Helena Bonham Carter has unfortunately proven that she’s more out-of-touch than ever. In a Saturday (Nov. 26) interview with U.K. outlet The Times, the actress defended both Johnny Depp and J.K. Rowling, decrying the backlash to the controversial celebrities as a “witch-hunt.”
Carter first weighed in on the vitriol directed toward her frequent collaborator, Depp, who won a defamation suit against his ex-wife Amber Heard after she wrote about being abused in a Washington Post op-ed, which did not specifically name Depp.
Addressing cancel culture as a whole, Carter said, “Do you ban a genius for their sexual practices? There would be millions of people who if you looked closely enough at their personal life you would disqualify them,” adding, “You can’t ban people. I hate cancel culture. It has become quite hysterical and there’s a kind of witch-hunt and a lack of understanding.”
The Oscar winner went on to give examples, like as Kevin Spacey and Depp; the latter she claims “went through it,” but is on the path to redemption (as we saw through Depp’s ill-received cameo at this year’s Savage x Fenty fashion show).
“Oh, I think he’s completely vindicated. I think he’s fine now. Totally fine,” Carter told The Times, referring to Depp, before commenting on the defamation case between him and Heard, which found both parties responsible for defamation, although Depp was awarded higher compensation in damages.
The actor then turned her focus to another one of her collaborators, Harry Potter author Rowling, who has repeatedly made transphobic comments. Carter, who starred in four Harry Potter movies as Bellatrix Lestrange, said the situation with Rowling is “horrendous” and “a load of bollocks.”
“It’s been taken to the extreme, the judgmentalism of people. She’s allowed her opinion, particularly if she’s suffered abuse,” Carter said, referring to Rowling’s past as a survivor of sexual assault and domestic 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.”
Carter’s defense took an “OK, Boomer” turn when she placed blame on Twitter, telling The Times, “No one can talk about ideas there; it becomes polarised and is war, and people waste days being angry inside their head,” adding that Rowling’s controversy has only stuck because of her “phenomenal success.”
When asked about the disapproving reactions from her Harry Potter co-stars who have denounced Rowling’s words and actions, like Daniel Radcliffe, Carter said, “I feel they should let her have her opinions, but I think they’re very aware of protecting their own fan base and their generation. It’s hard.”
She concluded by telling The Times, “One thing with the fame game is that there’s an etiquette that comes with it; I don’t agree with talking about other famous people.”
Turns out that rule only exists when it comes to criticism.
