Eddie Redmayne Says He Had to Attend “Wand School” While Making First Fantastic Beasts Movie

Eddie Redmayne Says He Had to Attend "Wand School" While Making First Fantastic Beasts Movie

As a dedicated fan of magical cinematic universes, I must confess that Eddie Redmayne’s journey in becoming Newt Scamander was as enchanting as the tales he brought to life. His struggle with the wand, a symbol of childhood dreams yet filled with stage fright, resonated deeply with me, for who among us hasn’t felt that initial apprehension when faced with a new challenge?


In Hogwarts, young magic users refine their magical skills. As adult actors don’t have the luxury of a seven-year apprenticeship in sorcery, Hollywood invented a school called “wand school.” During an interview with Vanity Fair, actor Eddie Redmayne discussed his early struggles with handling a wand when he was cast as Newt Scamander, the magical zoologist, for 2016’s Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (now available on Peacock along with its two sequels).

In the beginning of our work on the first “Fantastic Beasts” film, there were moments that caused quite a bit of anxiety,” he confessed. “Holding a wand is like fulfilling a childhood fantasy, but all of a sudden, it becomes overwhelming, and I found myself struck with stage fright. I didn’t know how to handle it properly. That’s why we invented Wand School and an Apparition School [to help deal with this feeling]. It’s like vanishing into the fog.

By the time production wrapped, however, Redmayne was a fully-accredited warlock and took great pleasure in seeing new cast members grapple with adjusting to their own wands in the pair of sequels that followed: The Crimes and Grindelwald (2018) and The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022). 

He said, “You grew quite nonchalant about that matter, as well as the ordinary aspect of possessing a wand. Yet, what made those movies so delightful was witnessing fresh actors receiving their wands, and observing the childlike excitement emerge in each one, regardless of how accomplished they were.

Learn More About the Enchanted Realm:

Redmayne shared that he developed feelings for Newt’s character right from when he initially read the script. He described Newt as being quirky, one-of-a-kind, displaying remarkable empathy, and having a strong passion. The actor pointed out that it’s not usual to talk about passion, as it’s usually considered unpopular or uncool to care deeply about something.

He ended by expressing his admiration for the three principal actors he collaborated with: Dan Fogler (Jacob Kowalski), Katherine Waterston (Tina Goldstein), and Alison Sudol (Queenie Goldstein). Working alongside these individuals was a remarkable experience, one that surpassed anything I’d experienced before. The films left me with a fantastic ensemble of actors and crew members. Creativity flowed abundantly from them during our collaboration.

about:blank

Initially, Warner Bros. intended to produce five films based on Fantastic Beasts, but poor ticket sales, a complex narrative, and controversy surrounding screenwriter J.K. Rowling (the author of Harry Potter) have led the studio to possibly reconsider their original strategy.

The movie “The Secrets of Dumbledore” concludes in a definitive manner, featuring a duel between Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) and Gellert Grindelwald (Mads Mikkelsen replacing Johnny Depp). This suggests that the prequel series will not continue. However, Warner Bros. Discovery is planning to reimagine all seven books as a multi-year television series instead. Francesca Gardiner, who has worked on “Killing Eve” and “His Dark Materials”, will write and oversee the project, with Mark Mylod set to direct several episodes.

Read More

2024-09-10 19:16