Pottermore Roundup: Ejogo, Miller and Magical Creatures
By Ayesha
Pottermore is ready for Fantastic Beasts’ release with explanations of magical beasts, and interviews with actors Ezra Miller and Carmen Ejogo.
As a whole new set of films come out, Rowling’s team is making sure audiences have all eyes on them. One of the best ways they’re able to do this is with Pottermore. What was once a more interactive site has become the headquarters for new Potter info. Recently, we’ve seen a plethora of Fantastic Beasts content. From a closer look at the beasts in the wizarding world to getting to know the cast, we’re certainly ready for the film’s release! We take a closer look at Ezra Miller, Carmen Ejogo and the beasts that have made their mark on Harry Potter so far.
Ezra Miller:
Ezra Miller as Credence Barebone in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Image via Warner Bros.
Of course, while the world-building of the scripts and creatures is great, it’s important to look at what the cast is like too. In a recent interview with Pottermore, Ezra Miller explains his long term love for the series. His role of Credence Barebone may be new to him, but his love of the series is lifelong. Like many of us, Miller has been a fan of all things Potter since he was seven. Miller was able to turn to the story during tough times, and now he’ll give a new generation the same chance.
Although plenty of actors immerse themselves in their characters until they’re done filming entirely, Miller is not one of them. In fact, the way he views his off-camera job while on set seems to be being the cast’s built-in patronus:
"I think that’s part of my job: to be a morale booster. It’s part of what I do on set: to bring happiness and feel happiness, too."
However, it isn’t to say that Miller doesn’t commit to his roles. Getting into the head space of someone who doesn’t know happiness can be very helpful, says the actor. With that subtle hint as to what kind of character Credence might be, it’s safe to say Miller’s performance will be worth the wait!
Carmen Ejogo:
Carmen Ejogo as Seraphina Picquery in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Image via Warner Bros.
In a film with such high expectations from fans, it’s hard not to feel intimidated, but Carmen Ejogo bears it well. She explains the importance of being a complex character of colour in the franchise. While Harry Potter had a fairly diverse cast, more often than not, these characters existed on the fringes of the story. This is not the case with Seraphina Picquery, President of MACUSA.
Speaking to Pottermore, the actress notes how representation feels for fans:
"I do think that audience members like to see themselves on screen. There’s a whole community that would love to be a part of the wizarding world and they will be thrilled when they see characters like Seraphina on screen.’"
Still, it’s hard to know who exactly Ejogo is portraying. Like Miller, she is only able to give vague hints about what is to come. She discusses the grey morality of the Harry Potter series, which might hint at her character being like Dumbledore. Even though Dumbledore led the fight against Voldemort, his history was filled with some dubious moral choices. However, she also refers to a game of politics, which isn’t something with saw from the Headmaster. So it may be that we get a character unlike the ones we’ve seen before.
Magical Creatures:
Image via Warner Bros.
Even if the characters are vastly different, there’s no need to worry about the entire world being unfamiliar. We’ve already had a good look at plenty of fantastic beasts during the Harry Potter book series. Pottermore has made it easy for us to remember which creatures have already made their debut with a Creature Chaos guide.
The guide runs us through a list of a few creatures that gave Harry and his friends some trouble. When you think about it, all the times that Harry had to face a beast could’ve made a book of its own. It’s no surprise that Rowling wanted to become involved in a film about these creatures. We can only hope that Newt comes out of the fray as well as Harry did.
Next: The Ins and Outs of Writing a Winning, Magical Screenplay
If you’re curious about what we know about the finished film so far, you check out our review round up here!