Voldemort Role Almost Went to Another Actor – Ralph Fiennes' Sister Saved the Day

However, it may surprise some fans that Fiennes was initially hesitant to take on the role, with the part of the iconic villain almost going to another actor instead.

During an interview with GQ, Fiennes revealed that he initially had some reservations about playing Voldemort.

Admitting he had not read any Harry Potter books at the time and was therefore not overly familiar with the character or the franchise.

Remembering when he was offered the role, he said, "I wasn't that aware when it was first proposed to me… I hadn't invested time in reading the books. I knew there was a Harry Potter huge thing happening but I hadn't seen the earlier film so I had no sense".

Fortunately, Fiennes' sister, director Martha Fiennes, convinced him to eventually take the part.

Upon hearing he had been asked, according to Ralph, she responded, "What? You're being asked to play Voldemort?! You've got to do it!".

This was the push he needed to consider the role more seriously, and speak with director Mike Newell about it.

In a discussion between Newell and Den of Geek, the movie director describes how Fiennes had requested to watch some rushes (unedited footage) of the film so far, which was Goblet of Fire, before still deciding to commit himself to the role.

Then, after sitting back and viewing the footage for himself and what was being achieved, he finally agreed to play the part of Voldemort on the spot.

Fiennes was clearly impressed with the high level of craftsmanship and attention to detail that went into creating the Harry Potter films.

And he has since admitted he was drawn to the challenge of playing a character who was so evil and terrifying.

Fiennes' portrayal of Voldemort has been widely praised by critics and fans alike. He brings a chilling, otherworldly quality to the character that perfectly captures the essence of the Dark Lord, making it hard to envision anyone else ever portraying the character.

Yet reports have since leaked other options the production considered for the role before Fiennes included respected actors Rowan Atkinson and John Malkovich.

Although both are fantastic actors, the franchise undoubtedly made the right decision in choosing Ralph in the end. And we have Martha Fiennes to thank for helping the iconic actor see sense.