Johnny Depp’s Hollywood return is getting a very public stamp of approval from Ian McKellen.
The veteran actor had high praise for Depp after working with him on ‘Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol’, the new film that marks Depp’s first major studio-style project in years. And McKellen did not exactly hold back. In fact, he said he “fell in love with him” while they were making the movie.
For Depp, 62, the film is a big moment. It is his first major Hollywood release in nearly eight years, and the reaction around it is already pulling attention far beyond the movie itself.
Ian McKellen Had Nothing But Praise For Johnny Depp
Speaking in a new interview, McKellen described the atmosphere on set as warm, easy, and full of chemistry.
“It was a bit of a love fest, really,” McKellen said. “He’s very obliging to his fellow actors. [There was] a wonderful feeling on the set.”
He also made it clear that Depp left a strong impression on him as a performer and as a presence during filming. “He’s in spankingly good form,” McKellen said. “Effervescent, funny, irreverent, serious, all at the same time.”
That kind of praise is exactly the sort of thing Depp’s supporters have been waiting to hear as he steps back into a bigger spotlight.
Why This Comeback Is Getting Attention
‘Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol’ is a notable project for Depp not just because of the cast, which also includes Rupert Grint, but because it arrives after years in which his legal battles often overshadowed his film work.
In 2020, Depp lost his libel case against The Sun after the paper claimed he assaulted his ex-wife Amber Heard and called him a “wife beater.” Then in 2022, the legal fight between Depp and Amber Heard ended with a jury finding both parties liable for defamation against each other.
That history still hangs over any major Depp project, which is why McKellen’s glowing comments are likely to get people talking. Fair or not, every new professional move Depp makes is still being read as part of a larger comeback story.
Depp’s Return To Big-Screen Buzz Is Growing
Along with ‘Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol’, Depp is also set to appear in ‘Day Drinker’ alongside Penélope Cruz, another sign that his screen career is gaining fresh momentum.
McKellen’s praise, though, has not gone down the same way with everyone. Online reaction has been sharply split, with some fans cheering Depp’s return and others sounding deeply unimpressed by the public support. On Reddit and X, one critic wrote, “Yikes, Ian McKellen hyped up Johnny Depp in the disgraced actor’s Hollywood comeback,” while another added, “That is beyond disappointing from McKellen.”
Others were far less bothered. One user brushed off the outrage entirely, writing, “Who cares. These people are always talking each other up.” Another simply posted, “Legends,” while a more enthusiastic supporter wrote, “Can’t wait. I hope he gets some awards, and love from the industry and public, good box office, for his grand comeback.”
So while McKellen made it clear where he stands, the internet is nowhere near that settled. And that may be the clearest sign yet that Depp’s next chapter in Hollywood is still going to come with a lot of noise.
