When Johnny Depp Said He 'Doesn't Need' Hollywood, Talked About Facing a Boycott
On Wednesday, Johnny Depp appeared at the Cannes Film Festival, a day after his first film screening in three years. During a press conference, Depp stated that he no longer requires Hollywood. The actor, who plays King Louis XV in the French film "Jeanne du Barry," directed and starring Maïwenn, made a rare public appearance to answer questions from the press. This is Depp's first film since last year's jury ruling in his favor in his legal dispute with ex-wife Amber Heard. He spoke in French during the press conference.
During the 2022 defamation trial, Johnny Depp argued that he had suffered professional setbacks as a result of Amber Heard's allegations against him. The trial concluded with a ruling in favor of Depp, as Heard was ordered to pay him $10 million in damages, validating his claims that she had made false statements about him abusing her during their short-lived marriage. In addition to Depp's award, Heard was granted $2 million in a separate context.
At the Cannes Film Festival, Johnny Depp, known for his role in 'Pirates Of The Caribbean,' was met with a standing ovation. During the film's press conference on May 17, he candidly discussed feeling marginalized by Hollywood. Depp, famous for his performance in 'Edward Scissorhands,' revealed that he experienced a sense of abandonment from the film industry after being removed from multiple projects. When questioned about whether Hollywood had turned against him, the superstar responded, “You'd have to not have a pulse at that point to feel like, 'No, none of this is happening. This is actually just a weird joke. When you’re asked to resign from a film you’re doing because of something that is merely a function of vowels and consonants floating in the air, yes, you feel boycotted.”
Following notable incidents, including being asked to step down from the "Harry Potter" spin-off franchise "Fantastic Beasts," Johnny Depp has now expressed his lack of interest in pursuing further studio projects. “Do I feel a boycott now? No, not at all. I don’t feel boycotted by Hollywood because I don’t think about Hollywood. I don’t have much further need for Hollywood myself, I think it’s a very strange, funny time where everybody wants to be themselves, but they can’t, they must fall in line, and conform — and if you want to lead this life, I’ll be on the other side," he said.
#JohnnyDepp says he was boycotted by Hollywood, but he is concentrating on his career outside of 'Tinseltown' at the #JeanneDuBarry Press Conference at #Cannes2023
— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) May 17, 2023
📸 Ming Yeung/Getty pic.twitter.com/vXhQQpRDqL
Additionally, he criticized the media for purportedly publishing sensationalized articles about him and spreading inaccurate information: “With regard to me and my life, the majority of what you've read is fantastically, horrifically written fiction.” "Jeanne du Barry" is being promoted as the actor's triumphant return to the big screen following a three-year break, during which he was engaged in a legal battle with his ex-wife, Amber Heard. However, Depp disputed the use of the term "comeback."
“They’re using it as a kind of catchphrase. ‘The guy’s making a comeback.’ I’ve had about 17 comebacks by the way, apparently, I keep wondering about the word ‘comeback’ because I didn’t go anywhere. As a matter of fact, I live about 45 minutes away so, yeah. Maybe, maybe people stopped calling. I don’t know what their fear was at the time. I didn’t go nowhere. I’ve been sitting around. So ‘comeback’ is almost like I’m going to come out and do a tap dance or something like that,” Depp said.
References:
https://deadline.com/2023/05/johnny-depp-boycott-comments-cannes-jeanne-du-barry-1235369622/
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/johnny-depp-no-need-hollywood_n_646633ffe4b0ab2b97e5c128
