Is Matt Smith playing Voldemort in the Harry Potter TV Series? Actor gives a definitive answer

Harry Potter fans have got one question stuck in their heads recently: Who will be playing bad old Voldy or rather, to narrow it down, could Matt Smith really be the new Lord Voldemort?

With casting news coming in from HBO, talks grew louder until the actor himself finally addressed the rumors. And the answer he gave?

No, Matt Smith will not be putting on the shoes of He Who Must Not Be Named. But his response sure does give us plenty to talk about.

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Matt Smith clears the air on Voldemort rumors for HBO's Harry Potter Series

The Potterheads are used to speculation, especially whenever casting for the new HBO series makes news. For weeks now, talks and debates and fan castings online put Matt Smith, who is known from House of the Dragon, at the top of fan theories for the actor who might play Lord Voldemort.

So, when Smith was seen on NBC's TODAY show with Craig Melvin to promote his film Caught Stealing, the host asked if he had seen the fan castings with the idea of him playing the Dark Lord. Smith didn't hesitate to give out his response.

With a bit of humor and honesty, he said;

"Can anyone play him after Ralph [Fiennes]? He was so good."

Melvin then asked if Smith might consider the Harry Potter role in a hypothetical world.

To this Matt Smith replied;

"Hypothetically, who knows? But I think following in the footsteps of the great Ralph Fiennes is a very, very difficult mantle for someone. Good luck to whoever it is. But it ain't gonna be me."

With that single sentence, he drew a line under the speculation and gave a definitive no as his answer.

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What this means for the new Harry Potter series

The new Harry Potter series on HBO is already being described as a long retelling of the books, with each season adapting one book.

That means all eyes are on the new cast i.e., both the child actors taking on Harry, Ron, and Hermione, and the adults joining as professors and other important characters.

The list is already packed with talent: John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, and Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid.

On the student side, Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton, and Alastair Stout lead the famous trio as Harry, Hermione, and Ron.

And yes, the Potterheads can't wait to see which actor eventually claims the role of Voldemort, since Ralph Fiennes' performance as the Dark Lord has become a near impossible act to follow.

The secrecy around the casting of the Dark Lord has only brought in more speculation, and Smith's name was one of the loudest. But now that he has finally given an answer, the mystery remains.

HBO has yet to confirm who will play the Hogwarts villain, and until that reveal, the internet will keep theorizing. As Smith himself joked, it's a role that demands greatness, but not from him.

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The Harry Potter series reboot is surely one of the most talked about TV projects in years, and the Voldemort casting is its most safe-kept secret yet. Matt Smith has made it clear that he won't be involved in the project, leaving the door open for another actor to step into the legacy of Ralph Fiennes' iconic run as Voldemort.

Until HBO reveals a name, fans will keep guessing who will dare to become the face of darkness next.

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Stay tuned to Soapentral for more.

Also read: I firmly believe that HBO's Harry Potter reboot should focus more on Neville because of this fact that only true fans would know