How Did You React When You Found Out You’d Been Cast As Tina Goldstein And Would Be Part Of A Whole

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Exclusive: Katherine Waterston Talks Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them

Katherine Waterston speaks about her role as Tina Goldstein in Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them.

How did you react when you found out you’d been cast as Tina Goldstein and would be part of a whole new era of J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World?

I was thrilled to get the job. First and foremost, I loved the character so much and had such a good time exploring her in the auditions. You can get a little attached in that process, so it sometimes feels a bit like a heartbreak or a breakup when you don’t get the job because you don’t get to spend any more time with that character [laughs]. I was so fixated on getting to play this character and just loved her so much that, honestly, the size of this film and what it means to so many people didn’t really enter my mind initially.

Then, it slowly dawned on me that I had been invited into this massive pre-existing entity, which was quite an overwhelming realization. My first memory of the Harry Potter series was my little brother just falling into those books and not resurfacing until he was done. That J.K. Rowling got an entire generation reading is extraordinary – I'm amazed, thrilled, and proud to now be portraying one of that phenomenal writer's characters.

When you were finding your way into the character, how much of Tina came to you intuitively and what aspects did you have to dig a little deeper to find?

To me, it all feels intuitive. Obviously, there are clues in the script and you search for them and use them as best you can. But I think connecting to a character is like connecting to any human being – either you like them or you don’t. You might not be able to list the reasons why you love your best friend, or what attracted you to them; it’s just something that you feel – a connection, an understanding, or a curiosity that makes you want to get to know them. With Tina, it was her internal struggle that caught my attention.

She seemed to totally doubt herself and to suspect that she wasn’t good enough and, yet, simultaneously, she possessed a confidence, a conviction that she could be great. She’s on a confidence rollercoaster— when she fails at something, it confirms the worst suspicions she has about herself, and when she succeeds at something, it confirms the greatest hopes she has for herself. I just found that quality – that seesawing between insecurity and confidence – really beautiful, and a condition, I think, that any human being can relate to it.

What’s it like then for her to interact with Colin Farrell’s character, Percival Graves, who is a much higher-ranking figure at MACUSA [the Magical Congress of the United States of America], where she works?

Graves has the job that Tina, in her wildest dreams, hopes to have one day. He’s respected at work, successful, has authority, skill, and confidence – Tina admires him, she’s in awe of him, maybe even has a little crush on him.

Tina’s first encounter with Newt Scamander, played by Eddie Redmayne, puts them somewhat at odds with each other, but what do you think it is that draws them together as the story unfolds?

They start to recognize that they’re both outsiders and both a little bit odd, I suppose, and I love that. It’s really tough to be weird until you find other weirdos [laughs]. I think that is beautifully woven into the story from the moment that they notice each other. In many ways, they’re both just starting to become the people they will be; they’re kind of dipping their toe in.

Something I think is interesting about the film is that it’s a coming-of-age story about adults. Even though Newt, Tina, Queen, and Jacob are technically all adults, in their own individual ways they are each a bit stunted, but as they come together – maybe even because they come together – they, finally, begin to ‘come into their own.’

How about Tina’s relationship with her sister, Queenie, played by Alison Sudol?

Really, until these men come into their lives, Tina and Queenie are everything to one another— sisters, best friends, parental figures. They were forced, I think especially Tina, to grow up quickly because they lost their parents young, but despite that painful fate their dynamic is very youthful and sweet. As the older sister, Tina definitely feels Queenie is her responsibility and is very protective of her. Of course, Queenie, being a legilimens, can see that Tina is, beneath the surface, very vulnerable and in need of protection, too.

Do you have a favorite beast?

Pickett. Of course, they’re all so amazing but yeah, Pickett’s my guy.

Can you talk about working with costume designer Colleen Atwood on Tina’s wardrobe in the film. Did that process help inform the character for you?

Absolutely. It was a dream to work with Colleen. She doesn’t just put you in clothes that fit well or look good; she really understands character. It’s detailed, smart work, and I loved everything that she made.

