Who Played Voldemort In Sorcerer’s Stone (& Why They Were Changed)

Lord Voldemort made his Harry Potter debut in the first film of the franchise, The Sorcerer’s Stone. By the time the character returned in The Goblet of Fire, he was played by a different actor. So who played the first version of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and why was the role recast?

Ralph Fiennes was known for portraying Voldemort in the Harry Potter films but the actor didn’t join the franchise until Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. The Dark Lord played an integral role in the Harry Potter movies, standing as the big bad the hero must overcome. Before he eventually came face to face with his archnemesis, Harry Potter, though Voldemort was portrayed through a few other forms.

In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, a flashback revealed that Lord Voldemort killed Lily and James Potter. The scene was key to Harry’s history as it shared insight into the meaning behind the name “The Boy Who Lived.” Actor Richard Bremmer portrayed the Voldemort in that particular flashback scene. Voldemort’s body was destroyed in the attack but his soul escaped and hid for nearly a decade. He later managed to overtake Professor Quirrell as a host body on his quest to acquire the Sorcerer’s Stone and, in turn, regain his physical form. Bremmer didn’t appear in any other scenes as Voldemort in his normal form but the actor did lend his body for additional scenes.

Voldemort’s face was hidden behind Quirrell’s turban after he embodied the professor. Bremmer’s own face was transformed through makeup and prosthetics for the visual effect. The actor who played Quirrell, Ian Hart, then provided the voice for Voldemort during the scenes where they shared the same head.

The films that followed Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone told the backstory of the wizard who turned into Voldemort. The boy, Tom Riddle, was played by various actors throughout the Harry Potter timeline. Those actors included Christian Coulson, Frank Dillane, and Hero Fiennes-Tiffin (who happened to be the nephew of Ralph Fiennes). As already stated, when the real Voldemort returned, the character was portrayed by Ralph Fiennes through to his death. Before Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire premiered, Fiennes had acted in notable roles such as Schindler’s List, The English Patient, and Red Dragon.

Due to Fiennes’ status, Bremmer believed he was replaced so that the franchise could add a bigger name. Beyond that, the role was much more demanding and the filmmakers likely wanted someone who was already established in the industry. Bringing in Fiennes added more buzz to the franchise, although it remains unclear if they really needed the extra hype at that point. By then, Harry Potter was already a pop culture phenomenon.

About The Author

Kara Hedash
(1744 Articles Published)

Kara Hedash is a features editor and writer for Screen Rant. From time to time, she dives into the world’s most popular franchises but Kara primarily focuses on evergreen topics. The fact that she gets to write about The Office regularly is like a dream come true. Before joining Screen Rant, Kara served as a contributor for Movie Pilot and had work published on The Mary Sue and Reel Honey. After graduating college, writing began as a part-time hobby for Kara but it quickly turned into a career. She loves binging a new series and watching movies ranging from Hollywood blockbusters to hidden indie gems. She also has a soft spot for horror ever since she started watching it at too young of an age. Her favorite Avenger is Thor and her favorite Disney princess is Leia Organa. When Kara’s not busy writing, you can find her doing yoga or hanging out with Gritty.

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