Eddie Red-maybe

[birdsofshore]

So, what do we think about Eddie Redmayne apparently being confirmed in the role of Newt Scamander in the Fantastic Beasts film?



If you're not sure who he is, he's a British actor who recently won a lot of awards for his role as Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything.

Personally, I think I'm fairly happy about it.

[Poll #2011357][Poll #2011357]

Is there a different actor you hoped would star in the film? Let me know all of your thoughts in the comments, please!

Comments

[this-bloody-cat.livejournal.com]

Who is this person even? Should I know this person? Because I don't think I do, but then, I'm terrible at recognising the faces of people I've met before so, er. I don't know? D:

[disapparater.livejournal.com]

'Ambivalent' might be a better word for me... i like the freckles, but can't get passed that weird-looking mouth.

[lightofdaye]

I'd forgotten this film was coming out until I saw this post...

[eidheann_writes]

I know nothing about the actor in question? XD I'm useless at this poll, I know.

[pauraque]

Put me down as another "never heard of him"!

[gracerene]

These are my exact thoughts! :D

[birdsofshore]

Ah, he's pretty well known in the UK for his role as Stephen Hawking, but I'm guessing now that film was only big over here. Sorry! I've amended the post with a little info...

[cabinetcaligari.livejournal.com]

Lalalala exciiiiited! I think he has the right combination of a bit dorky, and eyecandiness.

[lordhellebore]

Ohh, shiny! :) I really liked him in Black Death and The Pillars of the Earth (they really could have done much, much worse with Jack there!), and I definitely have to check him out as Hawking!

[besamislabios]

I know him from Jupiter Ascending. I've been meaning to watch The Theory of Everything but I haven't yet. I really don't have any strong feelings about him, he's a great actor though.

[idikehaine.livejournal.com]

I can only decide AFTER seeing him in the role of Newt. Maybe he'll do a terrific job. Maybe not. I saw the movie with him playing Hawking and I loved it :))

[http://users.livejournal.com/_hannelore/]

Add me as one who had never heard of him until "The Theory of Everything," but I thought he was pretty amazing in that. He seems distinctively Potter-ish and since we don't really know much about Newt than he wrote a book, I can't say that I really had a picture of him in my head.

[nia_kantorka]

I know he's won all the big prizes this winter (Oscar included) but as the worst movie watcher ever, I have no clue about his other films beside Hawking.

It's unlikely going to change with that film because I don't care if I'll watch it sooner (at the cinema) or later (at home).

Sorry, I'm no help either. ;p

[dicta-contrion.livejournal.com]

Sigh. I don't know anything about him aside from general musings about him as a Cumberbatch-esque sort of figure - award-winning, feted, celebrated, attractive in a mildly quirky sort of way, and incredibly privileged (as in, same Eton class as Prince William and on to Cambridge type privileged). I don't doubt that he's smart or a good actor or that he'll be fine in the role, so my disappointment isn't really down to him. But in JKR's Pottermore writing about the Quidditch World Cup she described Rolf Scamander as "swarthy," leading to much hopeful speculation on tumblr that Rolf's swarthiness might suggest that Newt, too, was dark-skinned and that FBAWTFT might be a story in the HP verse with a leading man of color at its center. Which would've made sense and been absolutely fascinating in a story set in NYC in the 1920s. Eddie Redmayne is...well, obviously not going to fit that bill, and is sort of the epitome of not fitting that bill. In a movie that's just about bound to do well at the box office, and in a franchise that's had considerable star-making power, and with a script-writer/canon creator who already described member of this family as "swarthy" it's a bit of a bummer to see them ignore the chance to confer all the opportunities being part of this movie would bring on someone like Eddie Redmayne, instead of using it as a chance to help establish an up-and-coming non-white actor. That's got far more to do with my politics than with Eddie Redmayne who, I'm sure, will be fine. But the choice itself has me disappointed.

[gryffindorj.livejournal.com]

As soon as I saw him in My Week With Marilyn I wanted to do him so if we're going off my instant sexual attraction then yes good casting.

If we're going off him being able to act then again good casting. They really do get a lot of good talent for JKR's movies don't they? Now the script, that's where it can go pear shaped. She's writing it though, yeah? It's not a hired screen writer.

[vaysh]

I think they have the type – Pretty posh British explorer travelling the world to discover fantastic beasts, reminiscent of Britain's Imperialist past – down pat. I like the actor's looks, there is something endearingly boyish about him, and I've seen a vid that has loads of steaming sex-appeal. It would have been fascinating if Warner Bros had given this chance to make it big in show biz to a black actor but I never expected it from this franchise.

[vaysh]

Rowling is writing the script, yes. :)

[celestlyn.livejournal.com]

I sort of imagine Matt Smith as having that weird, quirkiness required to play Newt. He wouldn't be a perfect fit if he played him as schizo as the Doctor--that's pretty over-the-top, but he comes closest right now to what I imagine.

[vaysh]

He seems distinctively Potter-ish
That's what I thought. :)

[gryffindorj.livejournal.com]

See. Then the movie is already better than the other Potter ones ;)

[birdsofshore]

I found him very odd-looking until I saw him acting, and then it all worked (similar to how I felt about Benedict Cumberbatch). I think he's quite charmimg.

[birdsofshore]

I'm quite excited! I think he's the only Brit, though? The rest of the characters are American, which will seem a bit funny in an HP story.

[birdsofshore]

Sorry, he's quite well-known over here and I didn't realise The Theory of Everything had not gone big in the US. I've put in a brief note in the post now!

[birdsofshore]

I apologise, I presumed he was known outside the UK but I guess not!

[birdsofshore]

YES! A bit dorky. That's very appealing. But quite pretty, too *clasps him to bosom*