Johnny Depp breaks silence on being fired from Fantastic Beasts

10-Jul-2025

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Actor Johnny Depp opened up about his exit from the 'Fantastic Beasts' film series, reflecting on the circumstances surrounding his departure. 

Originally cast as Gellert Grindelwald, Depp's tenure in the 'Harry Potter' spin-off ended in November 2020 when Warner Bros requested his resignation amid ongoing legal battles and public scrutiny following the Amber Heard case. 

This decision paved the way for actor Mads Mikkelsen to assume the role.

In a recent interview with The Telegraph, Depp discussed his feelings about the sudden end to his role. 

"Listen, they’ve said all kinds of things out there in the world about me, and it doesn’t bother me. I’m not running for office," he remarked. Depp elaborated on the moment he was asked to resign, stating, "It literally stopped in a millisecond, like, while I was doing the movie. They said we’d like you to resign. But what was really in my head was they wanted me to retire."