Brian Cox Is Absolutely Fuming Over Johnny Depp
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Johnny Depp went from one of the most bankable movie stars in the world to one of the most controversial after his then-wife Amber Heard accused him of domestic violence in 2016 and filed a restraining order against him, per The Washington Post. The allegations and courtroom drama that ensued sparked a Hollywood boycott of the actor, which ultimately cost him his role in the "Fantastic Beasts" franchise in 2020, greatly diminished his net worth, and divided fans as some abandoned his side, while others continued to show support for Depp.
The list of celebs who can't stand the "Pirates of the Caribbean" star has also become lengthier than ever and allegedly includes Angelina Jolie, Elon Musk, and Daniel Radcliffe. Now, said list includes a new addition. These days, Depp is getting brutally criticized by actor Brian Cox, who is no stranger to speaking his mind about some of Hollywood's biggest names — and doing so without any sort of filter. Most recently, Cox didn't mince words when he lashed out at Steven Seagal, saying he's "as ludicrous in real life as he appears on screen," per The Big Issue. Cox also called David Bowie "not a particularly good actor" and said Quentin Tarantino's work is "meretricious" and "all surface." If you're wondering, no, he wasn't any kinder when it came to sharing his opinion of Captain Jack Sparrow. We break down his unapologetic comments below.
Brian Cox is no fan of Johnny Depp
Scottish actor Brian Cox, whom you may recognize from films such as "Braveheart" and "The Bourne Supremacy," or from the small screen as Logan Roy on HBO's "Succession," has had an impressive career that began in 1965 and has amassed him 234 acting credits to date, per IMDb. Now, he's taking stock of his life in his memoir called "Putting the Rabbit in the Hat," in which he gets very real about Hollywood, including roles he turned down, like "a king called Robert Baratheon, who apparently died when he was gored by a boar" in "Game of Thrones," and the Governor in "Pirates of the Caribbean."
In a bluntly written excerpt obtained by GQ, Cox conceded that accepting the "Pirates" franchise would have been a "money-spinner," but slammed the role, noting that "of all the parts in that film [Governor] was the most thankless." Signing on would also have meant he would've "missed out on all the other nice things I've done" and would have required working with Johnny Depp. Calling the series "the 'Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow' show," the actor unleashed his true feelings. "Depp, personable though I'm sure he is, is so overblown, so overrated." Honing in on "Edward Scissorhands," he critiqued, "Let's face it, if you come on with hands like that and pale, scarred-face make-up, you don't have to do anything. And he didn't. And subsequently, he's done even less," he jeered, adding that if Depp auditioned for "Pirates" now, he wouldn't get it. "They'd give it to Brendan Gleeson," he mused.