Imagine the world of Harry Potter without Lord Voldemort. Harry would live with his parents and not the Dursleys. He would be completely knowledgeable about magic. Thus, there would be no thrill, drama, or even the Harry Potter saga to speak of. Could you picture it? No, not even any of us. But we nearly experienced a setback when Ralph Fiennes (the man behind this cherished villainous character) revealed that he almost declined the role.

Why? He was not familiar with the Harry Potter universe.

Yes, the 60-year-old legendary actor, best known for playing Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter film series, once revealed that he almost declined the part that would make him a household name.

Ralph Fiennes

Surprisingly, The Menu actor almost passed on the Voldemort role by offering one of the wackiest justifications imaginable.

When the actor was initially approached in 2005 for the second Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire film, he claimed he was “ignorant” about J K Rowling’s wizard series.

When Ralph Fiennes Nearly Rejected Lord Voldemort’s Role

The Harry Potter films are not only a hugely successful franchise, but also home to some of the best legendary actors. It had stars like Richard Harris, Maggie Smith, and Alan Rickman, who stuck with the series for all eight movies. In addition to featuring these illustrious industry veterans, the films also successfully launched the careers of their young stars, including Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson.

Despite everything, Ralph Fiennes had his moments of doubt about taking on the role. The 60-year-old actor once discussed his reasons for initially not being interested in playing the dark wizard during a visit to Watch What Happens Live.

“In my stupid ignorance I hadn’t read the books, I hadn’t seen the first movies, and I was, I have to say, a little snobby about it.”

When Ralph Fiennes Nearly Rejected Lord Voldemort’s Role?

This proclaimed snobbishness, however, would not stop him from donning the robes for very long because he would get some encouragement from several people to play the infamous role.

For the unversed, Voldemort served as both Harry Potter’s mortal foe and the series’ main antagonist. He was the most powerful dark wizard the world had ever seen. And his ultimate goal was to take control of both the wizard realm and the entire planet.

What Made Him Accept The Role?

When Ralph Fiennes was chosen to play Voldemort after the first three films, the series had already been a huge success. Thus, there was no question about the popularity and potential longevity of the Harry Potter franchise.

Even though it was obvious that the offer was lucrative, Fiennes was not sure whether to accept it. According to him, it took some insistence from a number of people, including the movie’s casting director, for him to decide to accept the role.

“Until the casting director, great lady, English Lady, Mary Selway sat me down– I mean, I’ve known Mary for many years. She could be tough, and very insistent, and she just said, ‘You have to do this movie. Just do it Ralph.’ And she said it with such emphasis.”

Ralph Fiennes as Lord Voldemort

However, it appeared that Fiennes’ sister’s remarks, which he mentioned in Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts, did more to influence his choice.

“My sister has children who were then around 11 and 12, and I said, ‘Martha, I don’t know about this Voldemort.’ Her response? ‘What? You’re being asked to play Voldemort? You’ve got to do it!’”

Ralph Fiennes as Lord Voldemort

Even though it might seem like a sentimental justification for such a significant choice, it would not be the first time someone accepted a role in order to appease the kids in their family.

Well, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, the final film in the series, was released in 2011 and marked Fiennes’ final performance in the role.