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Perhaps best known as Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter films, Ralph Fiennes is set to show a different side as he stars and makes his directorial debut in Coriolanus. The Oscar-nominated actor talks to Shereen Low about his obsession with Shakespeare.
Studios would be hard pressed to find an actor with more to offer than Ralph Fiennes.
His wide-ranging and respected CV includes award-nominated turns in The English Patient, Schindler’s List and The Constant Gardener, as well as Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter films and the Greek god Hades in Clash Of The Titans.
More than two decades before he started his career on the big screen, the Suffolk-born actor was reciting Shakespeare in open-air theatre productions. And it’s the Bard’s works to which the 49-year-old has returned for his directorial debut, Coriolanus, a play that’s stayed with him since he played the flawed hero in 2000 at London’s Almeida Theatre.
Inspired by Baz Luhrmann’s contemporary reworking of Romeo And Juliet, Fiennes’s modern-day adaptation of Shakespeare’s political thriller, in which he reprises the role of the power-hungry leader, is set in war-torn Belgrade, Serbia.
"I became obsessed with Coriolanus, having played him on stage about 11 years ago," he admits.
"I thought it could surprise people as a film, because it’s less known. It’s a very provocative piece, with a confrontational tone, and I like that," adds the actor who starred as Prospero in a West End production of The Tempest in September last year.
"I like the way Shakespeare confronts the audience with all the questions about loyalty and political intrigue. And it’s continually relevant, particularly now with certain uprisings and economic uncertainty around the world."
Vanessa Redgrave stars as his screen mother Volumnia, Gerard Butler as arch-enemy Tullus Aufidius and Jessica Chastain as his wife Virgilia.
"Vanessa was my dream choice to play Volumnia. I’m a great admirer, she always moves me hugely whenever I see her perform," he reveals.
"Two and a half years before we started shooting, she was the first phone call I made to any cast member. She said yes and was incredibly patient with the process of getting the film financed. I remember feeling very emotional when she finally arrived in Belgrade and we rehearsed the scenes."
Fiennes didn’t need much persuasion to get Butler on board either, although he soon had some doubts during their fight scenes.
"He was wonderful to work with and tough to fight.
"We had to have real battles on camera and he’s bigger and stronger than me, so it was tough. But I survived," he adds, chuckling.
As the eldest of six siblings, including actor Joseph, director Martha and film-maker Sophie, Ralph knew he could always call on his family for directing tips.
"My sisters both came to see the early screening and were around when I shot it and wanted their advice and input," he recalls.
His experience hasn’t put him off stepping behind the cameras again, as he’s considering directing Antony and Cleopatra.
Despite Coriolanus receiving critical acclaim, with Redgrave already winning awards for her performance, Fiennes can’t quite give himself the credit he deserves.
"While I hesitate to use the word ‘proud’, the essential feel of the film was very close to what I wanted to make," he says.
"Having lived with it for a long time and having that distance, I can see all kinds of things you wish you could have done differently or better. I was on a big learning curve and made choices under pressure. If I was going to do this film again, I would have a lot more shooting time and revisit certain scenes which weren’t executed to my satisfaction, because of the time pressure."
