 Ezra Miller on the miscommunication with Rowling, Heyman on 'Fantastic Beasts' reveal
Before we begin this report, just note THIS HAS HUGE SPOILERS FOR Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.
Ezra Miller relayed an interesting story about how he was told about his character's big reveal in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald actually two years ago, during promo for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and keeping said secret since fall 2016.
Miller mentioned that he was told the reveal by producer David Heyman, originally, though not quite. The actor then had to get the information verified by J.K. Rowling during the press tour of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, who told him the information - one only the two of them had known at that time (since the cast did not get the sequel's script till months later). The fun series of miscommunication, as told by Miller, can be read and watched below.
In another interview with Thrillst, Miller reiterated the same story between him, Heyman, and Rowling, which can be read below. Quote: Ezra Miller: I will give you the sequence of events. We finished making the first film. It was edited and cut as everyone was going like, "Ha ha ha a reality TV star will never become president. That would be too horrible to imagine." And then around the time when that reality television star was becoming president and we were releasing the film, I was on a loud bus ride with David Heyman, who said, "I'm going to tell you who you are." And I said, "OK." And he said, "You're Dumbledore's brother." And I said, "No ****ing way. You mean Aberforth?" And David said, "Uh, yeah."
And then I immediately started asking questions. Like, "OK, wait, what does it mean? Does my accent become English and do my eyes turn blue?" I was like, "David it doesn't make any sense, it's a conflicting storyline. We know about Aberforth's childhood already. How can this be? This doesn't make any sense." And he was going, "I don't know, I don't know. I shouldn't have said anything. You'll have to ask Jo [Rowling]." And then essentially the next thing that happened was I had a panic attack for like a month while I tried to figure out how I was Aberforth Dumbledore, because it didn't make sense at all.
Miller: Anyway, I did see Jo at the premiere of the film when we finished the promotional tour, and I saw her at the party and I said, "Wait Jo, David told me and I just don't understand. How does my accent get English? How do my eyes get blue? Is it a Time-Turner thing? How are there two storylines? I don't understand." She was like, "Oh, did David Heyman tell you that? No, that's all idiocy. You are, of course, Aurelius."
And I was like, "Oh, Aurelius?" I was like, "Oh Really... Us?" You know? And she was like, "Oh Really Us." And I was like, "Dang dang." Everything else she told me after that, which was very very little, I can't share. But that was the moment I actually figured out who I was, and I had this sort of dysphoric time of trying to figure out who I was and I just couldn't do it. And I blame David Heyman for that. But then also without David Heyman none of us would be here at all, so how long can you hold a grudge, you know? He's also the greatest guy and I love him so much. So I didn't ever hold a grudge, not even for a second. I understood he probably just hadn't heard my question and honestly on a rumbling bus ride, Aberforth, Aurelius, Albus -- what's the difference? They've all got similar names.
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Read SnitchSeeker's set visit breakdown of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, including the return to Hogwarts and London, and entering Paris's Wizarding world. Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” is the second of five all new adventures in J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World™.
At the end of the first film, the powerful Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp) was captured by MACUSA (Magical Congress of the United States of America), with the help of Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne). But, making good on his threat, Grindelwald escaped custody and has set about gathering followers, most unsuspecting of his true agenda: to raise pure-blood wizards up to rule over all non-magical beings.
In an effort to thwart Grindelwald’s plans, Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) enlists his former student Newt Scamander, who agrees to help, unaware of the dangers that lie ahead. Lines are drawn as love and loyalty are tested, even among the truest friends and family, in an increasingly divided wizarding world.
The film features an ensemble cast led by Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Ezra Miller, Zoë Kravitz, Callum Turner, Claudia Kim, William Nadylam, Kevin Guthrie, Carmen Ejogo, Poppy Corby-Tuech, with Jude Law and Johnny Depp.
“Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” is directed by David Yates, from a screenplay by J.K. Rowling. The film is produced by David Heyman, J.K. Rowling, Steve Kloves and Lionel Wigram. Tim Lewis, Neil Blair, Rick Senat and Danny Cohen serve as executive producers.
The film reunites the behind-the-scenes creative team from the first “Fantastic Beasts” film, including Oscar-winning director of photography Philippe Rousselot (“A River Runs Through It”), three-time Oscar-winning production designer Stuart Craig (“The English Patient,” “Dangerous Liaisons,” “Gandhi,” the “Harry Potter” films), four-time Oscar-winning costume designer Colleen Atwood (“Chicago,” “Memoirs of a Geisha,” “Alice in Wonderland,” “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”), and Yates’ longtime editor Mark Day (the last four “Harry Potter” films). The music is by eight-time Oscar nominee James Newton Howard (“Defiance,” “Michael Clayton,” “The Hunger Games” films).
Slated for release on November 16, 2018, the film will be distributed worldwide in 2D and 3D in select theatres and IMAX by Warner Bros. Pictures.
This film is rated PG-13 for some sequences of fantasy action.
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