Harry Potter has yet to be accused of sexually harassing Hermione Granger, but the prequel movie is making things messy for Johnny Depp.
Depp — accused of verbally and physically abusing ex-wife and actress Amber Heard — was cast as Gellert Grindelwald in the 2018 movie “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.“
But at least Warner Bros, has Depp’s back. And Potter author J.K. Rowling is standing by her man, too.
“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,” said a statement from Warner Bros. on behalf of director David Yates and producer David Heyman.
“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.’
The statement quoted by Deadline continued: “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.”
Said Rowling:
“Harry Potter fans had legitimate questions and concerns about our choice to continue with Johnny Depp in the role. … We naturally considered the possibility of recasting. I understand why some have been confused and angry about why that didn’t happen.
“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, 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.”