Johnny Depp speaks of Hollywood ‘boycott’ after losing ‘wife beater’ libel trial
Johnny Depp has said he has been through “an unpleasant and messy situation” and is facing a Hollywood “boycott” after losing his high-profile libel case against The Sun newspaper, according to a new interview.
Following a three-week trial in 2020, a judge found that allegations calling Depp a “wife beater” in the newspaper were “substantially true” and ruled that he had assaulted his ex-wife Amber Heard on a number of occasions, causing her to “fear for her life” three times.
The Pirates Of The Caribbean star was told following a later hearing that he would not be able to appeal the decision.
Depp, pictured outside the High Court during his libel trial against The Sun in 2020, lost the case and has been refused permission to appeal
While the allegations involved assault, it was not a criminal trial – Depp was suing The Sun – so the actor has not been found guilty of any criminal offence. However, shortly following the judge’s ruling he was dropped by Warner Bros from the Harry Potter spin-off franchise Fantastic Beasts, and replaced in the role of Gellert Grindelwald by Mads Mikkelsen.
Now he has given his first interview since the case, speaking to The Sunday Times to promote his new film Minamata, about the real-life story of a war photographer documenting the mercury poisoning of Japanese villagers in the early 1970s.
Depp, 58, faces another legal battle in the US in 2022 – a $50 million defamation lawsuit Heard over a Washington Post opinion piece on domestic abuse – so said he could not talk about the court case.
However, when speaking about Minamata, he reportedly alluded to his situation.
“Some films touch people,” he said, according to The Sunday Times. “And this affects those in Minamata and people who experience similar things. And for anything… for Hollywood’s boycott of, erm, me? One man, one actor in an unpleasant and messy situation, over the last number of years?”
He then added: “But, you know, I’m moving towards where I need to go to make all that… to bring things to light.”
Amber Heard was the key witness for The Sun during the trial
The actor said that “this particular arena of my life has been so absurd” but “what the people in Minamata dealt with? People who suffered with COVID? A lot of people lost lives. Children sick… But what I’ve been through? That’s like getting scratched by a kitten. Comparatively.”
Depp went on to say that Minamata, which was made before the 2020 libel trial, will not be his last film, despite the “boycott”.
And earlier this month it was announced that he is set to be given a lifetime achievement award from a major film festival in Spain.
The actor will receive the Donostia Award, the highest honour at the San Sebastian festival, taking place in September, with organisers calling him “one of contemporary cinema’s most talented and versatile actors”.
The decision was condemned by a leading group of female filmmakers in Spain, who said it “speaks very badly of the festival and its leadership, and transmits a terrible message to the public – it doesn’t matter if you are an abuser as long as you are a good actor.”
Entertainment
Tomorrowland: ‘Devastating’ blaze destroys main stage at major festival – two days before it was due to begin
A huge fire has destroyed the main stage of a major festival in Belgium – two days before it was due to begin.
Tomorrowland is a dance music event as big as Glastonbury – and David Guetta was due to perform.
Footage showed flames and thick plumes of black smoke engulfing the stage and spreading to nearby woodland on Wednesday.
The fire gutted the main stage
Fire crews attempt to bring the blaze under control
The annual festival in the town of Boom, north of Brussels, is one of the biggest in Europe and attracts about 400,000 people over two consecutive weekends.
It is famous for its immersive and elaborate designs and attracts big names within dance music – including Guetta, best known for tracks When Love Takes Over and Titanium.
Dutch DJs Martin Garrix and Charlotte de Witte were also due to perform, along with the likes of Swedish House Mafia, Eric Prydz and Alok.
Black smoke could be seen rising into the sky
The festival’s website described the creative elements which went into the elaborate main stage.
The theme, described as Orbyz, was “set in a magical universe made entirely out of ice” and “full of mythical creatures”.
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Organisers said no one was injured in the blaze but confirmed “our beloved main stage has been severely damaged”, adding they were “devastated”.
Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen added: “We received some truly terrible news today. A fire broke out on the Tomorrowland site … and our main stage was essentially destroyed there, which is truly awful.
“That’s a stage that took years to build, with so much love and passion. So I think a lot of people are devastated.”
Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen told reporters ‘a lot of people are devastated’
Despite the fire, Tomorrowland organisers said they were still expecting 38,000 festivalgoers at DreamVille, the event’s campsite.
Entertainment
Robin Kaye: American Idol TV executive and her husband shot dead inside their Los Angeles home
An American Idol TV executive and her husband have been found dead in their LA home.
Robin Kaye was a music supervisor on the long-running reality TV series.
The bodies of the 70-year-old and her husband Thomas were discovered after officers conducted a welfare check at their home.
Both had died from gunshot wounds.
Robin Kaye and her husband Thomas. Pic: Facebook
Detectives say Raymond Boodarian has been arrested in connection with their deaths.
It is alleged the 22-year-old had burgled their property while they were away on 10 July – killing the couple upon their return.
According to Los Angeles Police, there were “no signs of forced entry or trouble” at the property.
Ms Kaye was an industry veteran – and had previously worked on shows including Lip Sync Battle and The Singing Bee, as well as several Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants.
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Pic: ABC7 Los Angeles
In a statement, an American Idol spokesperson said: “Robin has been a cornerstone of the Idol family since 2009 and was truly loved and respected by all who came in contact with her.
“Robin will remain in our hearts forever and we share our deepest sympathy with her family and friends during this difficult time.”
Entertainment
Action taken to stop ticketless Oasis fans from watching this week’s shows in Manchester
Huge steel fences have been erected to prevent ticketless fans from watching the Oasis reunion tour in Manchester.
Liam and Noel Gallagher will resume their sold-out run of shows – their first since 2009 – with a performance at Heaton Park tonight, and two more on Saturday and Sunday.
While tens of thousands bought tickets for Oasis’s first two shows last weekend, crowds gathered to glimpse the large screens above the stage in the distance – in an area dubbed “Gallagher Hill” by some on social media.
People walk past a temporary security fence erected ahead of concerts by Oasis in Heaton Park on 1 July. Reuters file pic
Manchester City Council has now said more steel fences have been erected around parts of the park to prevent ticketless fans from watching the gigs, and to protect nature in the park.
“After taking stock of how the first two nights went, additional measures have now been deemed necessary and will be in place for the next three concerts,” it said.
“The erection of the fencing has a dual purpose – both to protect the environment from further damage and to dissuade people from gathering there.
“The necessary measure means the concert will no longer be visible from this area.”
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Friday: Excited fans at Oasis homecoming gig
The fences will cover a large area of the hill within the park’s cattle field, which is being developed as a new woodland area with around 300 young trees planted.
The council added that there would be no facilities for people without a ticket, and said the event area is “double-walled with solid high security fencing all the way round”.
More than 2,000 event security staff and police officers will also be on duty around the site “to ensure both the safety and wellbeing of ticket-holders and that only those who have tickets access the concert”, it said.
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Fans queue all day for Manchester homecoming gig
John Hacking, the council’s executive member for employment, skills and leisure, also said in a statement that “unfortunately our hand has been forced in having to put these additional measures in place”.
He added: “Our advice to music fans who don’t have tickets for the concerts is to head into the city centre instead.
“The whole city is going all out to celebrate and help everyone have a good time.
“We’ve got some fantastic things going on with a real party atmosphere for everyone to enjoy, whether they’ve got tickets for the Oasis gigs or not.”
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