Fantastic Beats and Where to Find Them opens this Friday. I’m looking forward to it and early reviews are incredible. As we learned last week, Johnny Depp will be featured in the sequel as Dumbledore’s rival, Gellert Grindelwald. Personally, I had no idea Depp was anywhere near the franchise and it sounds like it was planned to be kept a secret. So was his involvement played down for a reason? Did they want a big reveal right before opening or was there some concern given Amber Heard’s allegations of abuse? And with those allegations out there, how does outspoken social activist J.K. Rowling feel about his appearing in one of her films? I can’t answer the first question for you but J.K. was asked the second at the film’s premiere last Thursday.
Johnny Depp’s talent is indisputable.
But, given the allegations lodged against him earlier this year, he also comes with baggage. So, when it was revealed that Depp briefly appears in Warner Bros.’ Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them—as Gellert Grindelwald, no less—many Harry Potter fans voiced their disapproval.
E! News caught up with the one and only J.K. Rowling at the movie’s red carpet premiere in New York Thursday, where she explained why only Depp could play Albus Dumbledore’s rival (described in the Harry Potter novels as one of the “most dangerous dark wizards of all time”).
“I didn’t approach him—although he was approached with my full blessing, because I thought he’d be amazing in the part. I can’t say much, because there are surprises in the movie, but I’m really happy with his performance,” the screenwriter teased. “And I think the fans will be, too.”
Speaking of Dumbledore, Rowling revealed she has an actor in mind for the sequel.
“I have, of course, thought about this. I do have a name. I do have someone in mind, but I can’t say it. Because if that person doesn’t get cast, then the person who does get cast will blame me forever for having said it, won’t they?” Rowling told E! News. “So, I’m going to just keep quiet.”
“If it is that person,” she added, “then you will know about it.”
Okay, so she doesn’t really answer anything other than she thinks he did a good job and that she gave her blessing to approach him. Johnny filmed his bit in Fantastic Beasts in January of this year and Amber made the abuse claims public in May, so maybe they felt stuck with him? It sounds like they are fully backing him, though. The director David Yates and producer David Heyman came out much stronger on their endorsement of Depp based on talent. Yates even went into this weird little monologue about how odd Hollywood is that, “it’s a weird old business — you’re a star one week, people are saying odd things the next”. No. One week your childhood crush is separating from his wife and the next it’s revealed that he’s abusive. That’s not quirky Hollywood, that’s overlooking criminal behavior. There isn’t much J.K. can do if the studio is staying with Johnny, I know, but I am still a little disappointed in her heralding him.
However, J.K. is also touting the film’s star, Eddie Redmayne. Now Eddie I can get behind because I love all of his extra-ness. Kaiser covered his appearance on Graham Norton. And when a fan gave him their homemade “beast” on the premiere’s red carpet, he wore it in his pocket. For promo for the film, Annie Leibovitz photographed some of the stars for Vogue, those photos are below. Grace Coddington styled them – I adore her work. Colin Farrell is not in them, which is a crime against humanity, but they are still great photos.
Photo credit: Annie Leibovitz/Vogue and WENN and FameFlynet Photos
Sounds about right for JB. He does one character and just changes his costume. Lucky guy!! Easy payday!! =]
He is a very versatile actor, actually.
The reviews have me excited for this movie.
I was hoping for an Central/Eastern European actor, because the HP movies were accurately cast, and I don’t trust JD with the accent, I can see him going full on Dracula.
But still, JK is very vocal about so many issues, this comment of hers is incredibly disappointing. A little bit of my childhood just died. The casting already happened, but she could have said something.
Yup. I can picture him lisp-gargling “Gellert Grindelwald” to his mirror at home already. While mugging and waving his scarves.
He’s so tiresome.
He did a great job in The Art of the Deal and Black Mass recently.
I’m really disappointed in the casting, and her comments on it, as well. It was the first time HP has really made me feel disappointed – which otherwise speaks well to her care for things, but unfortunately in this case, I lost a lot of excitement for the movies.
Agreed. I can’t stand Johnny Depp now and won’t see anything with him in it, including these movies. And I get that he was cast before the abuse became public but for JK to completely ignore it (or not recast for the second movie) is really disappointing.
i agree, will not see It if dirty depp is in it
@Elizabeth they’ll live without you seeing it.
I get why they didn’t recast though…the part is huge. He filmed long before his personal life blew up and they have 4 movies to go.
Now considering how they revealed his role they can definitely use him minimally and they may go that route
The part is NOT huge in this film, it’s barely two minutes out of 2 hrs 15 mins. They could have easily replaced him. Saw it today, and he’s nothing in this, just a baggy faced, handcuffed, blond twerp.