What’s so great about Colleen is that she’s a real collaborator. She comes in with her ideas, and I come in with mine, and we find our way together. I really wanted Tina to wear trousers. That was my idea and something that seemed right to me – that Tina didn’t have much time for herself and, because she lost her parents suddenly, she was thrust into this parental role. I thought she maybe couldn’t be bothered to go to the shop, nor did she have the time, nor would she feel comfortable spending any money on herself. So, we started to build this concept together and then Colleen, obviously, developed the clothes.

The whole look, we thought, would be something she could’ve found in her parents’ wardrobes and thrown together herself. So the trousers are ill-fitting because they were her dad’s, and she has to take them in at the waist; but, when she takes them in at the waist, they go up too short in the leg. The shirts are her mother’s, so they’re sort of Victorian, rather than current to the period of the ‘20s. Even the shoes are men’s shoes because they belonged to her father. That was where all of that came from – this idea that she was trying to cobble together a look that would give her a responsible, effective aura [laughs].

Also, I do think she definitely has a little tomboy streak. She’s dressing for comfort – to be able to move freely around in the streets – and, also, a little to hide. All of these things we talked about, as well as, obviously, how to play her look in contrast to Queenie’s.

Looking back, do you have a favorite scene to play, or a moment during production that was particularly fun or memorable for you?

Perhaps my favorite day on set was a scene with Tina and Newt on a dock. We were on location in an enormous hanger originally used to build zeppelins. It’s the biggest single storey building I’ve ever seen in my life, and had this incredible energy to it. We only shot a few takes of that scene, but that was one of my best memories. It was just one of those days that felt electric.

Fanfiction Ni no Kuni 2. What could you see at the depth? Chapter 1. The Dark Knight

For the last time, Roland and Aranella exchanged glances - and with a signal nod to Nella's head, Roland grabbed Ewan, who was deeply thrilled, and threw himself into the dark abyss. He caught a glimpse at the last moment out of the corner of his eye, catching the rapid movement of a fragile figure in a delicate pink dress, rushing at the indomitable Dark Knight.

“Nella!” the desperate cry of the young defeated king pierced the darkness.

Then everything calmed down. Roland and Evan sank lower and lower into the abyss. It is not known how long this flight lasted, maybe five minutes, maybe only about thirty seconds, but Evan did not care. In these few seconds, gold pages unfolded before him, like a large illustrated book, a childhood in which a large number of vivid episodes of his memories, at different stages of his growing up and development, are connected with a tender and kind green-eyed girl, who took upbringing on her fragile and strong shoulders the future king - the rising hope of the people - replacing Evan's mother and sister in one person.

And now, the only creature close to Evan was left alone with the monster and the murderer of her father, left to be torn to pieces.

“Nella! Nella!” the cry of the boy turned to a hopeless sob.

The enveloping darkness of the abyss brought painful images and memories not only to Evan. Roland was silent. Evan was losing and, possibly, has already lost the closest person. But what about Roland? Before the eyes in darkness obsessive ghosts circled the wreckage of his ruined past, the ship of his life, broken on an iceberg of inexorable rock. These fragments, as well as the image of the world exploding on a volcano of human greed, from which Roland miraculously transferred here, scattered around in all directions, enveloped consciousness and did not allow breathing. And through this veil of ash appeared the shadow of a small figure, rushing to eat a ruthless monster. This figure, at some point, merged in Roland’s imagination with another figure, lost among the wreckage of a ruined world, scorched by a dead crimson of a sunny sunset ... And the last color of life radiated by her eyes went out...

A splash of water cleared the ashes of consciousness - Roland and Evan sailed to dry land.

“We made it,” Roland summed up, not taking his eyes off the water, as dark as the abyss they had just overcome. “Just...” Roland hesitated, looking at the heartbroken boy.

Evan jumped to his feet.

“N-Nella! We have to go back! We can still ...”the boy insisted through the rising tears.

“Calm down,” Roland insisted firmly, trying to keep his composure and ability to act soundly and reason. “If we go back, we`ll be captured for sure – and she`ll given her life for nothing.

"Given her ...? You mean she`s ...?” Evan looked bitterly imploringly at Roland.

“I ...” Roland turned away, unable to bear the gaze of Evan and some burning and painful feelings in his heart at the memory of a fragile girl who remained completely without protection, heroically sacrificing herself for Evan and the future people that Evan embodied for her. Roland struggled with a keen desire to return and snatch the life of a heroic girl from the clutches of a monster, but he realized that it was probably already late and nothing could be changed.

