HBO's Harry Potter: Five actors who could be perfect as Lord Voldemort

With HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter reboot on the horizon, one of the biggest casting challenges will be reimagining the Dark Lord himself. Here are five actors who could bring a fresh, terrifying edge to Lord Voldemort.

Cillian Murphy

Voldemort needs to be terrifying—but also hypnotic, someone followers obsess over. Cillian Murphy has that strange, dark charisma that can draw people in and unsettle them at the same time. His eerie stillness, piercing intensity, and cerebral energy make him a natural fit for Lord Voldemort. His performances in The Batman Trilogy, Peaky Blinders and Oppenheimer show how he can command a scene with his controlled acting.

David Tennant

David Tennant has a natural ability to portray characters who are both charismatic and unhinged, capturing Voldemort’s manipulative genius and volatile rage. Tennant could bring a theatrical, almost hypnotic energy to the role, making Voldemort both terrifying and strangely captivating. His sharp wit and intense performances in Doctor Who and Jessica Jones is a proof of his calibre.

Ben Whishaw

Ben Whishaw offers a rare combination of intelligence, quiet menace, and emotional depth that could bring a fresh take on Lord Voldemort for today’s audience. With standout roles in Perfume and as Q in the James Bond series, he excels at playing characters who unsettle with their calm, controlled presence. He could also convincingly play a young Tom Riddle, capturing the charm and darkness that foreshadow Voldemort’s rise.

Bill Skarsgård

Bill Skarsgård is known for his chilling and unsettling performances—most famously as Pennywise in It and as Nosferatu. He has a natural ability to blend eerie charm with outright menace, capturing the kind of cold, unpredictable darkness that defines the Dark Lord. His skill at portraying deeply disturbed yet magnetic characters means he could make Voldemort both frightening and disturbingly captivating, appealing to a new generation of viewers.

Idris Elba

Known for powerful roles in Luther, Beasts of No Nation, and The Wire, Idris Elba has the range to portray both icy control and explosive fury—hallmarks of the Dark Lord. His Voldemort wouldn’t just be a menacing figure cloaked in myth, but a fully realized villain shaped by ambition, and deep emotional scars. He could deliver a version of Voldemort that feels less like a theatrical monster and more like a revolutionary—magnetic, terrifying, and human.