Ralph Fiennes had already achieved global recognition through his various impressive acting roles by 2005. But that year, he also appeared for the first time in the Harry Potter franchise as Harry’s nemesis, Lord Voldemort. The role launched him to an even higher level of fame.
While several actors portrayed forms of Voldemort in the series, Ralph Fiennes is acknowledged by fans as the actor who really brought the villain to life. He captured Voldemort’s complex past as well as his sociopathic nature and fleshed the character out into something that truly terrified many young viewers.
Ralph Fiennes undoubtedly improved the franchise by agreeing to play Voldemort, and it looks like he was well compensated for that decision. After all, playing the evil character can’t have been easy, both from a mental perspective and a physical one.
Read on to find out how much Ralph Fiennes was paid for the role of Voldemort.
How Much Did Ralph Fiennes Get Paid For Voldemort?
Voldemort had appeared in the series prior to Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Previously, he had shown up a face on the back of another man’s head, and then as a memory of his younger self. But Ralph’s performance marked the first time that the villain graced the screen in his true evil form, and was thus monumental to Harry Potter fans.
Not only was Voldemort a huge part of the storyline and therefore an integral character in the franchise—playing him was also physically demanding. Ralph Fiennes had to undergo extensive makeup, perform stunts and choreographed fights, and get in touch with his darkest feelings to portray the disturbed wizard.
So, how much did the British actor earn for his role as Voldemort?
Sources online reveal that Ralph Fiennes was paid $30 million in total for playing Voldemort in the series. This includes his appearance in four films of the franchise: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and Harry Potter Deathly Hallows Parts 1 and 2.
The internet widely reports that Ralph Fiennes’ overall net worth is $50 million. If this is true, it’s possible he learned less than the reported $30 million for the Harry Potter films, as he also has a long list of other acting credits for which he no doubt would have been paid well.
Among Ralph Fiennes’ most prolific films are Schindler’s List, in which he appeared as the Nazi camp commandant Amon Goeth, and Skyfall as Gareth Mallory. The actor has appeared in no less than 87 acting projects during his career, which began two years before his breakthrough role in Schindler’s List, in 1991.
Who Was The Highest-Paid Actor In ‘Harry Potter’?
Presuming Ralph Fiennes was paid $30 million to portray Voldemort in the globally popular franchise, he still isn’t, remarkably, the highest-paid actor in the series.
According to We Got This Covered, Daniel Radcliffe was consistently the highest-paid actor in the franchise. This comes as no surprise, since he portrayed the titular role of Harry Potter.
The publication reports that Daniel was paid $1 million for the first film, which he made when he was just 11 years old. After the film grossed nearly $1 billion internationally, Daniel’s paycheck increased to $3 million for the second film.
He was paid $6 million for the third film and $11 million for the fourth. For the fifth and sixth films, he made $14 million and $24 million, respectively. The final two films, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Parts 1 and 2, earned Daniel $50 million, bringing his total for the franchise to $100 million.
How Did Ralph Fiennes Get Cast As Voldemort?
Many fans agree that Ralph Fiennes is a crucial part of the franchise and was perfectly cast as the story’s villain. But how did he come across the role in the first place?
According to Cinema Blend, it was the film’s production team that reached out to Ralph after seeing his previous work. It’s clear from Schindler’s List that the actor knows how to portray a scary villain!
“The truth is I was actually ignorant about the films and the books. I was approached by the production. Mike Newell was directing the film that they wanted me to be in… the first time Voldemort was going to appear physically,” Ralph explained (via Cinema Blend).
Unbelievably, Ralph Fiennes turned down the role of Voldemort at first.
“Out of ignorance I just sort of thought, this isn’t for me… Quite stupidly I resisted, I was hesitant. I think the clincher was that my sister Martha – who has three children who were then probably about 12, 10 and 8—she said, 'What do you mean? You’ve got to do it!' So then I rewound my thinking.”