Johnny Depp has spoken out about his exit from the Fantastic Beasts films amid domestic abuse allegations involving Amber Heard. Known for his role as Grindelwald, Depp revealed the details of Warner Bros.’ request for him to step down almost five years ago.
He starred in the first two Fantastic Beasts movies in 2018 but was replaced in the third film by Mads Mikkelsen after Warner Bros. asked him to resign in 2020. This happened while Depp was involved in a high-profile libel case.
Though initially supported by JK Rowling and the director, the studio later chose to recast the role. Depp said in an interview with The Telegraph that he felt “cancelled” and “booted” but refused to quietly retire.
Depp lost a libel case in the UK but won a defamation case in the US. He explained that standing up for himself was essential to his career.
Currently, Depp is focused on directing his new film, Modìgliani: Three Days on the Wing of Madness, which will premiere on July 11.
