For the first time since he was announced as the new actor for Gellert Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts 3, Mads Mikkelsen has opened up on his feelings towards replacing Johnny Depp in the Harry Potter spin-off series, describing the turn of events as “sad circumstances.”
The Death Stranding and Doctor Strange star was announced as Depp’s replacement on November 25th, the same day a UK court rejected Depp’s appeal of a verdict which found that UK tabloid The Sun did not libel him by describing him as a “wife-beater” following accusations made by ex-wife Amber Heard.
Following Depp’s exit fans called for a boycott of Warner Bros. and Fantastic Beasts, despite many finding Mikkelsen to be a fantastic actor choice to play the role.
Many called for the boycott due to the studio’s continued support of Heard in the face of her own admissions of domestic abuse.
Related: Death Stranding Star Mads Mikkelsen To Officially Replace Johnny Depp in ‘Fantastic Beasts’
In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly in promotion of his new film Another Round, when asked how his version of Grindelwald will differentiate from Depp’s, Mikkelsen joked “Well it’s going to be me, so that’s a difference.”
Mikkelsen, returning to a serious tone, added that “No, this is the tricky part. We’re still working it out.”
“There has to be a bridge between what Johnny did and what I’m going to do,” he explained. “And at the same time, I also have to make it my own. But also we have to find a few links [to the previous version of the character] and some bridges so it doesn’t completely detach from what he’s already masterfully achieved.”
Entertainment Weekly also asked the actor about his feelings towards being cast in the role amidst such a public and dramatic controversy, to which the actor replied, “Job wise, it’s obviously super interesting and nice,” before noting that it was “also a shocker that it came after what happened, which is just super sad.”
“I wish both of them the best,” said Mikkelsen. “These are sad circumstances. I hope both of them will be back in the saddle again really soon.”
What do you make of Mikkelsen’s reaction to replacing Depp?