Last week, J.K. Rowling made a mess. Apparently, someone on Twitter asked or demanded that Johnny Depp’s role in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald be recast. JK responded by blocking the fan and then issuing a statement on her blog. The statement was not great, or even very good. Nor did it make much sense when you really analyze JK’s rationale. Her argument was that she’s happy with casting Depp in that role even knowing what she knows now about his violence against Amber Heard during their marriage. JK pointed to the joint statement Amber and Johnny released once their divorce was finalized, and JK wrote: “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.” Unsurprisingly, Amber Heard wanted to clarify something, and she did so on social media:
For the record, this was our FULL joint statement.To pick&choose certain lines & quote them out of context, is not right.Women, stay strong. pic.twitter.com/W7Tt6A3ROj
— Amber Heard (@realamberheard) December 8, 2017
As I said, Amber was and is the victim. Of course she wanted to move on, of course she wanted to cut the abuser out of her life. The joint statement was never a plea for privacy though, nor was it an agreement to stay silent and never speak about any of this again. Amber has been referencing the abuse in interviews, despite the tremendous load of sh-t she still gets from Depp fans who still believe A) she was never abused and B) she’s a lying, crazy golddigger. Amber seems to feel like JK is incorrectly framing the divorce agreement and joint statement, which Amber has every right to correct.
Incidentally, David Yates and JK Rowling weren’t the only ones defending Depp’s casting. Warner Bros – the studio producing the Fantastic Beast franchise- issued a statement too:
“We are of course aware of reports that surfaced around the end of Johnny Depp’s marriage, and take seriously the complexity of the issues involved. This matter has been jointly addressed by both parties, in a statement in which they said “there was never any intent of physical or emotional harm.” Based on the circumstances and the information available to us, we, along with the filmmakers, continue to support the decision to proceed with Johnny Depp in the role of Grindelwald in this and future films.”
“There was never an intent of physical or emotional harm” – because Depp was blackout drunk when he was violent with her, maybe? Does that excuse him? Is that what the studio wants to hang their film on, that Depp ONLY abused his wife because he was a raging, violent alcoholic? Also: I just realized that Amber and Johnny are working at the same studio, Warner Bros. WB is doing Justice League and Aquaman, and WB is doing the Fantastic Beasts franchise. Hm…
Photos courtesy of WENN.
Real talk: picture a middle aged actress – formerly beautiful, but now bloated and greasy with rotting teeth – and who recently had a messy public divorce battle where it becomes obvious that she has an anger problem and regularly abused her family. Think she’d be getting plumb roles in Hollywood?
I’m so sick of the double standards.
💯 truth
Excellent post.
Moi aussi.
And I’ve had “volatile” relationships before – but they didn’t involve somebody hitting me. Just a lot of arguing. It. Is. Not. The. Same. Thing.
Exactly. And Depp never even apologized, their ‘joint’ statement makes it seems like their roles were equal in creating a toxic relationship when all other evidence shows he crossed the line from ‘volatile relationship’ into full out abuse.
This completely. My last relationship consisted of fights on the regular and I do think that it was emotionally abusive. But he was never ever violent with me and vice versa.
It’s important to draw that distinction I think.
And this is why you don’t release joint statements neutralising the situation because it allows for loophole judgements and arguments like JK Rowling and WB are making to excuse their arguments.
A few threads ago, lots of people kept bringing up the fact that Amber is the first person to publicly accuse Depp or at the very least go on record about it, and that really angered me because Depp has a history of abuse going back to his 21 Jump Street teen idol days. Of co_workers or romantic partners etc.
Back then his accusers were paid off and the accusation withdrawn thus allowing for his ‘clean’ record that makes the amber situation appear to be an outlier caused by mid-life crisis and booze or ‘passion’. And all those incidents were simply used to build up an image of rebel Johnny Depp fighting against the machine artist who can’t be controlled because art.
By withdrawing her accusation and signing this joint statement, Amber contributes to Depp’s clean record that allows everyone to look the other way and or pretend this was an outlier.
I understand the reasoning behind Amber’s decision, but I wish she had stood her ground and put this on an official record. She’s lucky we live in the era of social media such that she was able to fight her corner in the court of public opinion because people aren’t able to re-victimise the victim as easily as they did in the past.
LAK,
It drives me bananas about this situation because he wasn’t just angry and threw some objects around a few times. This man is the kind of man who would be arrested and in jail and his wife would be in hiding if it weren’t for his money. He is very violent and has been, and the rumors have been around a long time, and his treatment of Kate Moss is well known. He is bad news.
