Matt Rife Requests Significant Role in HBO’s Harry Potter Series from JK Rowling

Comedian Matt Rife is eager to land a role in the upcoming Harry Potter HBO series and even reached out to JK Rowling herself to express his interest in portraying one of the franchise’s most formidable characters.

The highly anticipated Harry Potter TV series is on the lookout for actors, having announced open casting calls for young talents to take on the iconic roles of Harry, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger.

On September 10, author JK Rowling, who is the executive producer for the show, tweeted a photo announcing the project with the caption, “So, this is happening.”

So, this is happening… ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/2p3pC03wlb

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) September 10, 2024

This tweet sparked excitement among fans, including Elon Musk, who called the new series “exciting,” while many others expressed their desire to be part of the magical franchise.

Among these hopefuls was Matt Rife. Fresh off his Netflix special ‘Lucid,’ the comedian reached out to JK Rowling to voice his wish to join the cast and made his intentions clear.

“Can I play He Who Shall Not Be Named?” Rife tweeted, accompanied by a snake emoji.

In doing so, Rife referred to the series’ central antagonist, Voldemort, a role that was previously portrayed by Ralph Fiennes in the films. Although his request came as a surprise, some fans were intrigued by the idea of the comedian taking on such a dark character.

Can i play He Who Shall Not Be Named 🐍

— Matt Rife (@mattrife) September 11, 2024

One supporter replied, “You’d be a great Tom Riddle,” referencing Voldemort’s identity before his transformation into a dark wizard.

Another fan chimed in, “You as a young Tim Riddle wouldn’t be terrible. How’s your British accent?”

Conversely, some fans suggested that Rife might be better suited for a different character, with one stating he’d “make an excellent Dobby.”

“Bro, you’d be a solid sorting hat,” another fan recommended.

As of now, no casting decisions have been finalized, but with the rich legacy of Harry Potter and the immense success of the films, the HBO series will have significant expectations to meet.

Whether Matt Rife will pursue an audition remains uncertain, especially as he is currently in the midst of a major world tour that runs through the end of 2024.

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