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PEOPLE & ARTS Monday 5 noveMber 2018

'Fantastic Beasts' stars: Grindelwald isn't Trump, exactly

By RYAN PEARSON forcement agent, says the
Associated Press villain crafted by the politi-
LOS ANGELES (AP) — John- cally outspoken Rowling is
ny Depp's charismatic more "subtle" than the real-
leader at the center of the life president.
new "Fantastic Beasts" se- "Every bad guy is more nu-
quel isn't modeled on Presi- anced and subtle than
dent Donald Trump. Trump. He is like the most
But the stars of "Fantastic overt bad guy of all time,"
Beasts: Crimes of Grindel- she said. "But it's amazing
wald," the film written by because she was actually
J.K. Rowling about a dark writing this long before the
wizard who becomes a di- election happened — this
visive leader in the magical chapter of the story. So
world, tell The Associated yeah, it's interesting actu-
Press that there are some ally with brilliant people, if
similarities. they're paying attention to
The film is set in the "Harry the way the world is going,
Potter" universe and finds they actually tend to pre-
Depp's character, Gel- dict the future.
lert Grindelwald, seeking Yeah, but it really is I think
to gain power and divide from paying close atten-
"pureblood" wizards from tion. And she's so politically
humans in 1920s Paris. In this July 21, 2018 file photo, Johnny Depp appears in character as Gellert Grindelwald at the active."
"It's shining a light, isn't it, Warner Bros. Ezra Miller plays a mysteri-
on things that have hap- Associated Press ous character named Cre-
pened before as well," said dence Barebone, whose
Callum Turner, who plays easy things can take a turn are we — people being se- about that — that's the sim- powers include a destruc-
Theseus, the older brother for the worse. And not just duced in that way? What ilarity. Not the person. The tive magical parasite. He
to Eddie Redmayne's hero be specific to any one mo- is it in the moment, in the message." says Grindelwald shares
main character in the film. ment. zeitgeist, what is that? And Katherine Waterston, who similarities to many leaders
"And how seductive and "That's the question. Why that's what is interesting plays a magical law en- throughout history.q