I agree. she could have said something. you don’t get the status of moral compass (unofficial, but come on, she’s incredibly active in uk public life, at least via social media) by staying silent on a very important matter as this one. An alcoholic who beats and degrades women has a part in your story. no matter the contract you signed, you could at least not say a word about him, signaling your displeasure. at least!
I mean, it’s obvious that there will be a backlash bc of Depp’s casting. wouldn’t it be smarter for the whole film for, at least, J.K. to distance herself and the story away, and make sure to cast someone else for the sequels?
Honestly, I’m so disappointed. It seems like J.K. always makes poor choice when women are in question: first Hermione ends up with Ron (yes, I’m still upset about it, she deserved hundred times better!!!) then this. blergh.
“An alcoholic who beats and degrades women”
Is he? All his exes say they never experienced what Heard claimed, and she didn’t exactly prove her claims.
JK is pretty pleased with his casting, why would she act like she isn’t just to please you and some others online?
Seeing this, of course. But I worry about it.
The wizarding world is a huge part of my heart, and I just wonder… Will it feel the same? I truly hope so.
Mine, too. And I am really disappointed Depp is now in it. Aside from his reprehensible behavior, so much of his work for the past decade has been terrible.
Apparently he is good in this one.
Umm well he’s in it for about 60 seconds so…
I was really, really excited for this. Redmaybe and Farrell sounded so delicious and more Harry Potter-verse is always good.
Not so excited for the scarf monster and concerned about him being part of one of my favorite worlds.
Hollywood has this politic of “people have a short memory, don’t mind just hire him’. And it’s true. It was true for Polanski it was for Woody Allen and it’s true for Depp and Co. For this movie Depp is not the lead actor and it looks just fantastic to miss. I will just “la la la la la” when he appears and carry on.
I will be going to see this movie as am super excited about it but I won’t deny I am bummed about Depp being in it, not just because his character acting is old, its the same kooky character but with different clothes but also because he’s an alcoholic wife beater. Am still angry at the way HW and his movie star friends condoned his actions.
But as filming happened before his divorce they are now stuck with him – if it had happened before filming am sure Rowling would have shut his casting down considering she is also a survivor of domestic abuse.
No, she is #TeamJohnny. See her likes on Twitter.
Am quite sad to hear this 🙁
He’s in it for less than two minutes.
Yes however there is talk that his role will be bigger in the sequel as they are exploring his relationship with Dumbeldore. Rowling has already said as much.
I think it is incredibly disappointing that JK did not speak out a bit stronger about this. She could have still acknowledge his performance but spoken out against domestic violence.
She is rich and influential enough to get away with it in regards to the producers and the rest of the Hollywood machine.
I know that a lot of people idolize her and her writing, but I see no plausible excuses here.
This. A hundred times this. I am disappointed by a survivor of DV dropping the ball on this one. They could have kept him in this film, and hired another actor for the other films BECAUSE HE IS A PROVEN WIFE-BEATER! Proven, people. There was video, and there were witnesses. These were not allegations, these were proven actions.
I won’t watch the films. I have solemly sworn to myself to put my money where my mouth is, and if that means I only get to watch two new films per year, so what. I’ll live.
You can’t really say he is a proven wife-beater. The police found no evidence of abuse, she never pressed charges, and he wasn’t convicted.
There you go. That’s exactly why it is so hard to be a victim of domestic violence and speak up: because in order to believe it, if even, people need for it to happen in front of an audience consisting of at least fifty police officers, and broadcast live in fifty-two states.
There was a very disturbing video that left no room for error. Not to anybody who has been in the situation, and we are way too many on this website alone. There were witness accounts. Amber Heard was on the phone with a friend when the last incident occured. The friend called police. There were photographs of her injuries.
Charges being filed or not is no indicator whatsoever when it comes to violence against women.
“The friend called police.”
And they found no evidence of abuse. JD had even more witness accounts, BTW.
He’s in the right age range is the best I can say about Johnny Depp as Grindlewald.
This made me laugh, so thank you!
I am a huge Harry Potter fan and a huge JK Rowling fan as well. If I remember right JK said that she was abused in the past and she is also a vocal feminist. Am I the only one who thinks that if Depp was exactly like Heard said there’s no way she would have kept him? I mean, they fired an actor for smoking pot which is nothing compared to the accusation Depp faced.It just strikes me as very odd unless she knows more. JK also owned Johnny’s yacht at a time so I think they actually know each other, which leads me to this :since the case never went to trial and both parties had strong evidence against each other could JK know the actual truth and that’s why she’s keeping Johnny? Remember, no matter who everyone believes none of us know them personally and given the fact that there was no court the truth can be very far, close or nothing like we think it is. Rowling’s comments along with some very telling quotes on twitter make me doubt many things about this case. That’s just my opinion. Please don’t delete my comment!
Ruth
Your last sentence had me scream laughing!
I also have doubts about Amber’s claim (no offense to anyone).