I didn’t believe the rumors years ago because I didn’t understand DV or the lengths that are taken to hide truths.
Amber is most likely not even telling the whole story, but she certainly ran off fast and didn’t fight. That is no gold digger move. His team planted nasty stories about her, and it worked. This has to stop being an option for men like JD to use to rehabilitate their images.
No..but you double loaded your question..a bloated toothless actress wouldn’t get the roles anyway..old guys, regardless of appearance, can get the hot young thing in movies, but old dumpy women get pity–or magic makeovers.
Precisely my point 😉
Was going to say exactly that. A formerly hot woman getting not-so-hot would be crime enough to ruin her career. She wouldn’t even have to go as far as being abusive. Feck it, she could a flat out humanitarian and still would be cast aside.
Whoomp, there it is.
Everybody would be only too ready to pile on a female version of Depp, drag her name through the mud, and then quietly pretend she never existed. She’d be waiting tables at Denny’s and everyone would say “server her right”. Male Depp, however, gets the benefit of the doubt at every turn, is beloved by (too) many, and a prominent role in a very famous, very lucrative franchise. And when people voice their displeasure, is defended up and down by the stakeholders in this mess.
Women Unite. Take back the right….Wren, we need to MAKE SURE THE DEPP MOVIE IS NOT PROFITABLE. So, unless men go two, three times to see it, if we, women, don’t show up (or go with our guy on a date, etc), we can make a financial difference. Hitting them in the pockets…right beside their balls, seems to be the only way to affect change effectively. Tho’ I love the franchise, I hereby pledge JD will NEVER, EVER receive any of my hard earned monies. Ever.
So much truth. The thing that stumps me about those who try to defend him is that they claim he has never abused significant others before. But it is so painfully clear that within the past few years he has had major drug and/or alcohol problems. That can change a person. How he is still getting roles while continuing to be such an utter mess is beyond me. He’s falling apart right before our eyes.
So true!
No rotting teeth but where’s Kathleen Turner and Delta Burke? Exactly they were never hired for another role after their looks changed. Johnny Depp is worse and he’s still getting parts. Where is the justice in that?
Could not love this more!! Johnny Depp is absolutely disgusting and when the big reveal was made in the movie, all I could think of is what an utter pig he is. Completely took me out of the movie and made me NOT want to watch the sequel, and I’m a huge HP fan. Such a shame.
Lol at all the ‘complexities’.
It’s not complex. Put your money where your mouth is JK.
Man producer and WB, be better.
ikr? he hit her. such complexities! so multifaceted!
Yes. Go Amber. I’m a fan of how she’s handled this.
So disappointed in JK for this. I adore Harry Potter (books) and she was genuinely someone i respected and wanted to aspire to be like. I know she is in a tough position but that statement was a load of guff.
She wasn’t in a tough position. She has retained control over casting decisions AND she has made close to a billion pounds sterling from HP before this new franchise was concieved. She could have bought out his contract and consider the price chump change.
This is JKR doubling down on a badly received decision and refusing to back down.
It’s not the first time she’s acted like this.
This is why I don’t want to be bothered with JK anymore. She wanted this and is now trying to spin it, and it is gross on her part.
LAK, everything you said. I agree.
Me too. Such a disappointment. Stop casting abusive, horrifying people in your movies!!! We should use our power (aka $$) to show how we feel. I’m not seeing the sequel. I don’t like to throw up in my mouth while I’m eating popcorn.
I have been impressed by how Amber has handled herself in regards to her abuser. Sadly, people will bend over backwards to defend horrifying behavior because they may like someone and then blame the victim. I believe Amber and I am sticking with her.
If you say that you are against domestic violence, then you need to back that up even if you may like the abuser. There is no grey area here.
She has been tough as nails and incredibly graceful. I hope she has a good support network behind her. No one deserves to have a partner abuse them.
Me too. I support Amber.
Agree. Amber handled a very hard situation with diginity and class, while the media (tmz, radar and daily mail) was being paid to trash her name, her friends, discredit domestic violence like it wasn’t a big deal, she keep her head up and try her best move on and keep working.
I wish the best for her.
Yes. Go Amber. I’m a fan of how she’s handled this.
I still think she is a Gold-digger. Definitely not a fan of hers. But before everyone flips out on my comment, I also believe Depp abused her either on a drunken rage or sober. Glad she got out of that marriage.
