“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” Roundup: On Location Again – and Jenn Murray Talks Filming
This week in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them news, there have been rumors about filming, a set report from Pottermore reflecting on Liverpool, and a podcast featuring Jenn Murray. Plus, earlier this week, we learned that that filming had been interrupted by strong winds and stormy weather.
Irish actress Jenn Murray, who is currently filming Fantastic Beasts and stars in Brooklyn alongside Potter alumni Domhnall Gleeson and Julie Walters, spoke about the film on a podcast this week. The podcast, An Irishman Abroad, featured an interview with Jenn that covered Fantastic Beasts, Brooklyn, and her career so far. Jenn was cast back in August, but we still know very little about her role, and during the podcast, she said little to reveal more.
Jenn spoke briefly about the filming schedule of the film and the pressure involved:
I got cast in July, began August, wraps end of January. […] Because with the Harry Potter [films], they had the novels to refer to, so people knew what was going to come up […], but this is an original screenplay, and nobody knows what it’s about, really, so I don’t want to mess up.
She also spoke about the first day on set with Eddie Redmayne:
The first day was really scary. We walked onto a big set, and Eddie Redmayne was there. I’ve watched his work for years. I remember him in Tess of the d’Urbervilles, and just you know, when you look at someone’s face and you want to hear to their story, and he had that, whatever that was. And Samantha Morton… I’ve admired her for so many years because of all her choices, and she’s a real actress. Took risks, was very courageous, and yet you knew nothing about her, which is what I admired the most. So I was standing there with these people, and I was just thinking, ‘Don’t get fired.’ But it was magic. It was worth it.
Later in the podcast, Jenn also talks about the process of actually getting the role – from an audition in LA with a casting director, to meeting director David Yates in London.
You can listen to the whole podcast below, which is fascinating and well worth a listen if you’ve got a spare hour or so! It gives a brilliant insight into not only Jenn Murray’s career but the acting world as well.
In other news, Ezra Miller spoke from the set of Fantastic Beasts – but about another upcoming project, Justice League, where he is due to play Marvel character the Flash. Just like Jenn Murray, we know very little about Ezra’s role – apart from the fact that he is playing Mary Lou’s (Samantha Morton) troubled adopted son.
The film has also gone on location again, this time relocating to Cardington Sheds, in Bedfordshire, UK. The Cardington Sheds are old RAF sheds, which were used to build airships. The spaces are regularly used by films, including Star Wars: The Force Awakens – and now Fantastic Beasts.
This former [a]irship [h]angar is one of the largest indoor spaces in Europe, with no obstructing beams, ideal for large[-]scale set builds and event rehearsals. The main areas are supported by vast production offices and workshop spaces providing an exceptional and flexible infrastructure for your next production.
You can see some pictures of the Warner Bros. vans arriving on location below.
Plus, if you’re wondering what the space might look like inside, here’s a glimpse from the website. We wonder what scenes they were filming in this huge space!
That’s it for this week! We’ll be back next week, with another roundup of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them news. There’s now just under a year to go until the film is released in theaters… the countdown is on!
What was your Fantastic Beasts news highlight this week? Let us know in the comments.
