Fantastic Beasts cast set the record straight on Grindelwald and Trump comparison

WHILE fans have drawn comparisons between the fictional Gellert Grindelwald and Donald Trump, stars of Fantastic Beasts set the record straight.

Johnny Depp's "Fantastic Beasts" character isn't modelled on President Donald Trump. But the stars of "Crimes of Grindelwald" say there are some similarities. Picture: Chris Pizzello / AP

JOHNNY Depp’s charismatic leader at the centre of the new “Fantastic Beasts” sequel isn’t modelled on President Donald Trump.

But the stars of “Fantastic Beasts: Crimes of Grindelwald,” the film written by J.K. Rowling about a dark wizard who becomes a divisive leader in the magical world, tell The Associated Press that there are some similarities.

looking past disgusting depp here, i really like what they’re doing with Grindelwald and the Trump parallels he’s got going on pic.twitter.com/rG76U9MWh6

— Jacob (@jacobdcrawley) October 31, 2018

It is clear to me that the Harry Potter spin-off, Fantastic Beasts, has been set up to try and turn children against Trump. He may be denying it, but Johnny Depp's Grindelwald is basically the Trump of the wizarding world. They've changed the character's appearance considerably. pic.twitter.com/uVveBEg3Wg

— Straight Boy Bent (@StraightBoyBent) November 1, 2018

@jk_rowling I couldn't help but see similarities between johnny depp's grindelwald and trump. I wonder who today's dumbledore will be! #1945

— Sia (@siamoxicillin) January 22, 2017

The film is set in the “Harry Potter” universe and finds Depp’s character, Gellert Grindelwald, seeking to gain power and divide “pureblood” wizards from humans in 1920s Paris.

“It’s shining a light, isn’t it, on things that have happened before as well,” said Callum Turner, who plays Theseus, the older brother to Eddie Redmayne’s hero main character in the film. “And how seductive and easy things can take a turn for the worse. And not just be specific to any one moment.

The cast of the upcoming instalment of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. Picture: Mark Seliger

“That’s the question. Why are we — people being seduced in that way? What is it in the moment, in the zeitgeist, what is that? And that’s what is interesting about that — that’s the similarity. Not the person. The message.”

Katherine Waterston, who plays a magical law enforcement agent, says the villain crafted by the politically outspoken Rowling is more “subtle” than the real-life president.

“Every bad guy is more nuanced and subtle than Trump. He is like the most overt bad guy of all time,” she said. “But it’s amazing because she was actually writing this long before the election happened — this chapter of the story. So yeah, it’s interesting actually with brilliant people, if they’re paying attention to the way the world is going, they actually tend to predict the future. Yeah, but it really is I think from paying close attention. And she’s so politically active.”

(Author J.K. Rowling has been critical of Donald Trump in the past. Picture: Angela Weiss / AFP Photo

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
someone told him how to spell 'pore'
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha pic.twitter.com/Gf2xxKyFlp

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) July 3, 2018

Ezra Miller plays a mysterious character named Credence Barebone, whose powers include a destructive magical parasite. He says Grindelwald shares similarities to many leaders throughout history.

Ezra Miller believes Grindelwald shares qualities of many leaders throughout history. Picture: Leo Ramirez / AFP

“I think it’s approaching universal themes that sure, can you look at all of the autocrats in all of history and be like, ‘Yup, they are all kind of that guy, sure,”’ Miller said. “There’s a period where they just convince everyone that they are on their team and they’re going to get them good jobs and it’s going to be awesome.

“And that’s like how tyranny works. Like at first they convince you that they have the right to rule you. And then they arm up and get it on. It’s a universal story.” “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald,” the second of five planned movies in the franchise, hits theatres in Australia on November 15.