Mads Mikkelsen; Johnny Depp.Photo: Daniele Venturelli/WireImage; Pascal Le Segretain/GettyMads Mikkelsenhas some big shoes to fill in theupcomingFantastic Beastsfilm.The Danish actor says hewishes he could have spokentoJohnny Deppbefore taking over the role of dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald in theHarry Potterspinoff franchise’s third installment.“I mean, obviously, they were going to do the film, and obviously he was not involved anymore,” Mikkelsen, 55, toldThe Sunday Timesin an interview published Saturday.Mikkelsenreplaced Depp in November. Depp, 58,exited the roleafter losing a libel suit againstThe Sun, which referred to him as a “wife beater” in a story about his ex-wifeAmber Heard’s assault allegations that he has denied.“I didn’t have a dog in that fight,” Mikkelsen added in his conversation withThe Sunday Times. “I don’t know what happened [in his private life] and I don’t know if it was fair, him losing the job, but I just knew that the show was going on. And I would’ve loved to have talked to him about it if I had the chance, but I just don’t know him in that sense.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.Johnny Depp inFantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald(2018).Warner Bros/Kobal/Shutterstock"But they called me and they were obviously in a hurry, and I loved the script and so said yes. And I know it was controversial for many people, but that’s just the way it plays out once in a while,” he continued.Mikkelsen also discussed making the role his own, after Depp originated the character in 2016’sFantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, before returning inFantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwaldin 2018.“I didn’t want to copy what Johnny had done. I think he’s a masterful actor, so copying him would’ve been creative suicide,” Mikkelsen explained. “I had to figure out something that was definitely my own, and yet also act as a bridge to what he had done.““My take is different, and the look is a little different, but we’ll have to wait for the film’s release [next year] to find out,” the actor noted.RELATED VIDEO: Johnny Depp Agrees to Resign from Fantastic Beasts Role After Losing “Wife Beater” Libel CaseTheHannibalstar previously opened up toEntertainment Weeklyaboutthe circumstances of his casting.“Job wise, it’s obviously super interesting and nice,” Mikkelsen said in December. “It’s also a shocker that it came after what happened, which is just super sad. I wish both of them the best. These are sad circumstances. I hope both of them will be back in the saddle again really soon.“He has sincejoined the cast ofIndiana Jones 5with returning starHarrison Ford. “The more you’ve been in the movie business the less you find yourself wearing your ‘fan hat,’ " Mikkelsen toldThe Sunday Times.“And yet in this case it was there for a little while longer than most,” he continued. “It helps that Harrison is a really sweet man, and that everyone on set is aware that we are there, primarily, to do anIndiana Jonesfilm.”
Mads Mikkelsen; Johnny Depp.Photo: Daniele Venturelli/WireImage; Pascal Le Segretain/Getty
Mads Mikkelsenhas some big shoes to fill in theupcomingFantastic Beastsfilm.The Danish actor says hewishes he could have spokentoJohnny Deppbefore taking over the role of dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald in theHarry Potterspinoff franchise’s third installment.“I mean, obviously, they were going to do the film, and obviously he was not involved anymore,” Mikkelsen, 55, toldThe Sunday Timesin an interview published Saturday.Mikkelsenreplaced Depp in November. Depp, 58,exited the roleafter losing a libel suit againstThe Sun, which referred to him as a “wife beater” in a story about his ex-wifeAmber Heard’s assault allegations that he has denied.“I didn’t have a dog in that fight,” Mikkelsen added in his conversation withThe Sunday Times. “I don’t know what happened [in his private life] and I don’t know if it was fair, him losing the job, but I just knew that the show was going on. And I would’ve loved to have talked to him about it if I had the chance, but I just don’t know him in that sense.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.Johnny Depp inFantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald(2018).Warner Bros/Kobal/Shutterstock"But they called me and they were obviously in a hurry, and I loved the script and so said yes. And I know it was controversial for many people, but that’s just the way it plays out once in a while,” he continued.Mikkelsen also discussed making the role his own, after Depp originated the character in 2016’sFantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, before returning inFantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwaldin 2018.