‘Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them’ Star Alison Sudol On Johnny Depp’s Addition To The Cast

Alison Sudol is thrilled with Johnny Depp’s surprise addition to the cast of “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.”

At the movie’s press junket on Saturday, Nov. 5, Sudol expressed her excitement when asked about Depp joining the new film series set in J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World.

“All of this is so surreal,” Sudol, who plays Queenie Goldstein in the film, told Entertainment Tonight. “It's like one surreal moment after the next, and then to get to work with Johnny Depp — he’s just a legendary actor and so incredible and creates these amazing characters. So the fact that we get to be in a film with him — we’re not even sure what’s going to happen in the next one — but the fact that he’s going to be in it at all [is amazing].”

According to Deadline, Depp will have a cameo appearance in the first installment of the “Fantastic Beasts” franchise and will then play a co-starring role in the sequel, which David Yates will direct next year with Eddie Redmayne reprising his role as Newt Scamander.

In an interview with The Leaky Cauldron earlier this week, Yates — who also helmed the first installment of the film series — revealed that Depp will be playing the role of Gellert Grindelwald.

As fans of the “Harry Potter” franchise will remember, Grindelwald was one of the most treacherous dark wizards of all time who formed a murderous army after stealing the Elder Wand. Dumbledore defeated him in a battle in 1945 and was later locked up in his own fortress. Fifty-three years later, Grindelwald was killed by Voldemort after refusing to disclose important details about the Elder Wand.

Grindelwald was also Dumbledore’s love interest until he killed the latter’s sister, Ariana. Grindelwald was played by Jamie Campbell Bower in flashback scenes in “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.”

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” opens in theaters on Nov. 18.