There was video evidence, and there were witnesses. There is no way to mansplain this one away. Our teenie crush is a proven wife-beater, and it sucks.
What about his witnesses,messages and photos?He had plenty too.I agree there is no need to discredit Amber but he had tons of evidence too and that needs to be taken into consideration.Also proven abuser is the one who is guilty or caught on the act and I don’t recall Depp fitting into either of those categories.
@Ruth: LInks, please.
I don’t remember any “proof” that he didn’t hit her. How would he, by the way? Present photographs from movie premieres where he’s not beating her? All I remember are people saying they have never witnessed him being violent towards Amber. Which is the point of DV: it is intimate violence, and it isolates the victim.
And that’s only because his evidence wasn’t sold in the media. But it was listed in court documents and I saw them. He has a huge amount of text messages which can probably explain many things. Accuser and accused have the same rights by court of law. His evidence was there to prove that maybe he didn’t hit her like hers were to prove the opposite. Why take her evidence as the only evidence that exist while he has actually more than her? It doesn’t make sense. Just because you didnt see them doesn’t mean they don’t exist cause they do and you can find the list yourself.
https://twitter.com/Eleanoura/status/795705586952376325
Depp, Polansky, Woody Allen, Sean Penn, Mel Gibson and an abuser is president…not surprise here
Do you really think he’s comparable to them?
Are we forgetting that Depp’s exes have said he was never abusive?
If you follow that point, Woody Allen didn’t abused all of his kids …
Depp wasn’t abusive to his exes, that doesn’t mean that he wasn’t abusive to Amber.
@Lapa doesn’t mean he was abusive, either.
Johnny Depp = just another reason to save 10$
When I first read about it it seemed to me that he was only casted and I became very disappointed and angry that they would cast him (and jk Rowling would allow it) after all that happened. I was a bit relieved to hear that actually he had been casted and even filmed some parts before Amber heard went public, so they probably couldn’t do much. While I wish she would somehow speak out and while I wish they all wouldn’t stand up for him, it seems unrealistic. I feel really conflicted about seeing the movies now though, on one hand I think showing Dumbledore as a gay man is fantastic and worth supporting in the other hand, I don’t know if I can stomach johnny depp. At least he plays the villain?
I’m relieved she didn’t say anything personally supportive. And I would imagine she has a certain level of contractual obligation – even JK Rowling, when that kind of cash is on the line.
Her first husband was abusive, so I really, really hope she doesn’t try to defend Depp. The reality is out there for anyone willing to look.
Well, he isn’t abusive.
Video evidence, text message exchanges with his personal assistant in which his assaulting her (kicking is mentioned) is acknowledged and the assistant insists Depp will seek help, and photographic evidence says otherwise, I’m afraid. Amber Heard has a LOT more evidence than most women do – the failure to believe her is wilful blindness at this stage.
I’ve read the comments and realised he is in this movie, not just the rest. I find that really upsetting, frankly. And won’t be seeing it now, for whatever that is worth.
@K2 well, if you believe Amber Heard you should believe her when she says she wishes the best for him in the future.
I can’t wait to see this movie!
I do, actually. You’re the one who calls her an abusive loser for producing evidence of what this man is truly like.
None of us know him. All we had before was publicity information, and all we have now are sad, proven facts. Denial from some fans doesn’t alter a thing.
Ugh. I’m very disappointed in JKR. I realize she is probably choosing her words carefully but how can she support Depp? I will have to skip Fantastic Beasts and its sequels. I can’t stomach seeing Depp on screen anymore.
Maybe she doesn’t believe the allegations? He was never convicted..
Maybe she knows things we don’t?That’s what I was trying to explain in my previous comment
I won’t be watching either film which is a huge disappointment, being a big fan of HP.
This whole new series is just a money grab by studios though, the book was just about animals, not really a plot with characters.
I find JD to be an awful actor these days – he overacts his way through everything somehow thinking launching into random, nonsense accents will make his characters ‘eccentric’. He is a washed up, abusive loser.
No money of mine will line his pockets ever again.
“He is a washed up, abusive loser.”
In what world? He remains one of the biggest and highest paid actors in the world, and his ex is the abusive loser.
That she’s backing him is so disappointing. I don’t think I’ll whatch this in the theather.
I’m surprised because she made it a requirement of the HP films that they be British/Euro cast. So not sure why that changed.
Not being snarky, I promise. It’s just that these films are set in New York/USA, unlike the HP films, which were set in the UK.
I cant wait to see this
In this first movie JD’s only had a very short appearance. Even if they had filmed his scene before the allegations, they could have just told him, “Sorry man, we don’t like the news about you. We don’t want you to ruin the movie. We have to replace you with someone else, because we need the character you were playing will be in other four movies.” They had plenty time to recast and reshoot his scene, but they didn’t do it. If JD is really like what people accuse him of, they wouldn’t keep him.