Johnny Depp was once one of the world’s most universally loved actors. His weird roles in Tim Burton’s films, along with him playing the swashbuckling pirate Jack Sparrow, offered something for everyone. However, as the decades have gone on, many have become tired of his schtick as the weird guy with his face covered in strange make up. “The Lone Ranger” and “Dark Shadows” seemed like he was trying to recapture the magic of his earlier works like “Edward Scissorhands” and “Pirates of the Caribbean.” Add to that his toxic and physically abusive relationship with actress Amber Heard, and it seems like it’s officially time to cancel the Johnny Depp party.
After filing for divorce from Depp in 2015, Heard requesting a temporary restraining order, claiming he was abusive. Not long after that, pictures of the actress’s badly bruised face went viral. Depp and his team, however, claimed his ex was trying to slander him and denied all accusations of abuse.
Prior to their divorce, Depp and Heard pose on the red carpet. Photo courtesy of vanityfair.com
Heard ended up winning a $7 million divorce settlement and gave all the money to the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles and to other charities that help victims of domestic violence.
Some are still championing Depp, claiming Heard made it all up and that she was the physically abusive partner in their relationship — a sentiment echoed by Depp himself.
After reports came from the fifth “Pirates” movie that Depp was constantly late, a diva and often drunk, many figured this was the end of his career. J.K. Rowling has said she’s not giving up on him, and cast him as the main antagonist in her five-film Harry Potter prequels “Fantastic Beasts.”
I'm saying what I can about the Grindelwald casting issue here:https://t.co/NDMjy542Yv — J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) December 7, 2017
Up until this point, Rowling has always seemed to be on the right side of history. She’s stood behind her LGBT fans, even making Dumbledore a gay character, and she’s been very charitable with her earnings from the “Harry Potter” series. However last year, she released a statement saying that she stands behind Depp and his casting as Grindelwald in the “Fantastic Beasts” films.
Of course, we don’t know the full story — and we likely never will. However, the photos of Heard’s abused face, along with her donating all the money to charity, speak for themselves. Combine that with the allegations that came off the “Pirates 5” set, and it seems as though Johnny Depp’s reign on Hollywood should be over.
I expect his final test will be on the upcoming press tour for “Fantastic Beasts 2” where I’m sure reporters won’t be afraid to ask the gritty questions about his personal life. Hopefully, he’ll either definitively clear his name or decide to step away from the spotlight. In this current climate of #BelieveSurvivors and #MeToo, I’m surprised to see so many people sticking beside Depp.
After illegally bringing their dogs to Australia, the then married couple had to make a video publicly apologizing. Photo courtesy of abc11.com
How do you feel about this whole situation? Do you think Johnny Depp actually did these things, and if so, do you think it’s right for him to still be seen as one of Hollywood’s top stars? Will his casting in “Fantastic Beasts 2” have any effect on whether you’ll see the movie or not? Let me know in the comments below.
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