Fantastic Beasts’ Dan Fogler on finding himself at the heart of two major fantasy franchises as he joins The Walking Dead

Before Dan Fogler landed his role in Harry Potter spin-off Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them , few film fans would have been able to put a face to his name. This is despite the American actor having a string of roles under his belt and even a Tony Award for his theatre work on Broadway.

Starring alongside Eddie Redmayne and Johnny Depp, Fogler won hearts as the blithesome Brooklyn baker Jacob Kowalski, a character which seemed a natural fit for the New York-born performer.

He threw himself into the part with such gusto it earned him fan-favourite status.

As well as featuring in television shows such as The Goldbergs and Hannibal, Fogler has been acting in films since the early 2000s. They include goofball comedies Good Luck Chuck, Balls of Fury, and Hellbenders and TV’s B-movie cult phenomenon Sharknado.

However, after years of bubbling below the surface of breakout fame, being cast in the 2016 film felt like the answer to his prayers. “It was such a huge job for me. I was at the point in my career where I was like, ‘I need a miracle!’” the 42-year-old says, speaking from New York.