Dan Fogler on Jacob and Newt’s relationship in Fantastic Beasts

In an new interview, Dan Fogler talks the buddy comedy relationship that develops between Jacob Kowalski and Newt Scamander in Fantastic Beasts.

In all movies, there is a character who stands it for the audience, as they are introduced into the world of the story. In Harry Potter, that stand in was Harry, who was the boy wizards who had with no knowledge of his birthright, or the world he should have grown up in. In Fantastic Beasts, Dan Fogler’s character, when we first learned about him, seemed to be a pairing with Newt to form a Harry-Ron type relationship.

Ron teaches Harry all about the Wizarding World in those early chapters, and it seems like Newt will do the same for Jacob…but at the same time Jacob will be teaching Newt how America works. And Tina will be teaching both of them how the American Wizarding World works.

Because of that function of his character, it’s not surprising that he teases SnitchSeeker that his is a “sad clown” character with a sad fate, and that he probably is only meant for this movie.

Image via Pottermore

"I kind of equate it to Bottom from A Midsummer Night’s Dream. You know, he’s a baker, he’s a rude mechanical, regular kind of guy. We find out he’s not such a regular schmo. As the thing goes along, we realize he’s really quite unique. But he, just like Bottom, gets to play in the forest with Titania and the fairies. And he gets to play the hero and the romantic lead and the comedic maniac . So, yeah."

As SnitchSeeker points out, Rowling has hinted Jacob and his lady love, Queenie may appear in further movies. One might think this odd, after all the next ones aren’t in America. But then, there’s the sticking point that witches and muggles can’t *have* relationships with each other in the US. So, why not move to France? It would make a very good excuse for Newt to stop in and visit while he’s in the middle of whatever the plot is of Beasts 2: Fantastic Beasts in France and get our foursome back together!

As for that relationship with Newt:

"I see is kind of like the origin story of Sherlock and Watson. That’s also a classic, iconic pairing. It’s Don Quixote and Sancho Panza. It’s pulling from these-these classic, iconic archetypes. And so, Eddie’s coming in– he’s a fish out of water. He’s really the only British character in New York in the film… one of the only. He’s very cerebral and you know, Charles Darwin when all of– with, you know, with all these little creatures and large creatures that he’s dealing with and I’m the blue-collar guy who knows the streets.So, we balance each other out in that regard. I bring obviously the comedy. There’s a lot of heart. He gets swept up in this whole world, he falls in love with it. And but then he can’t stay. And it’s really quite heartbreaking. Yeah. So, I love characters like this– Sad clowns, man. You get to play the full gam- you know, the full spectrum of emotions in one part– Can’t ask for anything more as an actor."

Next: Matthew Lewis Sees Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Check out the full interview at SnitchSeeker here! Fantastic Beasts comes out November 18th, only days away!