Fantastic Beasts Star Ezra Miller Wants to Be a Gryffindor

The Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them star talks Pottermore sorting, and why he can’t bring himself to take the quiz.

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Harry Potter’s unique personality quiz may not have been official upon the release of Sorcerer’s Stone in 1997, but House sorting has been the talk of the fandom since its inception. It’s the Myers-Briggs of children’s fantasy, and for years fans have had fun puzzling together their House, MBTI type, and zodiac sign for a comprehensive look into their own personalities. For a time, our House was up to us entirely, but still we wondered where the Sorting Hat would place us if ever it were to sit atop our heads.

All the same, Potterheads were content to sort ourselves into Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, or Slytherin, respectively, for some time. But since Pottermore’s beta launch in 2012, fans have been clamoring to learn what House they belong in, and whether or not the official Sorting quiz matched up with their heart’s desire. Did we buy all the right merch, or would we have to start from scratch? If the hat dictated a placement we didn’t anticipate, did we even care, or were we satisfied that we knew better and stayed put? How many identity crises arose when a self-proclaimed Ravenclaw ended up in Gryffindor, when a Slytherin proved to be a Hufflepuff, or any combination of the four?

Sorting is a pivotal moment for Harry Potter characters, and so it resonates with the generation of the same name; as such, it’s no surprise that so many of us take the Sorting quiz to heart. It’s no laughing matter, as actor Ezra Miller illustrates by not taking the quiz at all.

The 23-year-old, who plays the “complicated” and “elusive” Credence in the upcoming Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them film, appreciates Pottermore’s Sorting quiz for its credibility but can’t bear to see what the hat has in store for him. Miller told Pottermore that he “respect[s] the sorting process…. I know the Sorting [Ceremony] was written by J.K. Rowling, but I still can’t risk it. What if I get Slytherin? I couldn’t live with myself. I need to be in Gryffindor. If I didn’t get Gryffindor, I wouldn’t know who I was anymore.”

Interestingly enough, Gryffindor and Slytherin aren’t all that dissimilar. They’re both bold and intent on making good on their name, but Gryffindor has more of a hero complex than the shrewd, self-interested Slytherin. The latter takes the time to think through their decisions, whereas the former can be rather accurately summed up via this quote from Sorcerer’s Stone: “Harry then did something that was both very brave and very stupid.” As a Gryffindor myself, I can say that pretty much nails it.

Both Houses and their approaches have their merits and drawbacks alike, but Miller stands firm on his decision to duck out from under the Sorting Hat. Even the reassurance that his ardent desire to be in Gryffindor would most likely place him there isn’t enough to satisfy Miller. He needs to hear the verdict straight from the mouths of the founders themselves—a burdensome task, considering the founders are fictional, a fact Miller acknowledged when he went on to say, “I mean, J.K. Rowling is all four founders of Hogwarts in a way, isn’t she?”

Indeed, Rowling is the supreme authority when it comes to the Potterverse and all things in it. All the same, Miller has his mind made up: He’s a Gryffindor, through and through—but just in case, he’d rather not tip the scales.

Next: Fantastic Beasts Sequel Date Set for November 2018

As Dumbledore once said, “It is our choices… that show what we truly are.” To stay true to that Potterism, you are what you feel, no matter what the Sorting Hat may say to the contrary. All the same… I’m nosy. So my open letter to Mr. Ezra Miller goes as follows: Look, Ezra, as both a Gryffindor at heart and one confirmed via Pottermore, I’ll level with you—you’re too self-assured and too stubborn to belong anywhere but Gryffindor. It’s time to show off that red-and-gold courage and take the quiz. Take a deep breath and dive in. Go big or go home. Put up or shut up. No guts, no glory. Pull a Nike and just do it. Insert-cheesy-but-motivational-phrase-here.

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