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Ralph Fiennes: Not in "Half-Blood Prince," Has Not Signed Yet to Return as Voldemort for "Deathly Hallows"

Fiennes
Posted by: Sue
March 04, 2008, 10:31 AM

While promoting his new film "In Bruges" actor Ralph Fiennes gave a new interview where he discusses his role as Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter series. Ralph says he will not be appearing in the upcoming "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," and has not yet signed for "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows." He discusses the fact he "particularly liked" doing "Goblet of Fire" under the direction of Mike Newell. Noting that he was never an avid reader of the Harry Potter book series he says that it wasn't until he went "to the premiere of the first one I did, I got a real sense of the extraordinary nature of it all." Quotage from the interview with Ain't it Cool is as follows:

Capone (of Aint It Cool) Are you even in THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE?
RF: The one they're shooting now, no, I'm not in it.

Capone: So it's just your nephew that's playing
RF: My nephew is playing, I think just for a couple of scenes, the younger Voldemort [Tom Riddle]. I understand that the bulk of the bulk of the backstory of Voldemort is played by another, slightly older actor [Frank Dillane].

Capone: And have you signed on for the final film yet?
RF: I have not yet, no.

Capone: Has it been fun seeing yourself rendered serpentine for the two films your are in?
RF: Yeah, I particularly liked doing the first one. The second one, I think Voldemort is placed more as a sense in Harry's head, whereas in the first one I did with Mike Newell directing, there was that fantastic scene of his rebirth in the graveyard, which I enjoyed doing. I've enjoyed making the movies, but I was never an avid reader of the books. It just wasn't something I went towards. When I went to the premiere of the first one I did, I got a real sense of the extraordinary nature of it all.

Capone: Were there small children in the audience screaming at the site of you?
RF: Yes! The volume of people and the noise and excitement; it was a huge phenomenon, the whole thing is definitely. And I actually think that the David Yates-directed one, the last one, was particularly good. I liked the style of it; it was grown up. and had an edge to it, the way it was shot and lit. It's a franchise that could so easily have not developed, but I think just filmicly it has been developed, and the producers have been very smart to keep it alive and present and edgy.

Caution to Parents: Strong language in comments via theentire article at this link. Thanks Laura!

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Comments (64) | Average 3.2 (235 votes) Browse all Recent Fiennes News
1  2  3  4 
forgetmenot

Well, others said before: as he isn’t really in the book (only as his younger self), of course he is not in the film. And about DH: Has any actor except the trio signed up for DH? I don’t think they did the casting for the next one yet as it is still one year to go. They will ask him, though. They kept all the actors in as far as possible. So they will keep Ralph Fiennes in as well.

Posted by forgetmenot on March 04, 2008 @ 02:09 PM
Bethers

Any reason hinted at ,as to, why he might NOT be in DH..? I mean surely both Mr Finnes and the production comp understand ..that at this point in the HP films ANY recurring character would be expected to be played by the SAME actor..?...I mean its not as if they wont make the last movie so If you sighed up after #3 then you should know you are up for the rest of the movies as long as your character in in it..Other than death..the contract should have stated you should finish the series…this isn’t some American Soap where the viewers pretend its the same person..lol

Posted by Bethers on March 04, 2008 @ 02:10 PM
Bethers

Any reason hinted at ,as to, why he might NOT be in DH..? I mean surely both Mr Finnes and the production comp understand ..that at this point in the HP films ANY recurring character would be expected to be played by the SAME actor..?...I mean its not as if they wont make the last movie so If you sighed up after #3 then you should know you are up for the rest of the movies as long as your character in in it..Other than death..the contract should have stated you should finish the series…this isn’t some American Soap where the viewers pretend its the same person..lol

Posted by Bethers on March 04, 2008 @ 02:10 PM
Liv

i hadn’t even thought about the fact that he wasn’t in HPB book… pity…ralph fiennes is a prefect voldy and i like seeing him act….

he’s got to be in DH- they cant change that!!!!!

Posted by Liv on March 04, 2008 @ 02:43 PM
marco payan

he better be in DH!!! he’s one of my favorite actors, also I dont think another Lord Voldemort will be as good as him.

Posted by marco payan on March 04, 2008 @ 02:56 PM
Linny

“I just expected him to be in that scene where he asks Dumbledore for the Defence Against the Dark Arts post..”

Yeah, same here.

Posted by Linny on March 04, 2008 @ 03:01 PM
lizetm

We don’t really see him in HBP, so that’s ok …. BUT THEY BETTER HAVE HIM IN DH!!!! >:o

Posted by lizetm on March 04, 2008 @ 03:17 PM
beckett

Bethers – just to give you a heads up, the reason they don’t contract for the whole series is because it would be incredibly difficult to pin down any actor for seven films under one pay rate. They don’t contract for anyone for more than two films when it comes to this series. At least I don’t think. The Trio may have contracted 3-5 in a bundle, but I think that is the largest bundle. A lot of it has to do with money. When it comes to a series like this, when doing a large amount of films, you really can’t contract for all seven films at once, for anyone, due to the fact that you don’t know how much the films are going to make. the films could have been a smash hit (as they are) or a flop. If they had contracted the entire cast for all seven films, Dan Radcliffe would still be making 250,000 pounds for each film (which would certainly be unheard of considering the success). It’s a union thing.

