‘Fantastic Beasts’ Star Defends Their Character’s Turn to the Dark Side

The newest installment in J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World franchise, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, had some controversial twists and turns. If you still haven’t seen the film, you may want to stop reading…

One of the many shockers that came at the end of the new Fantastic Beasts was the choice made by Queenie Goldstein to follow the film’s villain, Grindelwald. While many people didn’t agree or found the choice odd, the actress behind the character defends the decision.

Alison Sudol, also known to music fans as A Fine Frenzy, had some words for Entertainment Weekly following Grindelwald‘s release. While she admitted that she was initially surprised by the character’s choice, she eventually came around to Queenie’s point of view.

“It took a long time in my imagination to even begin to understand,” she explained, “And throughout the course of the film, to just begin to reconcile who she was in the beginning with the choices that she makes and realize she isn’t a different person she’s just abandoned in a really untenable circumstance.”

Sudol goes on to explain that people treat Queenie poorly because of her ability to read minds, which is partially what pushes her over the edge.”So she has a huge power and yet is made to feel like she’s nothing and that’s bad. That could make anyone feel crazy.”

In a sad moment in the film, Jacob (Queenie’s Muggle beau) stops himself from calling her crazy, but it’s too late, she can hear the thought in his mind. “How many women have been in a mental institution because they’ve been called crazy when they’re just not allowed to be honest or be who they are?”

Many people feel this choice was too out of left field, especially considering the character’s sweet and lovable nature fans grew to love in the first film. She’s also in love with a Muggle and it seems odd that she would follow someone who openly hates non-magical people. However, Sudol doesn’t believe this choice makes Queenie evil.

“I still believe in her heart of hearts she’s going over to fight what she believes in,” Sudol explains, “Grindelwald is saying, ‘we’re creating a different world’ and the world that she is in is broken. I don’t believe she’s turning evil.”

She defends Queenie’s interest in Grindelwald, claiming she’s just trying to
“find somebody who is giving her an option.” When it comes to the evil wizard, “he’s manipulating her but he’s manipulating everybody.”

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is currently playing in theaters everywhere.