Acclaimed actor Daniel Radcliffe, best known for portraying the iconic wizard Harry Potter, had spoken out against the controversial casting of Johnny Depp as Gellert Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts sequel in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. Due to domestic violence allegations by Depp’s ex-wife Amber Heard, the decision to include Depp in the film franchise sparked intense controversy back at the time when the film was first released.
Daniel Radcliffe’s NFL Analogy
Daniel Radcliffe made a fascinating comparison to the NFL to explain how people feel about Depp’s casting. When discussing the occasional arrest of NFL players for marijuana possession, he pointed out that celebrity status usually protects them from serious consequences.
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Radcliffe suggested that Depp might not be afforded the same mercy as the allegations against him go far beyond simple drug use. Radcliffe brought attention to the industry’s apparent bias by discussing his experience working on the Harry Potter films.
“This is a weird analogy to draw – (but) in the NFL (National Football League), there are lots of players arrested for smoking weed and there is other people’s behaviour that goes way beyond that and it’s tolerated because they’re very famous players. I suppose the thing I was struck by was, we did have a guy who was reprimanded for weed on the (original Potter) film, essentially, so obviously what Johnny has been accused of is much greater than that.”
The actor also referenced Jamie Waylett, who played Vincent Crabbe, the school bully, in the first Harry Potter films. After getting caught with cannabis in 2009, Waylett had to deal with the legal consequences, which included doing community service for free.
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J.K. Rowling Was Happy About The Casting
Despite Daniel Radcliffe’s criticisms, J.K. Rowling, director David Yates, and Warner Bros. had all issued statements in Depp’s defense. Rowling stated categorically that she was “not only comfortable sticking with our original casting.”
“The film-makers and I are not only comfortable sticking with our original casting, but [are] genuinely happy to have Johnny playing a major character in the movies.”
The public’s reaction to these statements was mixed, with some supporting the decision and others criticizing it for dismissing the serious allegations against Depp. After Rowling defended Depp’s casting, Amber Heard issued the same joint statement she and Depp had issued after their divorce. Depp was eventually replaced by Mads Mikkelsen in the threequel.
Critics maintain that actors and actresses should be evaluated solely based on their acting skills and ability to bring their characters to life, regardless of any scandals or allegations that may have plagued their private lives.
Regardless, the film industry is constantly changing, and with that comes the challenge of making tough calls about who exactly is responsible for the actions of filmmakers and studios when serious allegations are made.
Source: Entertainment Weekly