She’s not the one who proposed to him. If she’s a gold digger, he is just as culpable.
It’s easier to sympathize with someone when I like them, and that’s not the case with Amber. She was an abused wife, that’s beyond dispute. But I’m just not a fan. And no longer a fan of Depp, so casting him is a mark against the movie. He’s at that point some actors reach where he’s all ham all the time. No thanks.
+1
Really impressed how amber heard was strong during the divorce with tmz and his team trying todestroy her and how she is handling herself now when the powerful players keep the double standards.
Kudos to her
lord JK, you dont have to respond to EVERYTHING
and she doesnt have the same involvement with this franchise as the first one, i doubt she cast him herself sometimes you gotta say nothing. esp if for whatever reason$$$ you wont be supporting the victim
She’s actually very involved in this franchise. She’s a producer, and she’s the screenwriter.
She’s an executive producer. If she didnt want him in the role and put her foot down he would not have been cast. Simple as that.
and then everyone and their dog would have said she was bitter and angry and filled with hate and attempt to take her down that way. We still have a very fine line to walk, Ladies. @Valiantly Varnished, it is NOT that simple.
@Plantpal actually in this current climate she would have been heralded for putting her money where her mouth is and for believing and supporting victims – especially since she was a victim of domestic abuse herself. As for things not being that simple: standing up for what you believe rarely is. That’s why so many like JK take the cowardly way out and don’t do it.
I dont think JK Rowling realizes how many people she upset with this.
Yeah was going to ask is she a producer or casting director in her movies? Unless she has a clause to state she has some say in the casting process…maybe she should should have kept quiet.
Yes, she’s very involved. If she wasn’t, she would have said something very different. Think of other authors who have signed away their work and then it gets mangled by Hollywood. They aren’t pleased nor complicit.
Her statement was so tone deaf that I really don’t think she cares. I hope everyone who got upset boycott the movie, I know I’ll be doing so.
Agreed. Honestly, I think most people are MORE upset by the things she has said in defense of Depp than they were at him just being cast, period. I mean, yes, people were mad that he was cast….but then she doubled down and issued such rotten statements.
Pamela, yes, agree totally
Like I said Friday this statement made me so disappointed in Jo. There have been actual abuse victims that found solace in her story. Her previous husband was abusive towards her hence why HP is an abusive victim. This is awful.
I’m glad Amber didn’t let that statement go. Good for her.
I won’t be supporting FB which sucks because everyone else involved is lovely
The comment I was responding to disappeared. So disappointing that women will still make excuses for an abusive man in this day and age. Just stop.
I can’t understand how Depp keeps getting acting rolls in spite of his abuse AND his acting. His quirky shtick is so stale at this point. As a Harry Potter fan, I won’t be seeing this stupid looking movie.
I agree, I don’t know why the bother with defending him. He is not a drawcard, his acting is dreadful, a good number of people dislike him and will refuse to go see a movie if he is in it. And she already had an incredibly popular franchise with crazy loyal fans who throw their money at anything Potter related. Why screw that up, for him? Quite apart from compromising her own integrity and reputation. Bizarre.
I think Amber’s response is to the WB actually, not JKR. Anyway, I really feel bad for her. I hope she has her own success in HW to make up for all the hate she gets.
Also, I don’t like the starting sentence of that joint statement; using the words “intensely passionate” and “volatile”. These are typical euphemism for abuse, and probably put there by Depp’s side.
I’m so f-cking disappointed in JK Rowling.. she has always stood up for good causes but now..? What the hell is she doing? Go Amber!
It’s not even good casting ffs. Surely there were better suited actors for the role? Set aside the fact that he’s an abusive arse with a history holding up filming-he’s not a good Grindelwald.
Is JK Rowling trying to be the Lena Dunham of the U.K.?
JK Rowling is another male identified white feminist like Lena Dunham who will only cape for a cause if it looks good for them and/or affects them personally.
Sadly I think you are right.
I still can’t believe how many people, many of which are self-identified feminists, accuse Amber of lying and defend Johnny Depp.
J.K. has a history of being problematic though, especially in her treatment of Indigenous culture.
Because it’s easy. The easy way out is to smooth everything over with “it’s fine, it can’t possibly be that bad, everything is fine”. What’s easier, the believe someone is a rage monster who engages in unspeakable acts or that the other person is making it all up? It’s the second one, every time.
