Why Voldemort Doesn't Have A Nose, Explained

Of all the iconic villains that have made the jump from literature to the big screen, Lord Voldemort from the "Harry Potter" series is definitely among the most enduring. On top of being a deeply complicated character with a fascinating backstory, Voldemort has a uniquely creepy appearance that lives long in the memory. In the films, he's depicted as a snake-like, eyebrowless villain with near-translucent skin, but You Know Who's defining feature is his nose — or his lack of one.

Hardcore and casual fans alike have asked about Voldemort's missing nose on countless occasions over the years, spawning many a discussion. There are a few theories about its absence, all of them linked to his use of Dark Magic. The generally accepted explanation is that the wizard formerly known as Tom Riddle gradually morphed into the franchise's serpentine baddie as he tore his soul apart making horcruxes, his insurance policy against death. However, others say that he didn't actually take his noseless form until much later on.

In J.K. Rowling's books, it's explained that part of Voldemort's sustenance strategy following his failed assassination attempt on the infant Harry involved the use of venom from his pet snake, Nagini. Some believe that his noseless, snake-like appearance following his resurrection at the graveyard in Little Hangleton is a direct result of this, with Nagini's venom altering his biology to an extent. Either way, the simple explanation is that he turned to the Dark Arts and lost his nose as a result.

If you thought that Voldemort looked scary in the "Harry Potter" films, then his appearance in the books will probably give you nightmares. Like the version played by Ralph Fiennes on the big screen, book Voldy has no nose, just a few slits for nostrils. However, there's more to his terrifying book appearance than that. J.K. Rowling also gave Voldemort red eyes and a skeletal frame, with his head resembling a skull. He also has unnaturally long limbs and fingers for added creepiness. It's more like something from a horror film than a fantasy story for kids, but that was kind of the point.

Looking beyond the plot of the books, the actual reason Voldemort doesn't have a nose and resembles a walking snake is because he's lost his humanity through his use of Dark Magic. Snakes are symbolic of evil in Western culture. In the Bible, Satan took the form of a serpent (or, at least, he spoke via one) when he tricked Eve into eating the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, bringing about the Fall of Man. On the surface, Voldemort has snake-like slits for nostrils because it looks creepy, but the real reason is that cultural influences meant Rowling's target audience automatically knew that this character was villainous to the core.

While it's easy to assume that Ralph Fiennes spent several hours in the makeup chair every day when shooting the "Harry Potter" films, the reality is that much of his signature look was achieved in post production. When he sat down with GQ to discuss his most iconic roles, Fiennes went into detail about the process of becoming Voldemort. "I didn't have as much prosthetic makeup as people think I did," the two-time Oscar nominee said. "They removed my nose digitally later on, so I was covered in colored dots and then I had to sit in front of cameras and [have] every angle recorded."

Fiennes also revealed that he didn't realize how big of a deal landing the role was at the time, having never read any of the "Harry Potter" books. It was only after his sister — whose kids were familiar with J.K. Rowling's books — called the news of his casting "extraordinary" that he began to get a sense of the passion behind the fandom. For a while he thought the fact that Voldemort has slits for nostrils might help him remain anonymous in public, but he was still recognized on the street on a regular basis after debuting as He Who Must Not Be Named. "I thought with the lack of nose as Voldemort I would get away with it, but sadly it's not often the case," he told the BBC. "I've somehow been unmasked so I do get 'Voldemorted' a bit."