If HBO’s Harry Potter series ends up casting one of Marvel’s most accomplished actresses as Voldemort, then I might actually have to watch it. Like so many other Potter fans, I’ve been on the fence about J.K. Rowling’s bestselling books being adapted for the small screen. This is not just because of the author’s hateful rhetoric against the trans community, though that is reason enough. I happened to grow up reading and watching Potter; I was 11 years old in the movie theater when Harry turned 11 on screen. I’m not even 40 now, and already his story is about to be retold, this time in an episodic seven-season format aimed at being even more faithful to the books. This might be good news for Rowling’s bank account, but in the eyes of many OG Potter fans, it’s way too soon to be remaking material that’s only just turned 25.
That said, some of the show’s casting choices thus far are intriguing. We’re getting three brand-new faces in Dominic McLaughlin (Harry Potter), Alistair Stout (Ron Weasley), and Arabella Stanton (Hermione Granger), as well as seasoned actors like John Lithgow and Janet McTeer in the roles of Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall. But one name is piquing my interest more than any other, primarily because if she were to be cast as Lord Voldemort, it would be the boldest move in Potter casting history, thus making HBO’s series required viewing.
Tilda Swinton as a Gender-Fluid Voldemort Would Be Incredible ‘Harry Potter’ Casting
It’s only a rumor at this point, but Tilda Swinton has been floated as a Voldemort front-runner, and even the notion has me utterly seated. Throughout 2025, word on the street was that Peaky Blinders’ Cillian Murphy was in talks to play the villain, something Murphy later denied on the Happy Sad Confused podcast. Swinton’s name has also swirled, and continues to as HBO nears the end of production on Season 1. The rumor is both surprising and not; Voldemort is obviously a male character, but Swinton is known for her gender fluidity on screen. One of her most memorable performances was as the gender-shifting title character in Orlando, and she’s also played an androgynous angel (Constantine), a non-binary sorcerer (Doctor Strange), and an elderly male psychologist (Suspiria). Few actors can transcend gender so effortlessly, making Voldemort a role Swinton could play in her sleep.
Tackling Voldemort would also allow Swinton the chance to play another prominent villain, a task she slaughtered in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. This time, however, she’d have big shoes to fill, namely those of Ralph Fiennes. Fiennes’ work may be the stuff of memes and AI parody, but it’s also still being talked about 15 years after the last Potter film was released. Everything about his look, movements, and voice was positively serpentine and thus terrifying. Swinton would have the unique challenge of following that performance up with her own interpretation, with the added challenge of either being believably male or gender-fluid, depending on the creative team’s direction. Color me ready to watch her do that, not to mention explore Voldemort on an even deeper level, given the extra run time she’d have to do so. Anything’s possible in this iteration of Potter, but unfortunately, there are already a few major reasons why Swinton might not even consider it.
J.K. Rowling May Have Already Ruined Tilda Swinton’s ‘Potter’ Prospects
Swinton famously turned down the role of Sybil Trelawney back when Warner Bros. was casting Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, a role that ultimately went to chronic scene-stealer Emma Thompson. She explained why while speaking with The Scots Magazine in 2016, saying that it was actually Potter’s setting that turned her off from participating. “That’s why I dislike films like Harry Potter, which tend to romanticize such places. I think [boarding schools] are a very cruel setting in which to grow up, and I don’t feel children benefit from that type of education.” Swinton’s disdain for boarding schools stems from her own experience. Growing up, she attended West Heath boarding school in London, an experience she describes as “Hell.” That alone might be enough for her to swear off a project like Potter, which predominantly takes place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
And then there’s Rowling’s anti-transgender rhetoric, which might be an even stronger deterrent for Swinton. Rowling’s X account has become a megaphone for her controversial views in recent years, leading many Potter fans to become former Potter fans in support of the trans community. In April 2025, an image of Swinton wearing a “Protect the Dolls” T-shirt circulated on X, showcasing her own support for trans women. As an openly queer actress, it would come as no surprise if she chose not to participate in anything Rowling-related in favor of standing with the LGBTQIA+ community. There’s also the question of whether or not Rowling would even allow a woman to play Voldemort in the first place. Would a gender-fluid interpretation even be up for discussion? Given the author’s views on gender, probably not. The series’s creative team has also promised that it will be a “very faithful” adaptation of Rowling’s material, despite a few startling changes. With some fans already flustered about a Black Severus Snape, a female Voldemort might take it too far. Then again, hasn’t Rowling?
- Showrunner
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Francisca Gardiner
- Directors
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Mark Mylod
- Writers
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Francesca Gardiner
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