Newt & Leta

Newt & Leta

Leta is now engaged to Newt's, older brother, Theseus Scamander, which Rowling calls "A twist neither of them would ever have seen coming. It creates some awkwardness in their current relationship because Newt once had strong feelings for the woman who is about to become his sister in-law."

- Crimes of Grindelwald production notes

While Redmayne says It’s one of those relationships where there was definitely great love there, there was also romance, but was it ever a full blown relationship? I don’t know. But certainly she’s somebody who has touched [Newt] hugely and at the beginning of this film you realize she’s in a relationship with his brother so, of course, that comes with great complications.”

- Entertainment Weekly

Eddie Redmayne: This one [Leta] was like, I think, love of Newt's life when they were at school. But actually Newt's all like in love with Tina. He's desperately trying to get back to New York. But he cares. He massively cares about Leta.

- Extra TV

Eddie Redmayne: I mean, his brother is engaged to this girl who he had a huge affection for growing up, so there’s obviously a real tension there.

- Buzzfeed

Eddie Redmayne: It's complicated. It's all I have to say. He's kept like this girl in his heart all this time. He comes back and she's engaged to his brother. I mean, that is complicated family stuff right there.

- Entertainment Weekly SDCC

Eddie Redmayne: At the beginning of the film, Newt kind of has found out that his brother's engaged to this girl, Leta, who was kind of one of his closest friends, and perhaps they... He definitely had a crush on her when he was younger, but like that's now in the past.

- E! Insider

Why awkward? Were Newt and Leta actually romantically involved?

Zoë Kravitz: I don’t think it ever went to that place, but Newt has so few friends and connections in his childhood, maybe in his mind it might have gone there? I don’t think it was ever acted upon. But it still feels like a betrayal when she ends up with Theseus.

- Entertainment Weekly

"It's unclear whether Newt and Leta's relationship was romantic or confusing," Kravitz says. "They were both so young when they met."

- Entertainment Weekly: The Ultimate Guide to Fantastic Beasts

Callum Turner: You get the fact that there’s a deep love between [Theseus and Leta] and a connection in a completely different way than how Newt and Leta love. Theseus and Leta are opposites, whereas Newt and Leta are very similar. Theseus offers her support and love and acceptance and stability in a way that Newt was never able to; theirs was always more of a companionship rather than being in love.

- Fandom Interview

Callum Turner: It is complicated, but I think that the important thing to realise is that it wasn’t a full relationship, right? It was a companionship at school and I think he[Theseus]’s of the understanding that it wasn’t as severe as it’s being made out now.

- Futurepreviewsllc

David Yates: We have a character called Leta Lestrange and she used to be Newt's girlfriend.

- Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them interview

David Yates: She [Leta] used to be Newt Scamander's love and now is this sort of very mixed-up, quite conflicted, intriguing, beautiful ex-lover of Newt Scamander. 

- HBO Asia

David Yates: Yes. Leta Lestrange comes into the second movie. She's quite complicated and damaged and confused and Newt is absolutely still in love with her, so she has a kind of power over him, and she, yeah, she's a kind of tragic figure, so we will see a bit more of her in the second movie.

- Cinemablend

Joshua Shea: When I first read the script, they [young Newt and Leta] were set to kiss in the script. We didn't [film it]. It was a decision that... I feel like I'm gonna be shot by Warner. bros snipers for saying this, but actually, yeah, basically what happened was I chatted to Eddie about it and it was actually Eddie's idea. I think he said that, "Even if there were..." I definitely think that there was a romantic relationship in some way, but I don't think it was hugely intimate. I think it was very much like a caring, loving friendship. It's that balance. I think, yes, maybe they did have a relationship, but I think it was very much... I don't think Newt is the kind of person who's very touchy-feely. I don't imagine him walking around kissing girls at school. So I'm glad we made the decision. Yeah, so I think that was why we made the decision. I think Eddie was like, "It feels too much, a kiss." And I think we decided on the sort of, if you look very carefully, it comes off like a hand touch, which I think that was enough to kind of convey a sense of like intimacy and a kind of connection.

- Speakbeasty