Warner Bros. has formally announced the stars of Fantastic Beasts. Now it’s time to examine all we know about these characters!
The Fantastic Beasts cast consists of no one who appeared in the Harry Potter film series (for now) because the film is set in 1920s New York. So, everything about this series is brand spanking new.
The following stars were a part of the studio’s start-of-filming announcement in August 2015. They are in order of billing in the press release. While more characters are expected to appear in the series, we expect these actors and actresses to have the most prominent roles. They are the Harrys, Hermiones, Lunas, and Hagrids of Fantastic Beasts.
Since this film series isn’t based on a book, we can only rely on vague casting reports and J.K. Rowling’s Twitter for clues about the characters. In light of this scarcity, we’ve rounded up all the information that’s been teased so far and will continue to provide updates as more is shared!
Eddie Redmayne: Newt Scamander
Who is Newt: A Hufflepuff and life-long Magizoologist (that means someone who studies fantastical beasts) who eventually marries Tina, a character also cast for Fantastic Beasts. Notably, Newt’s grandson Rolf married Luna Lovegood post-Deathly Hallows.
Actor known for: The Theory of Everything, Les Misérables, Jupiter Ascending
Katherine Waterston: Tina
Who is Tina: The eventual wife of Newt Scamander — the two will meet for the first time in the first Fantastic Beasts film. Full first name is Porpetina, but as J.K. Rowling said, she’s been nicknamed Tina for the film because it’s a much better name:
.@MaddieDUHx 'Tina' is what her friends and family call her. Would YOU want everyone to call you Porpentina?!
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 4, 2015
Actress known for: Inherent Vice, Robot & Frank, Boardwalk Empire
Alison Sudol: Queenie
Who is Queenie: The sister of Tina, described as a “bombshell.” J.K. Rowling recently revealed that Tina and Queenie are Jewish and distantly related to Anthony Goldstein, a student in the Harry Potter book series who joins Dumbledore’s Army.
Actress known for: What to Expect When You’re Expecting, Dan in Real Life, New Year’s Eve, Monte Carlo
Dan Fogler: Jacob
Who is Jacob: Rumored to be a rival of Newt’s in New York. J.K. Rowling has confirmed he’s a muggle.
Best known for: Kung Fu Panda, Fanboys, Horton Hears a Who!
Ezra Miller: Credence
Who is Credence: We don’t have any information about Credence other than that he too is a “rival of sorts” to Newt. He will share scenes with actress Jenn Murray’s character (below).
Actor known for: The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Trainwreck, and WB/DC’s upcoming adaptation of The Flash
Samantha Morton: Mary Lou
Who is Mary Lou: No information is currently available about this character.
Actress known for: John Carter, Minority Report
Jenn Murray: Chastity
Who is Chastity: She will share scenes with Credence, the character played by Ezra Miller.
Actress known for: Dorothy Mills, Earthbound, Testament of Youth
Faith Wood-Blagrove: Modesty
Photo unavailable
Who is Modesty: Modesty is described as a “haunted” character who has an “inner strength and stillness.”
Actress known for: The actress is a 10-year-old who’s never appeared in a movie before. She was found through an open casting call earlier in the summer.
Colin Farrell: Graves
Who is Graves: There aren’t any details available about Colin Farrell’s character, but we’re imagining him to be a Hagrid type.
Actor known for: True Detective, Saving Mr. Banks, Total Recall, Miami Vice
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One other juicy tidbit worth sharing: J.K. Rowling has previously confirmed that we’ll be meeting people who attend the American version of Hogwarts. It’s possible that a couple of the characters listed above attend or graduated from Hogwarts U.S.A.!