“I think we have to assume that,” Roland answered, not looking at Evan. “Come on. We need to keep moving.”

Roland moved decisively along the winding streets of the cave. Evan followed his new protector, barely forcing himself to move his legs, from tears of despair and powerlessness to change something.

“If only I were stronger... Perhaps ... Perhaps I could have saved her...” Evan complained, sobbing.

“We all have our roles to play, Evan. Yours wasn`t to fight. It was to escape. You have to survive this. Your kingdom needs you.”

Roland and Evan followed on, lost in thought. Evan accompanied his thoughts with changeable sobs and heavy sighs, Roland walked in silence, he always seemed unperturbed, and only one feature could betray his hard inner struggle - a shadow covering his face and a strained focused expression. Two feelings fought in his soul: a feeling of protest against global evil and mutual revenge, and humility with reality and the realization of the need to move forward, a violent aversion to death in the color of the years of a brave girl and the acceptance of the fact that, according to him, each person has a role, its purpose. Aranella acted as she must have done for the good of a loved one - the king and the good of the people. But the purpose of the young girl is death?

The thoughts of the travelers were interrupted by a terrible roar. The Dark Knight appeared before them, as if from underground. Not allowing himself to come to his senses and realize what was happening at least for a moment, Roland ducked headlong into a fierce battle with the monster, but the longer the battle lasted, the monster did not weaken at all, and even more gained strength and began to spit out the red-blue flame. Suddenly, the monster stood on its hind legs, bent in an arc and sent a long fiery burning stream in the direction where Evan was in the shelter. Roland could not have predicted such a turn of the battle and accordingly defended the little king:

“Evan!” He exclaimed.

In an instant, a thin figure flew out of unknown direction, pushing Evan with a decisive movement, and took upon herself the whole blow of a fiery avalanche. For a moment, Roland caught the light outlines of Aranella’s image, then he went out, her body flew off to the side, falling helplessly onto the cold floor of the dungeon.

And here the contradictory feeling of protest and the arguments of reason, humility were resolved in one desperate, furious "No!"

“NO!!!” Roland cried out, and, not realizing the report in his actions, he took out a gun and with one bullet plunged the monster into the abyss. “Dammit”!

Roland ran up, with a bated breath, sensing the worst, knelt next to Evan in front of the injured servant. He took her by the shoulders and turned her upside down - and the whole colder inside: the body was streaked with terrible burns; the girl was unconscious. He took her wrist, but her pulse was almost impossible to feel. Aranella faded away ...

***

In the dense darkness of the Ding Dond Dell Castle dungeon, which seemed to have no end, with its monotonously painful atmosphere in the color scheme of sour green, yellow tones, a bright ray of sun suddenly penetrated, resembling a sharp sword in its shaped outline. The ray went through the mournful faces of travelers, the emaciated, scorched face of a girl whose fragile and helpless body now hung in Roland's arms, carrying Nella closer to the light, so that Evan said goodbye to her beloved nanny, sister, mother, teacher and defender all rolled into one. When a ray of light fell on Aranella's face, Roland seemed for a moment, it suddenly shone and became transparent despite his wounds, exhaustion and burns,. And the whole body became transparent and almost weightless, as if a girl with the last breath of her life gave herself to the sun's rays, merged with them. It seemed, literally just a moment - and it would melt in Roland's hands and dissolve with the light, and they would not have time to say goodbye to Nella. Subconsciously driven by a superstitious sensation, Roland quickened his pace. Overwhelmed by the grief of loss, Evan tried to keep up with his new elder friend, bending over Nella’s body and irrigating her with bitter tears, which seemed like clean streams rolling out of huge oceans.

Finally, here it is - the treasured exit from the dungeon, letting a beam of a sword through into the slushy and dank corridors of damp. Almost at the exit, the travelers stopped. Roland gently lowered Nella to the dark green slabs against the wall, Evan fell in tears to his knees next to her. Aranella opened her eyes and looked at the boy with maternal tenderness and boundless faith.

“Evan ...” Aranella said, making her last effort. “You will be the kindest king.

