Mr. Bean Star Almost Played Voldemort (Yep, You Read That Right)
We don't really know how to feel about the most bizarre casting decision that never happened.
These days, it's hard to imagine anyone but Ralph Fiennes playing the biggest villain in the Harry Potter franchise, Lord Voldemort. But back in the days when the filmmakers were searching for the perfect actor for the role, it seems they actually considered... Mr. Bean, Rowan Atkinson.
Sure, Atkinson is usually thought of as someone who plays comedic roles, not the villainous nemesis of the wizarding world's Chosen One. However, it was reported by The Guardian at the time that Atkinson wanted to "broaden his range and jumped at the chance to play Potter's shadowy nemesis."
However, shortly after the rumors began to spread, the actor's representatives debunked them, saying that Atkinson would not be a part of the Harry Potter movie franchise.
With Atkinson denying the rumors that he was being considered for the role, it's unclear if the actor was actually in the running to play the iconic villain or if it was just speculation.
Still, the rumor seems to be so dear to the Harry Potter fandom that they continue to occasionally imagine Atkinson in Fiennes' place, usually in a joking way by resurfacing the cursed fan art of the actor's face photoshopped to have no nose.
However, everyone agrees that no matter how great Atkinson's acting talent is, he would not be a good choice to portray the villain of the magical saga. In the end, the films ended up with the perfect casting for Voldemort, with Ralph Fiennes bringing the Dark Lord to the screen in the most charismatic and intimidating way possible.