Getty/Warner Bros.
J.K. Rowling could use a Patronus charm of her own to defend her from the backlash she's getting from "Harry Potter" fans, after she defended keeping Johnny Depp in the "Fantastic Beasts" movies following abuse allegations.
In a lengthy statement on her official website, the author and writer/producer of the movies defended the decision to keep Depp around despite the allegations that came out during the actor's very messy and very public divorce from Amber Heard.
Warner Bros.
Why J.K. Rowling Is OK With Johnny Depp in 'Fantastic Beasts' After Abuse Allegations
View StoryThough she explained she was "deeply concerned" about some of the details to come out of the proceedings while making the first movie, Rowling, Warner Bros. and director David Yates decided against recasting Depp. "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," she said of Depp and Heard's divorce settlement. "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."
That didn't sit well with fans, who had been very vocal about Rowling's silence on the issue until now. With this new statement, the rage only intensified, and many Potterheads said they were done with the franchise.
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Mel Gibson, Johnny Depp Flourish in Theaters While Hollywood Stars Fall Over Allegations
View StoryHere's some of the harshest backlash so far:
JK Rowling, 'feminist', influencer of children and pop culture, basically just said it's ok to hire an accused wife beater cause he's a talented artist.
@SassyMamainLA
White women: support women unless it affects my money. Not the kind of message I will be giving my kid... keep it.
Did JK Rowling not learn from Lena Dunham that using the "actually I have exclusive insider knowledge of the situation" line isn't a good look? pic.twitter.com/TbFoyZipLc
@amyohconnor
dont care if you love harry potter since you were a child, jk rowling and the filmmakers of fantastic beasts not only support an abuser on the cast, but ARE HAPPY with him there
@gvnegirl
do to give your money to this film
dont watch on the movie theater
thats the only way to affect them
jk rowling clearly doesn't believe amber heard, even after the pictures and the police reports and the donated divorce settlement
@punkrockzo
j.k. rowling wrote a story about a boy who grew up in an abusive situation and yet continues to openly support known abuser johnny depp. harry potter's not getting any more of my money. https://t.co/lHdPTIJRVe
@SarahDemp
dear @jk_rowling, I'm glad you have created a new Patronus, the hipopocrita.
@oivoldemort
"I realize there are important issues to be discussed. I would like credit for acknowledging their existence, but I have no interest in engaging with them in any meaningful way." JK Rowling strikes again.
@RebeccaPahle
honestly never thought i'd be disappointed in my childhood idol but here we are.
@niyoonie
Not only comfortable, but genuinely happy to have an abuser in their movies. JK Rowling and everyone involved in this mess are TRASH. #notmygrindelwald pic.twitter.com/8wKC00W6mQ
@cthulhou
So basically Johnny Depp told you he didn't do it and you believed him. This is shit, JK Rowling. pic.twitter.com/r9HIFQXNVK
@JillPantozzi
Me: JK Rowling is trending! Fun!
@JennKaytin
*reads why* pic.twitter.com/cv3NhSqlSa
i'm sure JK Rowling's statement on Johnny Depp will go down JUST FINE with her audience of politically literate young women. pic.twitter.com/O3oohRhglV
@Hello_Tailor
the thing i find most troubling about rowling's statement is her decision to align herself with david yates, a man who literally said amber heard "took a pop" at johnny depp by filing for divorce & being open about the abuse she experienced
@annaleszkie
hp helped so many victims of abuse. harry potter IS A VICTIM OF ABUSE and you blocked some fans that reminded you about this case. i seriously hope those fans don't watch the crimes of grindelwald 'cause they already know the crimes of johnny depp.
@POTTEREINA
He's an abuser. And what's his punishment? Being part of a big movie, in a big caracter, because they keep protecting him. That's why the fans don't want him as Grindewald, we don't want abusers being protected anymore. But he, as many others, kept his lives like nothing happend
@IzaScaramuza
No. We can't separate his actions from his acting. He doesn't deserve to be working anymore. I hope the movie is great but I'm not gonna watch it.
@sensatemaslany
I still don't see what would have been wrong with keeping Colin Farrell. I'm sorry but I can't in good conscious support this decision. I can't focus on fantasy and lose myself in a world that a self-admitted abuser is occupying.
@mschelseareed
In other words - “he's our chum & a huge name so we don't really care.”
@chiefmackers
You can say what you want but as long as crusty Johnny Depp is in it I'm out
@YoungeArsenal
If Netflix can fire and reshoot all of House of Cards without Kevin Spacey, you can fire crusty ass Johnny Depp.
@halcyonranger
Absolutely unacceptable. You cannot claim to support women & keep an alleged domestic abuser in such a prominent role in one of the biggest franchises in Hollywood. To give him a continued voice only perpetuates & normalizes the problem within the industry. I'm so disappointed.
@KatWQuinn
I don't understand why you didn't take the opportunity to recast, I love Harry Potter with all my heart but there's no way I can watch a film starring a known abuser
@ahumanmoon
Johnny Depp is such a sad, random hill for Yates and Rowling to fight and die on.
@promawhatup
you had NOTHING to say for MONTHS. you blocked anyone who questioned you about it. you actively avoided the question. but the moment that goes public, now you choose to address how painful this casting is FOR YOU? did you ever think about how it feels for amber?? @jk_rowling
@leiasorgana
Hey @jk_rowling I love you but this is trash. https://t.co/F5t9IXkKA2
@fisackerly
Heard got a temporary restraining order against Depp in 2016, accusing him of being "verbally and physically abusive" during their marriage. She later dismissed the request after the two settled their divorce. Depp denied the alleged abuse at the time.
"Our relationship was intensely passionate and at times volatile, but always bound by love," Depp and Heard said in a joint statement after settling their divorce. "Neither party has lied nor made false accusations for financial gain. There was never any intent of physical or emotional harm. Amber wishes the best for Johnny in the future. Amber will be donating financial proceeds from the divorce to a charity. There will be no further public statements about this matter."