There are still a whole lot of women my age who worshipped the ground Depp walks on and can’t accept that he’s a garbage human. It’s much easier to call Amber a liar.
They are dancing around the subject and trying to say in other words, it wasnt that bad and It takes two to tango.
This attitude has to change! This wishy washy attitude is what gives men the idea its okay to beat women
Jk rowling is cancelled
Her statement about not wanting to cause harm, to me read that she isn’t trying to harm him by divorcing his abusive ass, she was saying she wants to divorce him because of the abuse and isn’t doing it to CAUSE him any harm. If that makes sense? Not sure how to explain it, but she is spot on about them picking and choosing things to twist to their advantage. Asshole. 😐
I’m still at a complete loss as to wtf JK is thinking. Like how does she think this will play for her in the long run as someone who paints herself as a feminist and an advocate? Does she think the movie will come out and people will forget?? Does she not get that her credibility is now completely gone??
They did so dirty to her. JK, Warner and David Yates, anytime they choose to speak publicly about to defend their decision to keep Johnny Depp, they open the gates for Depp’s crazy fans to attack Amber Heard non-stop
It’s that what they really wanted? It’s like they are adding more fuel to the fire, instead of shutting down the conversation about his abuse
You know, if they’re going to do things like this they should just shut up and do it. All this justification is making it worse. If they simply said, “We cast him because he’s the best fit for the role and we will not recast so quit asking. Eff you, you’ll see it anyway,” the honesty would have been refreshing. That’s how they clearly feel and these statements are patronizing.
I won’t be seeing the movie myself, but if you’re going to do a thing, own it. Don’t dance around and justify it, just do it. There will be consequences and you must take them. You don’t get to have your cake and eat it too, which is what they’re trying to do with all these unnecessary statements.
Agreed, Wren. They want to do as they see fit, but also keep the so called high ground. They don’t realize they can’t have it both ways. You can’t side with the abuser and then play the victim. They should just own it, and why not? They’re the ones with the power.
I will never watch this movie. When JD appeared at the end of the first one it was so jarring and upsetting, I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who felt that way.
Those new JK Rowling movies suck anyway.
Warner, jk and yates are complicit and gaslighting and invinting crazy trash people To verbal abuse amber, amber was The victim and is the victim again.
Those people are disgusting, never watching anything from them again
Never thought the day would come when I had to pick Amber Heard over JK Rowling, but 2017 has given us many strange things. I was a huge Harry Potter fan as a kid and teen, but alas had not heard anything about this new series until the controversy over casting Depp arose.
Trying to fathom how Hermione Granger and JKs bullshit statement came from the same mind. Do better.
Time and money change people. At times, not for the better. 😕
I did not see the first one, I will not see the second one. I did not see the Murder on the Orient Express. KB was quoted as saying he wanted Depp.
I won’t support JK either. I start with my wallet. We saw photos of Amber hurting. I did not forget her eyes in photos of abuse.
Bring back Colin Farrell, damn it! He was so good in the first one.
I’m so sorry that Amber needs to continue defending herself against people trying to paint her in a bad light just to excuse their casting of Johnny Depp. There is absolutely no excuse. It’ s BS.
Depp’s team has done nothing but try to smear and punish her for coming forward, and now the Fantastic Beasts crew is piling it on, too. It’s disgusting. But Amber has handled this situation with such grace and strength. I admire her a lot for how she has handled herself.
I used to be a big Depp fan, for years. This situation has been eye-opening. The moment the abuse allegations came out I dropped him completely and haven’t seen a movie with him since. It’s hard to hear these things about someone you respected, but I never doubted for a second that supporting Amber was the right thing to do. I wish JK felt the same.
I wish I had the bod to rock that lead photo dress. #SuperEnvy
could someone ID the header dress for me, please!!
Didn’t see the first one wont see the second one because of him! I loved harry potter jk is such an clown for keep this drugged out man child in her films
It makes me so upset that this is literally the only place I have managed to find that believes Amber Heard, even including sites I’d usually consider sympathetic to abuse victims.
TMZ have really done a number on the public perception of this case. The thing I’ve been seeing most is some variation on ‘They were both abusive. And Johnnypoo has never abused anyone before (his exes said so!), but That Bitch was arrested for domestic violence and it doesn’t matter that her ex outright said nothing happened, she was the abusive one and poor Johnny’s the real victim’.
It shouldn’t amaze me that the effectiveness with which Depps’s history of issues with alcohol/drugs, anger and smashing up hotel rooms has been completely erased, but it does.