Why Voldemort’s Wand Had a Hook In the ‘Harry Potter’ Films
Ralph Fiennes is used to playing iconic villains in movies. One of his first big roles was a chilling Nazi concentration camp commandant in Schindler’s List. Then he earned a new legion of fans with his portrayal of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named in four Harry Potter movies.
The only man who wants to play Voldemort had a special wand made for his time on the set. Not only was the wand a practical choice, but Fiennes also said it fit his character.
Lord Voldemort’s wand: built like a snake for a snake
In an interview with GQ on Fiennes’ most iconic roles, the English thespian said the hook in his wand wrapped around his finger to make it appear lighter and easier to use. “I can almost have the hand open so it would [not fall off] … I just enjoyed the thing that it could be light in the hand.”
Another element of the wand was that it was more snake-like than others in the franchise. Fiennes wanted Voldemort to move like a Slytherin, and his wand honored that aesthetic.
This small piece of Voldemort’s character was such a small detail. However, it made a huge difference in the shooting of the final two Harry Potter movies that it felt much more believable that this evil character would actually use such a tool. Later on, Lord Voldemort transitioned to a different wand, the Elder wand seen below. He stole it from Albus Dumbledore’s grave.
Fiennes didn’t have as much prosthetic makeup as people thought
The Oscar-nominated actor (for Schindler’s List and The English Patient) explained he didn’t wear as much prosthetic makeup as fans thought. Colored dots covered his nose and head. The effects department removed his nose and shaped his head digitally in post-production.
Clearly, that was the way to go. Voldemort’s pale, vein-like head showcased how a tortured soul can disfigure a writhing, physical body, much like Gollum (perfectly played by Andy Serkis) in Peter Jackson’s masterful The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Lord Voldemort’s costume was problematic for Ralph Fiennes
In an interview from Digital Spy, Fiennes explained he had to wear tights and garters on each leg underneath Lord Voldemort’s robes because the costume was too long and he would trip over it. The robes were also hard to walk in, which Fiennes said “made it very difficult to walk with any kind of dignity.”
Never to walk away from a challenge, the thespian discussed a solution with the costuming department, and they devised a garter belt on each leg.
Fiennes laughed and said he would show the stunt team a little leg when they got too macho. It’s always a good idea to have a little fun on set when you’re playing one of the baddest of bad guys in movie history.
Will Fiennes don the black robes again?
He said he would love the chance to play Voldemort again. He said he’d be “pissed” if they brought the villain back and didn’t ask him to reprise his role.
Any director or producer of another Harry Potter with Voldemort in it would surely take Fiennes up on his offer. But Warner Brothers will have to decide if the $400 million worldwide box office was enough to greenlight any more Potter movies or an HBO Max series, as Box Office Mojo reports.
