Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling has broken her silence on the controversy surrounding Johnny Depp’s casting in the Fantastic Beasts franchise.
“When Johnny Depp was cast as Grindelwald, I thought he’d be wonderful in the role. However, around the time of filming his cameo in the first movie, stories had appeared in the press that deeply concerned me and everyone most closely involved in the franchise,” Rowling wrote in a statement on her website, referencing domestic violence allegations made against Depp by his ex-wife Amber Heard.
“Harry Potter fans had legitimate questions and concerns about our choice to continue with Johnny Depp in the role. As David Yates, long-time Potter director, has already said, we naturally considered the possibility of recasting. I understand why some have been confused and angry about why that didn’t happen.”Rowling added that while “the huge, mutually supportive community that has grown up around Harry Potter is one of the greatest joys of my life,” she found it “difficult, frustrating and at times painful” to remain silent on the Depp issue. “However,” she added, “the agreements that have been put in place to protect the privacy of two people, both of whom have expressed a desire to get on with their lives, must be respected. Based on our understanding of the circumstances, the filmmakers and I are not only comfortable sticking with our original casting, but genuinely happy to have Johnny playing a major character in the movies.”
Rowling is the screenwriter of both the original Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and the film’s sequel, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindlewald. Saying she’s “loved” that experience, she added, “I accept that there will be those who are not satisfied with our choice of actor in the title role.
However, conscience isn’t governable by committee. Within the fictional world and…The post J.K. Rowling breaks silence on Johnny Depp’s Fantastic Beasts casting appeared first on FeedBox.