Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindlewald star Johnny Depp has opened up about the controversy surrounding his casting for the first time.
Depp made a surprise appearance at the end of the first Fantastic Beasts film, where he was revealed as the dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald. Lots of controversy swirled from the casting decision due to emotional and physical abuse accusations made by his ex-wife Amber Heard. Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling and director David Yates have supported Depp and stand by the casting decision while Heard’s camp says the actor is lying. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Depp talked about the casting controversy for the first time:
“I’ll be honest with you, I felt bad for J.K. having to field all these various feelings from people out there. I felt bad that she had to take that. But ultimately, there is real controversy. The fact remains I was falsely accused, which is why I’m suing the Sun newspaper for defamation for repeating false accusations. J.K. has seen the evidence and therefore knows I was falsely accused, and that’s why she has publicly supported me. She doesn’t take things lightly. She would not stand up if she didn’t know the truth. So that’s really it.”
Directed by David Yates, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald stars Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Alison Sudol, Dan Fogler, Johnny Depp, Ezra Miller, Jude Law, Zoë Kravitz, Callum Turner, David Sakurai, Claudia Kim, Brontis Jodorowsky, Wolf Roth, Victoria Yeates, Derek Riddell, Poppy Corby-Tuech, and Cornell S. John.
Here’s the synopsis for the film:
J.K. Rowling wrote the screenplay for the film, which opens in 1927, a few months after Newt helped to unveil and capture the infamous Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald. However, as he promised he would, Grindelwald has made a dramatic escape and has been gathering more followers to his cause—elevating wizards above all non-magical beings. The only one who might be able to stop him is the wizard he once called his dearest friend, Albus Dumbledore. But Dumbledore will need help from the wizard who had thwarted Grindelwald once before, his former student Newt Scamander. The adventure reunites Newt with Tina, Queenie and Jacob, but his mission will also test their loyalties as they face new perils in an increasingly dangerous and divided wizarding world.
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald hits theaters on November 16, 2018.
Source: Entertainment Weekly
