Lord Voldemort is one of the smartest villains of all time, so it’s no surprise his wardrobe matches his vibe. An oversized billowing black robe can only do so much, and the man who played “He Who Shall Not Be Named,” Ralph Fiennes, recently talked about wearing tights while playing the role. Fiennes specifically revealed why he wore them when portraying the fictitious foe, and the amount of changes that went into those tights is surprising. However, I totally get why they were made.
The 61-year-old actor has been a semi-regular face amid the 2024 movie schedule. One of his most successful titles is the exciting mystery film Conclave, which CinemaBlend praised. He’s been promoting that thriller film and recently chatted about tit on SiriusXM’s Andy Cohen Live. Fiennes, of course, still fields questions about playing Harry’s nemesis regularly, and Cohen was interested to know more about his wardrobe, specifically, his tights. Via People, Fiennes was frank about the accessory, saying of the undergarment:
I had to wear tights underneath. … Because it was for, well, it was for ease. It was for ease of movement, in theory. The tights, over the course of a few hours, the tights, the gusset, the bit between the legs of the tights.
If you’re like Ralph Fiennes, me or anyone else who has ever donned the piece of clothing, you probably already know where this is going. The Grand Budapest Hotel alum is alluding to how uncomfortable tights can get while wearing them for long periods of time. Whether they’re shifting around, don’t breathe well, etc. they can be a bit of a logistical nightmare.
The actor and producer revealed exactly what was wrong with his pair and how the costumers modified the essential Voldemort accessory. Apparently, the costume piece transformed into something way more comfortable and didn’t rely on the tights’ waistband for stability:
It would come further down, you know, just through moving and talking, so I realized that the way to go was to actually have, what I think, what you guys call a garter belt so that I would have the tights suspended with the gut from my underwear, so I didn’t have … well, each leg would have its own tight. It didn’t have to be connected.
Who knew Lord Voldemort was so old fashioned when it came to his choice of attire? But, seriously, a garter belt to clip on in order uphold each tight stocking is so much better and more flexible than a traditional pair. I’m relieved to hear that everything came together for the fan-favorite actor. Otherwise, he may not have been so jovial on set due to being uncomfortable.
The Schindler’s List alum has found much success since the end of his Wizarding World days. I, for one, am definitely looking forward to the anticipated sequel 28 Years Later, especially after Fiennes’ revealing update. The film is set to hit theaters amid the 2025 movie release schedule. Considering his role as a doctor in that movie, I’d assume that Fiennes didn’t have any precarious costuming situations on that set. And, with tights, garter, and the rest of his Voldemort costume now part of his past, let’s hope the Oscar nominee doesn’t have any more of those moments.
If you’d like to watch Lord Voldemort in all his evil glory, stream the Harry Potter film series with a Peacock subscription or a Max subscription.