Johnny Depp recently revealed his reaction to being asked by Warner Bros. to leave his role as Gellert Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore. This request came shortly after Depp lost his 2020 libel trial against The Sun newspaper in the U.K., which had described him as a “wife beater.” The court ruled that this characterization was “substantially true.”
Depp explained he initially thought, “fuck you” when Warner Bros. made the decision, signaling his strong frustration over the situation.
Warner Bros. Officially Ends Depp’s Role in the Franchise
Following the verdict, Warner Bros. issued a statement:
Johnny Depp will depart the ‘Fantastic Beasts’ franchise. We thank Johnny for his work on the films to date.
Depp’s role was quickly recast with Mads Mikkelsen, who took over after Depp had filmed only one day of the project.
Reflecting on the experience, Depp told The Telegraph that the decision felt abrupt:
It literally stopped in a millisecond, like, while I was doing the movie. They said we’d like you to resign. But what was really in my head was they wanted me to retire.
His defiant response was clear:
Fuck you. There’s far too many of me to kill. If you think you can hurt me more than I’ve already been hurt you’re gravely mistaken.
The Fallout and Impact on Depp’s Career
Depp described the aftermath of losing the role as being “shunned, dumped, booted, deep-sixed, canceled,” or however one would choose to define the setback in Hollywood. His departure from such a high-profile franchise marked a significant turning point in his career.
In the U.S., Depp was involved in another widely covered legal battle in 2022, this time suing his ex-wife Amber Heard for defamation after an op-ed she wrote in The Washington Post. The jury found that Heard had defamed Depp but also ruled that Depp had defamed Heard during the dispute. The trial revealed many intimate and disturbing details about their relationship.
Depp shared his mindset going into the trial with The Sunday Times:
I knew I’d have to semi-eviscerate myself. Everyone was saying, ‘It’ll go away!’ But I can’t trust that,
he said.
What will go away? The fiction pawned around the fucking globe? No it won’t. If I don’t try to represent the truth it will be like I’ve actually committed the acts I am accused of. And my kids will have to live with it. Their kids. Kids that I’ve met in hospitals. So the night before the trial in Virginia I didn’t feel nervous. If you don’t have to memorize lines, if you’re just speaking the truth? Roll the dice.
Despite the pressure, Depp remained determined:
Look, none of this was going be easy, but I didn’t care. I thought, ‘I’ll fight until the bitter fucking end.’ And if I end up pumping gas? That’s all right. I’ve done that before.
Johnny Depp’s Path Forward in Hollywood
Though Depp faced significant industry backlash after being dropped from Fantastic Beasts, he is now getting an opportunity to return to acting. He will star alongside Penelope Cruz, his co-star from Blow, in the upcoming Lionsgate action comedy Day Drinker.
This new role may signal a resurgence in Depp’s career and provide a chance for him to rebuild his standing in Hollywood after a tumultuous period marked by public legal battles and professional setbacks.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Is Johnny Depp blind or deaf?
A. When Johnny Depp played Captain Jack Sparrow in “Pirates of the Caribbean,” not everyone knew he had vision problems. Depp is blind in one eye and can’t see well out of the other eye. He shared this information in a 2013 interview with Rolling Stone magazine, saying he’s never seen clearly.
Q. What funeral did Johnny Depp go to?
A. Johnny Depp served as a pallbearer during Shane MacGowan’s funeral.
Q. Is Johnny Depp blind?
A. 1. Johnny Depp played the role of Captain Jack Sparrow in “Pirates of the Caribbean.” What most people didn’t know was that he has vision problems. Depp is blind in one eye and near-sighted in the other. He shared this information during a Rolling Stone interview in 2013.
Q. Who helped Johnny Depp sober?
A. Johnny Depp helped carry Shane MacGowan’s coffin at his funeral, walking it down the aisle.
