Harry Potter star Helena Bonham Carter has recently come to the defence of Johnny Depp and Harry Potter franchise creator J.K. Rowling.
Based on the wildly popular children’s book series of the same name by author Rowling, the Harry Potter film franchise is one of the few with no rotten scores on Rotten Tomatoes. However, the same cannot be said for the controversial Rowling and Depp. Rowling has come under fire for her anti-trans comments, while Depp's allegedly abusive relationship with Amber Heard has mired the actor in controversy for years.
In a recent interview with The Times, Carter, who portrays Bellatrix Lestrange in several Harry Potter films, spoke out in support of franchise author Rowling. After condemning the treatment that Rowling had received with some rather strong language, she elaborated, saying, “I think [Rowling] has been hounded. It’s been taken to the extreme, the judgmentalism of people. She’s allowed her opinion, particularly if she’s suffered abuse. Everybody carries their own history of trauma and forms their opinions from that trauma and you have to respect where people come from and their pain. You don’t all have to agree on everything – that would be insane and boring. She’s not meaning it aggressively, she’s just saying something out of her own experience.” This support for Rowling starkly contrasts with franchise star Daniel Radcliffe speaking out against the Harry Potter author.
Carter also commented on the situation concerning Depp, who starred in several projects alongside Carter (such as 2012’s Dark Shadows) and is the godfather to her children. Depp had starred as the evil wizard Grindelwald in the first two films of the Fantastic Beasts franchise, a spinoff based on Harry Potter lore, before being recast due to a libel case involving accusations from his ex-wife Amber Heard. “Oh, I think he’s completely vindicated,” Carter said, referring to the outcome of the whole debacle. “I think he’s fine now. Totally fine. My view is that [Heard] got on that pendulum. That’s the problem with these things – that people will jump on the bandwagon because it’s the trend and to be the poster girl for it.”
Carter, who has so far managed to avoid being embroiled in any controversy on the magnitude of what her fellow celebrities have in recent times, holds opinions that differ greatly from others involved. In addition to Radcliffe's statements, others involved with the IP have also taken a stance against Rowling, with Radcliffe's co-star Emma Watson being attacked online for implying she wouldn’t work with Rowling going forward. Despite this, it seems Warner Bros. Discovery might not share this misgiving since the company recently made its interest in more Harry Potter projects known, with Rowling likely in the picture.
As for Depp, opinion is still divided on how much vindication he elicited with the verdict, but it is clear that the sanctions placed on him by the industry are being eased in light of it. Mads Mikkelson, who replaced Depp as Grindelwald, even commented on the possibility of Depp returning to the role in the future. Whether his possible return will be enough to revitalize the waning popularity of the Harry Potter franchise is yet to be seen.
The Harry Potter films are available on HBO Max.
Source: The Times