In the post-Harvey Weinstein era, audiences and the industry are becoming far more critical about the filmmakers they’ll work with and endorse. However, there are still some stars facing serious allegations that are still managing to hang on to their A-list status. Enter Johnny Depp, who for the past two years, has been dogged by allegations of domestic violence by his former wife Amber Heard. Despite an increasing amount of corroborating evidence, the actor continues to enjoy mainstream success, recently starring in “Murder On The Orient Express.” Now, he’s wrapped a big role in “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald,” but audiences aren’t happy about it.
You don’t have to look far on Twitter to find consternation at Depp’s casting in the family friendly, four quadrant franchise, however, director David Yates stands by his choice. The director has made a somewhat queasy defence of the actor to EW.
“Honestly there’s an issue at the moment where there’s a lot of people being accused of things, they’re being accused by multiple victims, and it’s compelling and frightening,” Yates explained. “With Johnny, it seems to me there was one person who took a pop at him and claimed something. I can only tell you about the man I see every day: He’s full of decency and kindness, and that’s all I see. Whatever accusation was out there doesn’t tally with the kind of human being I’ve been working with.”
Yates goes on to add that, unlike others like Harvey Weinstein, James Toback, and Kevin Spacey who have multiple allegations against them, Depp doesn’t, so no one should think about it too closely. “Johnny isn’t in that category in any shape or form. So to me, it doesn’t bear any more analysis. It’s a dead issue,” he said.
Yates’ comments certainly won’t put this conversation to rest, and Warner Bros. has long PR road ahead of them, with “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” slated to open on November 16, 2018.