Ralph Fiennes I am sure will be back. There are contract negotiations that are going on Union wise since SAG’s contract with AMPTP is up in June. I’m sure unless they have a contract through Deathly Hallows, no one will have a contract for that film until after the SAG contract is settled. A lot of other big budget films are holding off on their contracts until then as well.

Have no worries, I’m sure everyone involved want RF back. He’s simply amazing as Voldemort. He’s far too freaky in the role to not come back. And as he once said in an interview with James Lipton; he’s not a real fan of Harry Potter, and wasn’t when he came into the franchise. Then again, he didn’t have to be. Children are terrified of him, and thats exactly how Voldemort should be.

Posted by beckett on March 04, 2008 @ 03:20 PM
Natalie

WTFNOOOO

Posted by Natalie on March 04, 2008 @ 03:44 PM
Lindsay

If hes not in DH i will be furious!

You cant just REPLACE Voldy! Hopfully they wont :)

Posted by Lindsay on March 04, 2008 @ 03:46 PM
anne

“Is anyone else feeling like I am…. just get this one over with because i want to see DH on the screen?”

yes! I keep wanting to watch one of the HP films and the one I fancy watching is the one that hasn’t even been written yet! I wasn’t keen on HBP as a book. I enjoyed the pensieve visits, the sectumsempra, and then from the cave onwards. Really not into the romance stuff at all.

But I’m thinking that I might enjoy the film more.

Posted by anne on March 04, 2008 @ 03:47 PM
anne

beckett, apparently they wanted to contract the kids for all seven but Radcliffe’s parents didn’t want to commit him to 10 years just like that (and also didn’t want him to be in Hollywood) and so they refused the offer. So the filmmakers eventually agreed to a one year at a time, filmed in the UK. But that was just for the kids because they wanted to keep them the same throughout.

Posted by anne on March 04, 2008 @ 03:52 PM
BellaSnape

I am sure that all the reaccuring actors and actresses from the films will be back for the last film even the newly cast people will be back Im sure. But Im not surprised either that he is not in it, it is Snapes book – I pray Alan has alot of screen time, eventhough we find out about his past it still is the book about Harry and the Half- Blood prince.

Posted by BellaSnape on March 04, 2008 @ 05:25 PM
hp fan

oh i totally forgot he wasn’t in that one good thing im rereading it! haha! i hope hes in DH he was so good as voldy! ;)

Posted by hp fan on March 04, 2008 @ 06:17 PM
Brenda

HBP is my favorite book so I’m totally looking forward to the movie. I think they COULD have used Ralph Fiennes even as Tom Riddle. He could’ve easily been in the Dumbledore interview during his transition into Voldemort. That’s what make-up is for, right? I’m REALLY nervous about DH though. One of the first things I thought after I finished reading it was: “How are they going to film this? Especially the wand-lore stuff?” Fiennes WILL return as Voldy in DH! He HAS TO!

Posted by Brenda on March 04, 2008 @ 07:24 PM
Will

I’m surprised and quite disappointed. I have and will always love the book, but movies are (everybody say it with me) a different medium. People who haven’t read the book will probably wonder during the film, “Hey, what happened to the snake guy? Why isn’t he possessing Harry anymore? Is the main villian not showing up in the penultimate movie? Why not?” I would love if they added some darker scenes in the movie and we got glimpses of Voldemort preparing his death eaters. Actually two scenes is really all that is needed. Two short scenes and we get a glimpse of exactly where Voldemort is and what he is doing. By the way, I’m 95% positive they won’t add in the Voldemort DADA interview. To simplify the memories means to simplify DH, which would mean it’s possible DH could be ONE film that is comprehensible for nonreaders.

Posted by Will on March 04, 2008 @ 08:23 PM
Eva Hedwig

I like Ralph very much as Voldemort and I hope he will be back on DH.

Now we´ve seen him act V. no other would be suitable.

Posted by Eva Hedwig on March 04, 2008 @ 08:36 PM
Laura

No problem, guys! It will be kind of weird having no Fiennes/Voldemort for HBP but I really do think he’ll sign on for the last film.

Posted by Laura on March 04, 2008 @ 08:40 PM
Kezzabear

I don’t think it is dire that hes not been signed for DH … no one has been.

Posted by Kezzabear on March 04, 2008 @ 09:53 PM
Muddtallica

Will: In all honesty, I don’t think that’s going to be a problem. It’s not as if Voldemort is going to totally vanish for the duration of the film; frankly, out of all the seven stories, I’d argue that HBP is the one that’s actually ABOUT Voldemort, both in terms of the backstory revealed about him and in terms of the way his presence permeates the whole atmosphere, even if you don;t see him directly. I really don’t think any audience members will feel like he’s missing…

Posted by Muddtallica on March 04, 2008 @ 10:19 PM
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