Everything We Learned at the “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” World Premiere in New York City

by · November 11, 2016

MuggleNet attended the world premiere of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them last night at Alice Tully Hall at the Lincoln Center in New York City. We were able to chat with the cast and crew of the film and even some Potter alumnae. Here’s everything we learned while working the red carpet, with timestamps from the MuggleNet Facebook Livestream.

 

Faith Wood-Blagrove (starting at 5:30)

  • This was her first time seeing the full film, and she was incredibly worried about doing something embarrassing for the world to see, such as having a double chin. That sweetheart!
  • When receiving the script, she had “no idea it would be this big,” referring to the world of Potter.
  • She briefly discussed her audition, which she lamented to being a “really long process.”
  • When asked if she contacted any Potter stars for advice, she responded, “Ezra. He was my bro from the start. He was my helper. He was helping me get into all of it.”
  • We asked if the public has recognized her yet, and she gave us a story about the flight over (the longest she’s traveled to date) where the hostesses asked her to sign a menu.
  • She’s always loved Eddie Redmayne because she loved Les Miserables.
  • She hadn’t met J.K. Rowling until today – imagine that feeling?!

 

Evanna Lynch (starting at 35:05)

  • She commented that this film is a nice break from the election results.
  • Currently, she is attending acting school in Los Angeles.
  • Evanna has a tattoo of Michael Jackson’s eyes on the back of her neck!
  • She is extremely excited for the next Cormoran Strike novel and pleased with how the actors were chosen for the TV series look.

 

J.K. Rowling (starting at 44:00)

  • “I knew more about Newt than I needed to know,” was her explanation for how this film series came to be.
  • We asked her why MACUSA is not pronounced “Mac-USA,” to which she responded, “It just sounds better. It’s always been Makooza,” and that she’s been saying it that way for the past four years. Cannot argue with that!
  • Rowling would NOT be an Auror if she worked at MACUSA; in fact, she would prefer to not work there at all. In her mind, “If you’re not an Auror, you’re no one.”
  • Her favorite scenes to write included the awkward dinner and the “scary scenes” toward the end.

 

David Heyman (starting at 47:00)

  • Why see Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them? Heyman says it’s Jo’s world, and it will make you laugh and cry since all the characters are outsiders trying to do the right thing.
  • Newt, Jacob, Queenie, and Tina make up a family.
  • A reminder from Heyman: Rowling did not have to do this; she was desperate to do this.
  • Rumors of production for the second film beginning in January are not true. Pre-production is possible with potential filming beginning come June/July.
  • Heyman is also not sure if we will see the United Kingdom in addition to Paris in the second film.
  • Currently, they are looking at sets and some designs and also still looking at scripts.
  • The end of Movie 2 has something very arresting to it.

 

Bonnie Wright (quickly after Heyman)

  • Currently doing a lot of directing.

 

David Yates (starting at 57:15)

  • Fantastic Beasts is Jo’s world but moved on in its own way.
  • Yates hadn’t seen the film in three weeks since it was fully completed.
  • This was his first experience working in a 1920s and America time set.
  • His favorite beast is Frank.

 

Eddie Redmayne (starting at 1:03:30)

  • “Thank you for being supportive of us through this process.”
  • He was afraid he didn’t want to be the shmucks that screwed this up.
  • He has put his six-month-old daughter in a Hufflepuff scarf.
  • Redmayne loves this character, and there’s great description in the script because it was all on the page.

 

You can rewatch our broadcast from the premiere on the MuggleNet Facebook page. You can also read up on the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them press conference here. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them will be released into theaters November 18.