Since Eddie Redmayne is about the become the latest hero of JK Rowling's magical world in the upcoming film Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, the Academy-award winning actor was recently quizzed about his favourite Harry Potter novel and film, and his answers might surprise you!
Opening up to Entertainment Weekly, the actor, who will be playing Newt Scamander in the upcoming magical film, revealed that his favourite film was Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 for a very good reason. He said: "With the last two, they had something I kept rewatching, going back and watching Ralph Fiennes and Daniel Radcliffe do that extraordinary duel.
Eddie will play Newt Scamander in the upcoming film
"When you're [casting spells on set], the effects of this huge tension of what's coming out of your wand is put [into the shot in post-production; you're] literally acting with nothing, and I found it so operatic and deeply moving. I found it so climatically satisfying."
He then went with Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone as his favourite of the novels, saying: "I suppose I'd go with the first. My little brother, when he was 6 years old, he would always read it, and it had that instant immersion into the world that made you release your imagination."
The Theory of Everything actor revealed that he is a fan of the Harry Potter universe for a while now, and opened up on The Graham Norton Show about how he always wanted to play one of the redheaded Weasley brothers in the first eight films. He said: "There was a whole family of ginger people and at some point I thought I'd be in that!"
Producers have already confirmed a sequel to Fantastic Beasts is in the works
It was recently announced that Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find them would officially have a sequel, even though the first film has yet to be released in cinemas. Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts director David Yates confirmed a second script has been written, telling EW: "We've seen the script for Part 2, for the second movie, which takes the story in a whole new direction – as you should, you don’t want to repeat yourself.
"The second movie introduces new characters as [JK Rowling] builds this part of the Harry Potter universe further. It's a very interesting development from where we start out. The work is pouring out of her."