Who Played Voldemort in the Harry Potter Movies (2024)

The Harry Potter series wouldn't exist without Lord Voldemort. As Harry's nemesis, the Dark Lord appeared in almost every Harry Potter movie, except Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban. Despite his lack of appearance in that film, his presence was always felt in the background by the characters and audience. Always scheming in the shadows, it was a given he would return, but who would portray him when he did?

Despite being cruel, Voldemort has earned his fair share of fans who appreciate the character, and much of that appreciation can be attributed to the actors who brought the Dark Lord to life on the big screen. Voldemort's evil hides a surprisingly complex character with a tragic history. His mother entrapped his father with magic, and when he snapped out of the spell, he wanted nothing to do with her, or the child they conceived. Her death left young Tom Marvolo Riddle an orphan to be raised in a Muggle orphanage, a factor that embittered him the more he learned about his true origins. Voldemort's multifaceted personality is best illustrated not only by his numerous names — from Tom Marvolo Riddle to You-Know-Who — but also by the large number of actors who have portrayed him throughout the years.

Update on June 17, 2024, by Arthur Goyaz: Ralph Fiennes is the most popular actor to take on the role of Voldemort, but his predecessors have done a great job as well. Now it's time for Fiennes to pass the baton to someone else. This list was updated to add news about Harry Potter's upcoming TV show to meet CBR current formatting standards.

8 Eddie Izzard Voices Voldemort with a Darkly Comical Appeal

The Lego Batman Movie (2017)

• Abominable (2019)
• Six Minutes to Midnight (2020)
• Stay Close (2021)

The Lego Batman Movie may not be the best Batman film, but it mixes the Caped Crusader with plenty of franchises, including Harry Potter. The film features Lord Voldemort, voiced by actor, comedian, and activist Eddie Izzard. In this movie, the Dark Lord participates in the Clash of the Uber Villains.

Of course, since The Lego Batman Movie is a Batman film, Lord Voldemort doesn't have a prominent role. However, Izzard portrays him as a hilarious PG villain. Besides this film, Izzard has appeared in dozens of projects. Among the most prominent ones are Abominable, Netflix's Stay Close, and the film Six Minutes to Midnight. Because Izzard's appearance doesn't take itself so seriously as other Voldemort scenes in the Harry Potter movies, he lands at the bottom of the list.

7 Richard Bremmer is the Star of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone's Creepiest Scene

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)

Also known for:

• To Kill A King (2003)
• In The Heart Of The Sea (2015)
• Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker (2019)

Lord Voldemort has countless victims throughout the series, but two of the saddest deaths in Harry Potter are Harry Potter's parents, James and Lily. During a flashback in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Lord Voldemort invades the Potters' home, dressed in a dark cloak that covers his face and his body. He murders Lily Potter with the Killing Curse and then tries to kill baby Harry but fails.

Richard Bremmer plays this version of Lord Voldemort. Bremmer believed that he was replaced in subsequent movies because the filmmakers wanted a more well-established name in the industry. Fortunately, his role as young Voldemort did good things for his career, even landing him a role in a Star Wars movie.

6 Ian Hart Pretends To Be Harry Potter's Ally As Professor Quirinus Quirrell

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)

Also known for:

• The Hours And Times (1991)
• The Hound Of The Baskervilles (2002)
• Finding Neverland (2004)

Alongside Bremmer's portrayal, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone includes another version of Voldemort. In the movie, Harry confronts his enemy while the Dark Lord is possessing his Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Quirinus Quirrell. Voldemort's face is hidden underneath Quirrell's turban and is created through CGI.

Ian Hart, the actor portraying Quirrell, provided the source for the face and voice of Voldemort's shade, the creature Harry ultimately defeats through his mother's love. Hart is known for having played John Lennon in three different films — The Hours And Times, Backbeat, and Snodgrass. He also has many other appearances in both film and television, including portrayals of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in Finding Neverland and The Hound Of The Baskervilles.

5 Frank Dillane Portrays Voldemort's Troubled Teenage Version, Tom Riddle

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)

Also known for:

• Fear The Walking Dead (2015)
• In The Heart Of The Sea (2015)

Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince sees the titular boy-wizard seeking answers regarding Voldemort's method of survival. To this end, he approaches his new Potions teacher, Horace Slughorn, who also had Voldemort as his pupil. Through Slughorn's memories, viewers get to see a bit of Voldemort's past — this time as a Slytherin student at Hogwarts.

In this flashback, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is portrayed by Frank Dillane. His chilling but charismatic persona is somewhat of a departure from previous versions of the character. Dillane is best known for his participation in the television series Fear The Walking Dead, though he also appears in In The Heart Of The Sea. Dillane's brief appearances as Tom Riddle carry the weight of a wizard consumed by dark impulses, earning the number 4 spot on the list.

