Actress Katherine Waterston ("Inherent Vice") has been tapped by Warner Bros. as the female lead opposite Eddie Redmayne ("The Theory of Everything") in the Harry Potter spinoff "Fantastic Beats and Where to Find Them."
Waterston will play the role of Porpentina, a witch who works in the United States. That's a change from the Potter books which take place almost exclusively in England.
Warner Bros. announced the casting earlier today. According to the studio, Waterston's character will meet a magizoolologist Newt Scamander (played by Redmayne) in New York City and the two will set out to document magical animals.
David Yates, who helmed the final four "Hary Potter" films, will also direct "Beasts" from a screenplay by Potter writer J.K Rowling. The script is based on the Hogwarts textbook "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them."
Waterston can next be seen playing Chrisann Brennan, Steve Jobs' girlfriend in the upcoming biopic directed by Danny Boyle.
