Film

‘Fantastic Beasts’ Director Says Abuse Allegations Against Johnny Depp Are A “Dead Issue”

He's getting slammed on social media for his remarks.

by Tom Clift  29 November 2017
David Yates Johnny Depp Fantastic Beasts

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The director of the upcoming sequel to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is being slammed on social media after playing down domestic abuse allegations that have been levelled against franchise star Johnny Depp.

When Depp appeared briefly as the evil wizard Grindelwald in last year’s Harry Potter spin-off, many fans were outraged given that the actor has been accused of domestic abuse by his ex-wife, Amber Heard. Depp is expected to play a much larger role in the 2018 follow-up, which is titled Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.

In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, series director David Yates attempted to downplay the allegations against Depp, calling them “a dead issue”.

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“Honestly, there’s an issue at the moment where there’s a lot of people being accused of things, they’re being accused by multiple victims, and it’s compelling and frightening,” said Yates, referencing the recent wave of sexual misconduct allegations that have rocked the entertainment industry in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal.

“With Johnny, it seems to me there was one person who took a pop at him and claimed something. I can only tell you about the man I see every day: He’s full of decency and kindness, and that’s all I see.

“Whatever accusation was out there doesn’t tally with the kind of human being I’ve been working with,” Yates added.

The filmmaker also noted that several of Depp’s previous partners, including Vanessa Paradis, Lori Anne Allison and Winona Ryder, have publicly defended him.

There are a number of serious problems with Yates’ defence of Depp. Just because someone hasn’t been accused of being a serial abuser doesn’t mean that they are incapable of abuse. Nor should Heard be ignored or dismissed just because she is the only alleged victim.

Flippant language like “took a pop at him” and “whatever accusation was out there” also minimises the seriousness of the allegations. Heard says that Depp physically assaulted her. She was ultimately granted a restraining order by a judge.

Yates’ comments have since been widely condemned on social media.

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Featured images via Wikimedia.