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.
It doesn’t surprise me at all. He’s not in the novel. Them adding the one scene is really enough, I don’t think JK Rowling would let them add him to the novel, he’s really not needed. This novel isn’t about him. Not the current him any ways. Its about learning who Tom Riddle was – not Lord Voldemort.
It also doesn’t surprise me that he hasn’t signed on for Deathly Hollows yet either. Unless you signed a double picture deal (like the trio) they most likely don’t have the contracts done yet. And won’t until after the SAG/AMPTP settle their contract talks in June.
Not to mention, as the current film continues, more and more people are being added to the cast. I highly doubt they will replace Ralph Fiennes. They don’t like to replace major characters unless they really have to, and the only one they have truly replaced (that is a major, everyone knows them and can truly pick them out) is Dumbledore, due to the necessity of my beloved Richard Harris’s passing.
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.
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
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.
“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.
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.
"Sirius -- it's me... it's Peter... your friend... you wouldn't..."[br]Black kicked out and Pettigrew recoiled.[br]"There's enough filth on my robes without you touching them," said Black.
NEVER, NEVER, NEVER hit the post button twice! ROFLMAO! DUH!!!