News/Commentary

Harry Potter fans worried about a woke takeover as HBO auditions women for Voldemort’s part

September 23, 2025 | | Print Article

Concerns over the potential of a woke audition process found fans up in arms about who may fill the role of Harry Potter’s villain Lord Voldemort.

Production studios acting in the name of DEI have more than merely taken liberties with representation in recent years, as even historical figures have been portrayed by actors of a different race or gender from reality. Now, the trend that turned Netflix casting into a meme may have reached the Wizarding World, as HBO’s “Harry Potter” show is said to be auditioning women to take on the role of the Dark Lord.

Adding new dimension to the series’ moniker of “He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named,” the team working on the reboot has remained tight-lipped on who would be picking up the wand to torment its protagonist, but a social media post from industry insider Daniel Richtman contended, “They’re auditioning both men and women for Voldemort so it’s possible we could see a female Voldemort in the Harry Potter series!”

While auditions don’t equate to a casting decision, the possibility of a gender-bending portrayal of the villain whose name was revealed to be an anagram for Tom Marvolo Riddle comes amid rumors that Meryl Streep was set to voice Aslan in the Netflix version of C.S. Lewis’ “The Chronicles of Narnia” and as many fans were already upset that the HBO series had cast a black actor in the role of Severus Snape.

Famously portrayed by Alan Rickman in the Harry Potter films, the series tapped a fellow alum of the Royal Shakespeare Company in Paapa Essiedu to carry out the role of teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts.

It also comes as the bestselling book series’ author, J.K. Rowling, is frequently under attack for her defiant stance against the spirit of the age in defending the rights of women and girls to have spaces free from men and boys.

ADVERTISEMENT

In a lengthy post at the beginning of September, she responded to new opposition to her views by laying them out after stating, “As another man who once worked with me declares himself saddened by my beliefs on gender and sex, I thought it might be useful to compile a list for handy reference.”

“Which of the following do you imagine makes actors and directors who aren’t involved with the HBO reboot of Harry Potter so miserable?” Rowling asked before listing positions like opposing men in women’s sports and women’s prisons, while also supporting freedom of speech and belief as “essential to a pluralistic democratic society.”

While the author had previously given her seal of approval to the first couple of episodes of the series, she described the “SO, SO, SO GOOD!” reactions to the possibility of a female Voldemort as challenging the promise that the show would be accurate to the books, and expressed her intention to skip the program altogether. At the same time, those who supported anything that advanced the cause of those flying the rainbow standard appeared giddy at the prospect.

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Kevin Haggerty
Latest posts by Kevin Haggerty (see all)

Comment

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.

Latest Articles