When Aranella spoke, her face shone again - the ray of sunshine now shone brightly and hugged the whole figure of the girl. In her pink dress, which reflected the traces of the fateful battle with the Dark Knight, with burns, scratches on the delicate skin of her face and hands, Aranella reminded Roland of a wilted tulip that was strewed with tears by a golden-haired boy. Nella’s last words seemed to be transformed under a ray of sunshine, figuratively taking shape in consciousness into a quietly whispering and shimmering in the light stream - a memory stream, testament, and not only for Evan, but also for Roland.

“You have to be strong, Evan. You must ... build a kingdom. Where everyone ... can live happily ever after.”

Pain and bitterness burned his heart Roland for a second: he could not build his "kingdom". He lost everything; he could not save even what he already had. He lost loved ones, his world, his country, his life ... How much did he give to save what was entrusted to him? And this brave woman, in the prime of her beauty and youth, devoted her life to other people and, without hesitation, threw herself into an avalanche of fire.

Having uttered the last words, Aranella lost consciousness again. And probably forever.

“Nella, do not leave me! “ Evan shook the girl's shoulders, choking in tears. “Nella! NELLAAA !!” Evan cried out, heartbroken, so that Roland's heart sank. He lowered his head.

“I will do it! For you, Nella!” Evan cried, clinging to the immobile Aranella’s body. “I’ll build a kingdom where everyone will live happily ever after.”

Suddenly Roland came to his senses, hearing an echo of approaching steps in the distance in the depths of the dungeon. He grabbed Evan by the elbow, pulling him away from Aranella's body:

“Evan, we have to go!”

Roland was dragging Evan with all his might, who continually rested and turned in the direction where Aranella remained lying; at a distance it seemed as if she was sleeping peacefully.

“Nella!!!”

But finally, Evan gave up and followed weeping behind Roland, not realizing what was happening inside. In the end, Roland also cast a short glance toward Aranella. He was embraced with bitterness, longing and anger at the same time! No! It must not be! This is absurdity, injustice!

“But there's nothing to be done. If we come back, Evan is likely to be captured. And then it’s as if the sacrifice of Aranella would be wasted,” the rational principle in Roland maintained. He took a quick step, dragging behind him the lagging and stumbling Evan, who could not cope with grief.

Roland and Evan left the dungeon and were fifteen meters from the entrance to the underground channels of Ding Dong Dell. Roland's ears rang the incessant cry of the little defeated king, and at the same time before his eyes stood the image of his teacher, left there to die. How disgusting it was at heart! What to do? What if she still has a chance to survive and help Evan build the new kingdom? After all, they do not know whether she died for sure. She just lost consciousness. They did not have time to state certain death.

"No! You can’t come back! This is stupid!" the mind yelled.

Just a few hours ago, Roland lost his world and his loved ones. He did not know so far for certain dreams whether it everything that happens to him now: this strange magical world, a boy with cat ears - the defeated king, heroic Evan’s servant and teacher. The Dark Knight, magic... Roland was afraid to admit the fact that Aranella painfully reminded Roland of the one she would never return. He suddenly imagined as a small black-haired boy, helpless, in whose eyes froze and fear and terror at the sight of a huge flying stars and crimson sky. And her ghost, which was very reminiscent of the Aranella’s image. Actually, she became a ghost much earlier, being quite young. And he left them, listening to the voice of reason, but for the sake of their own good, out of love - and he lost them too.

And now he wanted to listen not to reason, but recklessness. He longed to do insanely. It doesn’t matter if it was, sleep and death - all that he has to participate in!

“Evan!” Roland stopped abruptly, grabbed Evan by the shoulders and turned to him.

“Roland?” Evan exclaimed in surprise, not understanding what was happening, blinded by grief and fatigue. He was disoriented and did not realize what was happening and where he was running with Roland.

“Evan, you have to run forward without looking back “ Roland said, looking straight in the boy’s eyes, commanding tone, emphasizing each word. “It is likely that they will attack you, so you have to fight yourself .” Here, take my gun and use the sword Aranella gave you. Don’t afraid and run forward, no matter what happens, do you understand me?

“What? But, Roland, what about you? Where are you going?” Evan exclaimed with eyes wide with horror.

