Andy Serkis, the legendary actor behind Gollum in ‘The Lord of the Rings‘ film series, has officially set his sights on becoming the next Lord Voldemort. During a recent podcast appearance, Serkis confirmed he is eager to inherit the dark mantle for HBO’s upcoming ‘Harry Potter‘ television reboot.
“I would, definitely,” Serkis said when asked if he would play He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. “I’m just waiting for the call, basically, that’s a cool one.”
Andy Serkis Embraces Extreme Physical Transformation for the Dark Lord
However, the actor, who is also renowned for directing and starring in ‘Venom: Let There Be Carnage,’ acknowledged the immense shadow cast by his predecessor. Ralph Fiennes portrayed the noseless Dark Lord across five films in the original franchise. “Mind you, Ralph’s got big boots to follow,” Serkis admitted on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, paying homage to Fiennes’ chilling performance.
Serkis is known for physical roles that push the limits of CGI and acting, like Gollum and King Kong. So playing a snake like Voldemort seems like a good fit. The host, Josh Horowitz, asked him about the physical side of the role, to which he joked that he would be “very happy” to commit to having his nose removed. He even joked he would “chop his nose” for the part.
But even though he really wants the role, he would not just give an on-the-spot performance. “No, I’d have to think seriously about that. I’m not going to ruin that right now,” he said with a laugh. He said he would save any potential “hiss” for an actual audition.
‘Harry Potter’ TV Series Casting News
Serkis is just the latest big name to show interest. Ralph Fiennes has said his own “ship has sailed” on returning, but he has supported actors like Cillian Murphy and Tilda Swinton for the role.
In case you missed it: “She Would Be Amazing”: Ralph Fiennes Endorses New Voldemort for ‘Harry Potter’ HBO Series
The first season of the show is set to air on Max (formerly HBO Max) around Christmas 2026. Casting Voldemort is still one of the last big decisions, but for now, Serkis is waiting by the phone, ready to trade the Ring for a Horcrux.
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