Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Brian Cox says he regrets calling Johnny Depp ‘overrated’: ‘I went for the easy joke’

‘Personable though I’m sure he is, he is so overblown, so overrated,’ Cox said of Depp’s talents in 2021

Nicole Vassell
Tuesday 15 March 2022 06:56 EDT
Comments
Succession season 3 teaser

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Brian Cox has admitted that he regrets calling Johnny Depp “overrated” in his autobiography.

The actor, who plays Logan Roy on Succession, made comments about Depp, as well as others in the industry, in his 2021 memoirPutting the Rabbit in the Hat.

“Personable though I’m sure he is, he is so overblown, so overrated,” he wrote of the former Fantastic Beasts star’s acting.

During his appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live on Monday (14 March), Cox said that, in hindsight, he is remorseful about his “harsh” words.

When asked by Kimmel whether he’d heard from Depp’s representatives since the book was published, Cox jokingly replied: “I heard a lot from his, they call it a fan club but it’s some kind of CIA agency that works on his behalf.”

He then told Kimmel that he’d made an effort to rectify his remarks by including a note in a later version of the autobiography.

“I’ve written an addendum to this book, it’s going to be published in paperback in the UK,” Cox said.

Brian Cox and Jimmy Kimmel
Brian Cox and Jimmy Kimmel (YouTube / Jimmy Kimmel Live)

“I just thought I was being a bit harsh. You know what it’s like, you go for the easy joke. And I went for the easy joke.

“That was what happened, and I sort of regretted it. Because I’m not like that normally; I was just being a bit glib, a bit flip.”

Later in the conversation, Kimmel asked Cox whether he thought actors believed they were overrated, themselves.

“I think they do. I think a lot of times actors think they’re overrated, and some think they’re underrated,” he reasoned.

“Let’s put it this way: most of them think they’re not rated at all.”

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in