J.K. Rowling has defended Johnny Depp’s casting in the Fantastic Beasts films.
Before Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was released in November 2016, news of Johnny’s casting was reported by the press, which stunned many fans as his volatile marriage to Amber Heard had made headlines earlier that year.
The actor appeared as Grindelwald at the very end of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and will feature heavily in the film’s sequel, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.
There has been a lot of fan backlash over the casting of Johnny as Grindelwald, and J.K. Rowling, who wrote both screenplays, had stayed silent on the issue – until now.
I’m saying what I can about the Grindelwald casting issue here:https://t.co/NDMjy542Yv
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) December 7, 2017
Last night, the writer tweeted a link to her website alongside the caption, “I’m saying what I can about the Grindelwald casting issue here.”
“When Johnny Depp was cast as Grindelwald, I thought he’d be wonderful in the role,” she began. “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.”
“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,” she continued.
“The huge, mutually supportive community that has grown up around Harry Potter is one of the greatest joys of my life. For me personally, the inability to speak openly to fans about this issue has been difficult, frustrating and at times painful.
“However, the agreements that have been put in place to protect the privacy of two people [Depp and Heard], 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.”
“I’ve loved writing the first two screenplays and I can’t wait for fans to see The Crimes of Grindelwald. 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 outside it,” she wrote, “we all have to do what we believe to be the right thing.”
Meanwhile, Warner Bros., which distributes the films, issued a statement on Thursday, writing, “We are of course aware of reports that surfaced around the end of Johnny Depp’s marriage, and take seriously the complexity of the issues involved. This matter has been jointly addressed by both parties, in a statement in which they said ‘there was never any intent of physical or emotional harm.'”
“Based on the circumstances and the information available to us, we, along with the filmmakers, continue to support the decision to proceed with Johnny Depp in the role of Grindelwald in this and future films.”
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is set to premiere on November 16, 2018.