“I didn’t want to copy what Johnny had done. I think he’s a masterful actor, so copying him would’ve been creative suicide,” Mikkelsen explained. “I had to figure out something that was definitely my own, and yet also act as a bridge to what he had done.““My take is different, and the look is a little different, but we’ll have to wait for the film’s release [next year] to find out,” the actor noted.RELATED VIDEO: Johnny Depp Agrees to Resign from Fantastic Beasts Role After Losing “Wife Beater” Libel CaseTheHannibalstar previously opened up toEntertainment Weeklyaboutthe circumstances of his casting.“Job wise, it’s obviously super interesting and nice,” Mikkelsen said in December. “It’s also a shocker that it came after what happened, which is just super sad. I wish both of them the best. These are sad circumstances. I hope both of them will be back in the saddle again really soon.“He has sincejoined the cast ofIndiana Jones 5with returning starHarrison Ford. “The more you’ve been in the movie business the less you find yourself wearing your ‘fan hat,’ " Mikkelsen toldThe Sunday Times.“And yet in this case it was there for a little while longer than most,” he continued. “It helps that Harrison is a really sweet man, and that everyone on set is aware that we are there, primarily, to do anIndiana Jonesfilm.”
Mads Mikkelsenhas some big shoes to fill in theupcomingFantastic Beastsfilm.
The Danish actor says hewishes he could have spokentoJohnny Deppbefore taking over the role of dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald in theHarry Potterspinoff franchise’s third installment.
“I mean, obviously, they were going to do the film, and obviously he was not involved anymore,” Mikkelsen, 55, toldThe Sunday Timesin an interview published Saturday.
Mikkelsenreplaced Depp in November. Depp, 58,exited the roleafter losing a libel suit againstThe Sun, which referred to him as a “wife beater” in a story about his ex-wifeAmber Heard’s assault allegations that he has denied.
“I didn’t have a dog in that fight,” Mikkelsen added in his conversation withThe Sunday Times. “I don’t know what happened [in his private life] and I don’t know if it was fair, him losing the job, but I just knew that the show was going on. And I would’ve loved to have talked to him about it if I had the chance, but I just don’t know him in that sense.”
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.
Johnny Depp inFantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald(2018).Warner Bros/Kobal/Shutterstock
“But they called me and they were obviously in a hurry, and I loved the script and so said yes. And I know it was controversial for many people, but that’s just the way it plays out once in a while,” he continued.
Mikkelsen also discussed making the role his own, after Depp originated the character in 2016’sFantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, before returning inFantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwaldin 2018.
“I didn’t want to copy what Johnny had done. I think he’s a masterful actor, so copying him would’ve been creative suicide,” Mikkelsen explained. “I had to figure out something that was definitely my own, and yet also act as a bridge to what he had done.”
“My take is different, and the look is a little different, but we’ll have to wait for the film’s release [next year] to find out,” the actor noted.
RELATED VIDEO: Johnny Depp Agrees to Resign from Fantastic Beasts Role After Losing “Wife Beater” Libel Case
TheHannibalstar previously opened up toEntertainment Weeklyaboutthe circumstances of his casting.
“Job wise, it’s obviously super interesting and nice,” Mikkelsen said in December. “It’s also a shocker that it came after what happened, which is just super sad. I wish both of them the best. These are sad circumstances. I hope both of them will be back in the saddle again really soon.”
He has sincejoined the cast ofIndiana Jones 5with returning starHarrison Ford. “The more you’ve been in the movie business the less you find yourself wearing your ‘fan hat,’ " Mikkelsen toldThe Sunday Times.
“And yet in this case it was there for a little while longer than most,” he continued. “It helps that Harrison is a really sweet man, and that everyone on set is aware that we are there, primarily, to do anIndiana Jonesfilm.”
source: people.com
