Johnny Depp, once one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars, has embarked on a career reboot primarily centered in Europe. He recently spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about his latest directorial project, Modi: Three Days on the Wing of Madness (2024). But as Depp claimed determination to remain in the creative industry, social media users found his slurry, somewhat incoherent statements concerning.
Depp’s personal life has been characterized by public scrutiny and legal battles, notably his highly publicized 2022 defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard. The outcome resulted in a jury favoring Depp, which, while restoring some of his reputation, could not erase the 2020 U.K. Sun libel trial that found he could legally be called a “wife beater.”
The Pirates of the Caribbean star referred to the trial, his struggles with substance abuse, and other publicized personal issues as a “vast wilderness.”
“Ultimately that vast wilderness taught me a whole lot,” he said.
Depp revealed that he feels detached from Hollywood and its expectations, especially after the defamation trial. He claimed he no longer holds resentment for anyone involved:
“Honestly, I can sit here this very second and think about all the hit pieces, and how everybody was against me, and yeah yeah yeah he is off the map … endless stuff. I can remember it all. Went through it all. Some of it was not the most beautiful time, some of it was hilarious. Some of it was mad. The thing is, it simply just was, and it simply just is. So, for me, it happened. I learned, man. Everything that we experience, whether you’re given a snow cone or walking your dog, you learn something somewhere along the way. So I don’t have any ill feelings toward anyone. I don’t have this great reserve of hatred, because hatred requires caring. Why carry that baggage?”
The Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016) star compared his reputation shift to that of the late acquitted murder suspect O.J. Simpson:
“Oh yes, of course, it is my responsibility. But it is also helpful in certain instances, especially when things are crumbling all around. It’s weird to be able to escape, not into a character, but it is good to be able to inhabit a character, and as everything is in your toolbox — some of that stuff can be used as available stimulus. Which is great. So yeah. Everything has been … it has really, it just is. And on some level, it is gonna be around, that kind of thing. It’s like OJ or something. But hey, it just happened. That’s all.”
Concern for Johnny Depp’s Wellbeing
Fans and followers have expressed growing concern for Depp’s wellbeing after The Hollywood Reporter shared the full interview on YouTube. Viewers noted Depp’s slurred speech and incomplete thoughts.
Considering Depp’s previously publicized struggles with substance abuse and accusations of violent behavior from his ex-wife, many social media users expressed concern that the actor appears to have relapsed.
“I don’t think he formed a single complete thought, let alone a whole sentence,” one Reddit user wrote.
“This is bad..,” said another. “Weird OJ reference aside he’s slurring and making absolutely no sense. He’s starting to sound like Ozzy Osbourne. Why his team allowed this interview to happen when he’s in this state I don’t know, this is not exactly going to help his big career comeback when anyone with half a brain can see he’s still using.”
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