As we wait for HBO’s Harry Potter series, another star-studded adaptation of the beloved fantasy tale has been released. The first full-cast audio edition of J.K. Rowling’s books has been released on Audible, and between now and May 2026, all seven novels will get this treatment. I’m not kidding, the audiobook cast is stacked too, which is proven by the fact that Matthew Macfadyen is playing Voldemort. However, it turns out playing the villain is nowhere near glamorous, as he explained the wild way the director had him approach the role.
When Matthew Macfadyen dropped by to chat about his upcoming work on Late Night with Seth Meyers, he was asked about these new audiobooks and taking on the iconic villain role that Ralph Fiennes played in the movies. In response, the Pride and Prejudice actor explained how thrilled he was to do the part, saying:
I was quite pleased to be asked because I’d never, I haven’t really done any audio stuff like that. And I don’t think I would ever be cast as Voldemort in, you know, as me. And so I thought I would just go in and – it’s a couple of days in the studio – and I thought I would copy Ralph Fiennes, you know, because his sort of indelible performance.
As we all know, Ralph Fiennes’ performance as Voldemort is incredible and distinct. So, it seems like the Succession actor simply wanted to take inspiration from the Harry Potter movies (which can be streamed with an HBO Max subscription). However, the books and the director of these new audiobooks had a different idea in mind, as Matthew Macfadyen explained:
What I’d failed to realize is that in the books, he’s introduced by the narrator as having a very high voice, like ‘a cold, high voice rang out,’ or ‘Harry heard a malevolent high voice.’ And so I would start, you know, and the director, our lovely director, was like ‘No, it has to be higher.’ It was really, like [in a high voice] ‘Oh, no, Harry.’ It was ridiculous.
To be fair, Voldemort does have a pretty soft voice in the movies. However, it sounds like for these new full-cast audiobooks, they wanted Macfadyen to make his voice even higher.
Along with having to change the way he speaks quite a bit, the actor also recalled what it was like to record the books in a studio. As he noted the props he was given and how he had to wear his microphone, I can see why he lovingly said he looked “deranged” while playing Voldemort:
And I had a wand. They gave me a wand in the studio, like a sort of comfort wand. And I had this mic strapped on my head. So, I looked deranged, you know? And it was great.
Well, he may have looked silly with his wand and mic strapped to his head, but no one has to see it. And, he also didn’t have to commit to the black robes, bald head and no-nose look that Fiennes had in the films. However, no matter how silly he felt behind the scenes, it all helped him pull off the iconic part.
Plus, it sounds like Macfadyen had a blast with his “comfort wand,” as he joked with Meyers about using it as a back scratcher and wielding it while he said spells.
Now, while he had a fun time recording these books, I cannot wait to hear how menacing Matthew Macfadyen is as Voldemort. I also can’t wait to hear all the other actors in their roles, as these audiobooks feature also Hugh Laurie as Dumbledore, Riz Ahmed as Snape and many more.
On top of all that, Arabella Stanton, who is playing Hermione in the HBO series, will also voice the young witch for books one through three. So, we’ll get a sneak peek at her performance too!
So, there’s a lot to look forward to here. And while Matthew Macfadyen said he’d probably never be considered for He Who Shall Not Be Named in a screen adaptation, Voldemort hasn’t been cast for the series yet. So, I can’t help but wonder if his performance in the books could lead him to the new television series.
However, that is just a dream. What’s not is the fact that he fully committed to playing Voldemort in audio form, and you can listen to the first of these new full-cast audiobooks on Audible now.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.