Few franchises in history have come close to matching the love and the success that Harry Potter has been able to find. The books made their debut in the 90s, and once the movies came into play, the entire world was spellbound with the incredible story about the Boy Who Lived.
In recent years, the franchise has continued to expand, and there is now a Fantastic Beasts film franchise that is set before the events of Harry Potter. Eddie Redmayne stars as Newt Scamander in the franchise, but before he was the lead here, he was doing his best to play another Harry Potter character.
So, who was Eddie Redmayne auditioning to play? Let’s take a look at the character in question and how it all played out.
He Auditioned For The Role Of Tom Riddle
He may be a big star now, but there was once a point when Eddie Redmayne was an up and coming performer looking for a big break. He had a huge opportunity during the 2000s when he landed an audition to play Tom Riddle in the Harry Potter franchise, but this opportunity is one that he would not seize.
“I actually auditioned to play Tom Riddle while I was at university. I properly failed and didn’t get a callback,” the actor revealed to Marie Claire.
Even though years had passed between that failed audition and this quote, it is clear that Redmayne still feels some type of way about what happened. It can be easy to get lost in success, but many performers will hold onto moments like these to stay motivated and grounded, never forgetting that they once struggled like everyone else who hasn’t made it quite yet.
Interestingly, Redmayne would reveal that he had Harry Potter aspirations outside of playing Tom Riddle, though some may be surprised to hear what exactly he had in mind for himself.
They actor would say, “Over the years, I always hoped I might be cast as a member of the Weasley family – I’m colour blind, but I’ve always been told there’s a tinge of red to my hair – but unfortunately not.”
“A lot of my friends, like Domhnall Gleeson (Bill Weasley) and Rob Pattison (Cedric Diggory) got their Harry Potter moment, but I never got mine,” he said.
He Eventually Lands Newt Scamander
While Eddie Redmayne never got the chance to play Tom Riddle or a member of the Weasley clan, he did get the chance to establish himself as a leading performer in the franchise when he was cast as Newt Scamander in the Fantastic Beasts films, which are an extension of the main Harry Potter lore.
Even though Newt Scamander was not a major player in the original story, the studio and J.K. Rowling felt that there was a compelling story to tell, and so they went ahead with bringing these creatures and a young Newt Scamander to life.
When talking about the character in 2019, Redmayne told the press, “What I love about [Fantastic Beast’s] Newt is he has his own magic. How he’s not necessarily the greatest, most powerful wizard in the world, but he has his unique approach to magic.”
So far, there have been two Fantastic Beasts films that have been released, and each of them has found success at the box office. While these stories may have caused a divide in the fandom, there is no denying that they draw people to theaters and have put the spotlight on Redmayne.
His Fantastic Beasts Future
There has been a lot of controversy surrounding the franchise, namely with J.K. Rowling and Johnny Depp, and it has people wondering if there will be a third film coming to round out a proper trilogy. As it stands now, a third Fantastic Beasts film is in the works and is going to be brought to life.
Redmayne, of course, will be returning to star as Newt Scamander, and Mads Mikkelsen will be joining the cast after replacing Johnny Depp.
“I think I know as little as you do in the sense that I hear the rumours about where we might be shooting and what countries it’s set in. Then, I am sworn to secrecy, but I am looking forward to making the film. I have such an extraordinary time,” Redmayne said about the upcoming film.
While he may have lost out on playing Tom Riddle, Eddie Redmayne stayed the course and wound up landing something much bigger down the road. Sometimes, things just work out in their own mysterious way.