‘Harry Potter’s Ralph Fiennes, 62, Has Hilarious Advice for the HBO Reboot Series’ Voldemort

There’s a new Dark Lord coming to Hogwarts — but whoever’s brave enough to take on Voldemort in HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter reboot had better brush up on their fashion game. Just ask Ralph Fiennes, who played He Who Must Not Be Named in the original films — and has some very specific advice for his successor. While promoting 28 Years Later alongside Jodie Comer, Fiennes was asked by Entertainment Tonight what tips he might offer to the next actor brave enough to slither into Voldemort’s pale skin. His response? Equal parts nostalgic and completely ridiculous.

“Make sure you can handle the long flowing robes! And don’t trip over them. Practice your long flowing robe walk. And also, I wore tights. Initially I wore tights with one piece, which had a gusset, which got lower and lower, so I asked for individual tights, like a garter belt. So I enjoyed teasing the stunt guys by lifting up my robes and flashing my garter belt.”

Forget horcruxes, Death Eaters and Dementors, evidently the true villains of the Wizarding World can be found in the costuming department. And if you ever expected to hear about Voldemort’s gusset, well, we hope this is a momentous day for you.

Who Is In ‘Harry Potter’?

With HBO’s Harry Potter reboot steaming toward its 2026 premiere, there are still plenty of question marks surrounding casting, especially for characters as iconic (and deeply unsettling) as Lord Voldemort. While the new leads — Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton, and Alastair Stout — have been confirmed to play Harry, Hermione, and Ron, the identity of the new You-Know-Who is still being kept under wraps.

The adult cast has mostly been filled at this point, too. HBO has already found their new Albus Dumbledore: John Lithgow. The Conclave and The Crown actor brings a very different tone to the Hogwarts headmaster, offering what’s expected to be a more theatrical and possibly more mischievous take on the role.

He’ll be joined by Janet McTeer as Professor McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Snape, Nick Frost as Hagrid, and Johnny Flynn as Lucius Malfoy. The reboot, developed by Francesca Gardiner (Succession, His Dark Materials) and directed in part by Game of Thrones veteran Mark Mylod, will dedicate a full season to each of J.K. Rowling’s seven novels.

It’s a big set of robes to fill. Fiennes’ performance as Voldemort across four films helped cement the waxy faced, red-eyed killer as one of the most memorable villains in fantasy cinema. From the whispery threats to the full-throated screams, his take on the character remains a high bar — tights and gusset not withstanding.

Production begins this summer in England. 28 Years Later is out in theaters on Friday June 20.