National Post (National Edition)
Abuse trial costs Depp Fantastic Beasts roll
Johnny Depp has been cut from his role on the Harry Potter spinoff Fantastic Beasts after a U.K. judge found that claims he was a “wife beater” were “substantially true.”
Warner Bros announced Friday that Depp — who described the judgment as “surreal” — would no longer star in the film franchise and his part would be recast. It took nearly five days after the ruling that the Hollywood star had assaulted the actress Amber Heard on a number of occasions for the studio to cut its ties with Depp
Warner Bros. said in a statement: “Johnny Depp will depart the Fantastic Beasts franchise. We thank Johnny for his work on the films to date.
“Fantastic Beasts 3 is currently in production, and the role of Gellert Grindelwald will be recast. The film will debut in theatres worldwide in the summer of 2022.”
Depp wrote on Instagram: “I wish to let you know that I have been asked to resign by Warner Bros from my role as Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts and I have respected and agreed to that request.”
Depp added: “My resolve remains strong and I intend to prove that the allegations against me are false. My life and career will not be defined by this moment in time.”
The move comes after the High Court ruled on Monday against Depp in his libel fight against NGN, the publishers of The Sun in London, over an article that described him as a “wife beater” and questioned the wisdom of Fantastic Beasts author J.K. Rowling in approving him for the part of Grindelwald.
Depp's departure from the film comes after he vowed to pursue Amber Heard for libel in the U.S. courts over her claims that he was violently abusive, despite the High Court ruling.
The actor made it clear he will continue to sue his former wife over an article she wrote for The Washington Post in 2018, in which she called herself the survivor of domestic abuse.
The Pirates of the Caribbean star's U.S. lawyer, Benjamin Chew, said: “Mr. Depp absolutely plans to move forward with the case in the Circuit Court of Fairfax County.”
That raises the prospect of another bruising court battle for Depp. The U.K. judge concluded that Heard had suffered a litany of incidents of “terrifying” domestic violence, physical fights and drug abuse that left her “in fear of her life.”