“I'll catch you up! But if not, in no case do not stop and do not come back for me. Your time has come. You will win! I believe in you,” Roland said, shaking Evan's shoulders as a sign of encouragement and once again looked deep into his eyes, then rushed to run back towards the cave.

“Roland!” He heard a plaintive exclamation.

“Run! Quickly!” Roland snapped furiously, without looking back.

Evan obeyed and ran on, not feeling his legs beneath him. His ears rang and buzzed, but he did not stop.

Meanwhile, Roland reached the entrance to the underground canals that he had just left with Evan. A group of four grimalkin guards jumped out of them, Roland instantly knocked them down with a few quick swings of the sword, deftly slipping from their blows - and the entrance was clean.

“Wow, I came from a world where I forgot the art of fencing for four decades, and now with every battle the blow of the sword, accuracy and evasion are becoming easier and more skillful. And in the body is the lightness of a twenty-year-old youth. Maybe I'm still in a dream?” - a strange extraneous thought flashed in Roland's head.

Roland rushed inside, fortunately, there was nobody and nothing left at the exit that would pose a serious threat. Roland hoped in his heart that the Rat Rat stopped trying to catch the fugitives and waved his hand at Evan, because, in fact, what threat could be a small naive boy who was left completely alone, besides, having lost the most important and strongest defender in the person of the faithful educators?

Speaking of the teacher/ And here she is again ... Aranella remained lying in the same position in which she had been left - as if she lay down to rest, leaning on the moldy, slimy yellow-green walls . Roland had an extremely weak hope that she remained alive, but... Though they could bury Aranella with dignity. But they can't just leave her!

Roland sank down next to the body - the rays still fell on him, and it seemed as if Aranella was glowing, despite the burns. Roland did not know where it was from, but suddenly he had a flash of hope. Once again he took her wrist and ... It can’t be!

The pulse was weak, but there was! He leaned closer to Aranella's face and caught a faint breath.

“Alive!” He exclaimed out loud. It suddenly became easy for him to breathe, as if a suffocating bandage was removed from the throat, which squeezed the air passage in the lungs for a long time. But he urgently need to get out of here. Aranella needs emergency care. It is necessary to cool the burns with cold water, but for this the need to get to the source of water.

He thanked the sky, which made him return!

Roland glanced around and, grabbing Aranella lightly in his arms, headed out confidently, carrying the young woman to the light. Carrying Aranella and moving fast was easier than Roland imagined: despite her agility and physical endurance, the ability to defeat five warriors at a time, Aranella was small and rather light, like a child . But the only problem is the inability to fight, so he needs to go faster and carefully so as not to fall into the eyes of soldiers loitering in the suburbs.

When they were outside, sunlight fell on Aranella's face. She suddenly began to shake her head and, impulsively coughing, often breathing, recovering. Through force, she opened her eyes and looked at Roland.

“What ... what are you doing here, Mr. Crane?” She said, almost in a whisper, her voice stifled by coughing. “I beg you, I implore you for God's sake, leave me here and protect Evan, help him create a country where everyone will smile - this is the best thing you can do for me, Evan, and for my sake. With such a burden, you will all perish, and everything was in vain. Listen to the voice of reason.”

“No, Aranella,” Roland snapped emphatically. “At least once in my life I do not want to act according to the voice of reason. Let me at least once listen to the voice of the heart. I lost what was of the greatest value to me because of the voice of reason. You must become part of a great celebration, create a territory of joy, happiness, love, and share the joy and feat of Evan, and not serve as bones as his dead foundation. So, either we all get out of here together, or we die together. And Evan ... Evan can handle it. He is the king after all.”

Aranella was about to protest, but spent a little cue of all her strength and again lost consciousness. Roland felt the alarm, but no, he must not give up. An urgent need to catch Evan and find refuge, and such a refuge where they would be helped to cure and save Aranella.

But where is Evan?

Roland's gaze rested on a large mountain, dividing the territory of the kingdom of Ding Dong Dell from other unknown lands. And Evan walked along the trodden path, tired of grief, falling misfortunes, shocks, with his head bowed. Something made him turn around. The light emanating from the sun's disk, which froze over the tops of the gray-blue mountain teeth, surrounded with a halo of golden, like ripe wheat, hair of the young king - a young rising dawn of hope, which was to put an end to hostility in this world.