confidence in Murphy's suitability for the role was evident, but as he continued, his panic became more pronounced. "I've already said, I think Cillian Murphy is very good. I think they've cast it, haven't they? You don't know?" Fiennes turned to his team with increasing uncertainty, saying, "I don’t know. I thought they had."
Many fans are unsure whether this constitutes confirmation of Murphy's involvement or whether Fiennes mistakenly believed the media speculation surrounding the Irish actor's possible casting. The Independent has contacted HBO, Murphy, and Fiennes for comment.
In 2024, it was announced that HBO had begun casting for roles for a reboot series inspired by JK Rowling’s best-selling series of novels. The series is expected to run for a decade, with each season based on one of the seven Rowling books. After auditioning more than 30,000 actors for the three main characters, the production cast Dominic McLaughlin as Harry, Arabella Stanton as Hermione, and Alastair Stout as Ron.
Fiennes previously supported the idea of Murphy playing Voldemort, telling Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live: "Cillian is a fantastic actor. That’s a wonderful suggestion. I would be all in favor of Cillian." However, Murphy denied claims on the Happy Sad Confused podcast in September 2025, revealing that he's only aware of the speculation because of his children. "I don’t know anything about that. Also, it’s just really hard to follow anything Ralph Fiennes does. The man is an absolute acting legend, so good luck to whoever’s gonna fill those shoes."
The actors being cast in the new series have come under fire from some fans calling for a boycott of the series due to Rowling’s views on transgender people, which many consider transphobic.