4 Hero Fiennes Tiffin Nails His Short Screen Time as Kid Voldemort

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)

Also known for:

• The After film series (2019-2023)
• Cleaning Up (2019)
• First Love (2022)

Even Voldemort was 11 once, and viewers get a glimpse at Voldemort's childhood years in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. A flashback displays Albus Dumbledore visiting young Tom Riddle in Wool's Orphanage to give him his Hogwarts letter. This version of the character is portrayed by Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Ralph Fiennes's nephew.

While there was plenty of speculation of nepotism, the young actor more than proved that he earned the role through merit, not because of his family connections. The director did, however, comment that the family resemblance with the older version of Voldemort made a difference. Child Tom Riddle remains in the hearts of many viewers; his haunting performance has made many fans question whether Tom could have been saved if he had someone to truly pull him away from the dark side. Since his appearance in The Half-Blood Prince, Fiennes Tiffin has appeared in other projects. He's now famously known for his portrayal of Hardin Scott, the main lead in the After film series.

3 Christian Coulson Embodies Lord Voldemort's Darkest Teenage Memories

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)

Also known for:

• The Forsyte Saga (2002)
• Peter and John (2015)
• Mozart in the Jungle (2018)

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets introduces the first real glimpse into Voldemort as he was before being temporarily defeated by the infant Harry Potter. Christian Coulson manages to create a charismatic but cunning version of Tom Riddle that is consistent with Voldemort's origins. As the young part of Tom's soul — trapped in his Horcrux — he successfully hides his true nature from Harry until the very last moment. He also points out some very intriguing truths, including the numerous similarities between him and Harry.

Tom Marvolo Riddle is Christian Coulson's best-known role, though he has appeared in shows like The Forsyte Saga and films like Love Is Strange. Coulson expressed interest in returning to portray Lord Voldemort in The Half-Blood Prince, but he was considered too old by then. Still, the progression from this version of the character to that of Frank Dillane could create an interesting conversation on the exact extent to which Voldemort's evil was caused by his Horcruxes.

2 Ralph Fiennes Takes Over Voldemort's Darkest Form

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)

Also known for

• Schindler's List (1993)
• The Reader (2008)
• Corolianus (2011)
• Skyfall (2012)
• No Time to Die (2021)

The best-known version of the Dark Lord is Ralph Fiennes' portrayal. First appearing at the end of Harry Potter And The Goblet of Fire, this version of Voldemort has a snake-like appearance — a terrifying look that emphasizes the fact that he has abandoned his humanity through the use of Horcruxes. Fiennes excels at bringing the iconic Harry Potter villain to life — his viciousness is evident in every spell he casts and every word he utters.

A popular figure in the movie industry, the Voldemort actor has starred in movies like The English Patient and Schindler's List, which have won him worldwide acclaim. His filmography also includes releases like The Reader, Clash Of The Titans, and three James Bond movies — Skyfall, Spectre, and No Time To Die. An incredibly versatile actor, he intended to make Voldemort as scary as possible — and he certainly succeeded: Fiennes is hands down the best actor to ever play Voldemort.

1 Who Will Play Voldemort in the Harry Potter TV Series?

A big part of the reason the Harry Potter movies were so successful was the marvelous casting, with promising young actors starring opposite the best British actors of their generation. With an upcoming Harry Potter TV series reportedly coming to Max in 2026, rumors about potential casting have been around since the series' confirmation in 2023. The show will be a complete reboot of Rowling's book series, and stars such as Daniel Radcliffe -- the titular character in the Harry Potter movies -- have already confirmed they won't be joining the project. Part of it might have something to do with the ongoing beef between Harry Potter's movie stars and Rowling, but generally speaking, there's no reason to start the Harry Potter world anew if old actors are returning.

However, Ralph Fiennes embodied Voldemort's dark nature as no other actor did, and to the fans' surprise, he recently opened up about reprising the role in the upcoming Harry Potter TV show. "No question about it," said Fiennes to Variety when asked if he would play Voldemort again in the future. Warner Bros. Discovery chief David Zaslav already has the green light from the veteran actor, but is it a good idea? What the Harry Potter TV series has in its favor is the opportunity to retell the well-known story from a refreshing perspective, bringing the magic of the Wizarding World to a new target audience rather than just refilling the joy of long-time fans of the movies. Although it would be great to have Fiennes performing a Voldemort cameo at some point in the show, the Harry Potter series asks for a new face -- hopefully, someone who can compete with Fiennes for the number 1 spot of the best actor who ever played Voldemort.

Harry Potter

The Harry Potter franchise follows the adventure of a young boy introduced a whole new world of magic, mayhem and darkness. Traversing the obstacles in his path, young Harry's rise to heroics pits him against Lord Voldemort, one of the most dangerous wizards in the world and all his minions.

Created by

J.K. Rowling

First Film

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Latest Film

Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 2

Upcoming TV Shows

Harry Potter

Cast

Daniel Radcliffe , Rupert Grint , Emma Watson , Maggie Smith , Alan Rickman , Helena Bonham Carter , Ralph Fiennes , Michael Gambon

Spin-offs (Movies)

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them , Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald , Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore

Where to watch

HBO Max