Radcliffe Addresses Fantastic Beasts’ Johnny Depp Controversy

Shortly before his controversial casting as Gillert Grindelwald ahead of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Johnny Depp had come under fire for his actions against then wife, Amber Heard. At a time when men in Hollywood are being forced to accept the consequences of their actions against women, fans have struggled to comprehend why Depp has essentially received a free pass — something Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe doesn’t understand, either.

In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, Radcliffe addressed the controversy surrounding Depp’s casting and the statements released by the studio and Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling. While the actor understandably finds it hard to speak out against the producers that essentially gave him his start in Hollywood, Radcliffe admits he completely understands why people are frustrated with the lack of response by the studio. As Radcliffe recalls, there was an actor — Jamie Waylett — that was fired from the original franchise due to growing pot plants in his mother’s home. Waylett’s actions, of course, were small when compared to those of Depp who was accused of abuse by Heard.

“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.”

Heard, of course, has also spoken out against the remarks made by Rowling and Warner Bros., having grown frustrated by their willingness to pick and choose lines from the couple’s statement upon their divorce. “To pick and choose certain lines and quote them out of context, is just not right,” she explained before calling for women to continue to stand up and be strong.

Arriving Nov. 16th, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindlewald is directed by David Yates, with Rowling, David Heyman, Steve Kloves and Lionel Wigram producing. The film also stars Katherine Waterston as Tina, Alison Sudol as Queenie, Dan Fogler as Jacob, Ezra Miller as Credence, Zoë Kravitz as Leta Lestrange and Callum Turner as Theseus Scamander.