Johnny Depp has had a long and wildly successful career as a character actor, with plenty of beloved film credits. But most recently he’s perhaps most synonymous with his relationship with Amber Heard, and their long, messy legal battle. Depp recently admitted he’s “cut off” from the world as a celebrity, being quoted saying “it just gets weird.” Let’s break it all down.
It’s been a few years since the Depp/Heard case got a verdict, which largely was on the Pirates of the Caribbean actor’s side. Despite this time passing, he hasn’t taken any Hollywood gigs, although his first post-trial movie Jeanne du Barry is finally coming to the states. When speaking with People about that movie, he mentioned how he relates to the gossipy world of the film. As he put it:
I think for someone in that position, and again, some of this stuff resonates for me — not that I’m a king of any sort. But it resonates just in the sense that this guy, within his circle, let’s say, within his world, he had to be available kind of at all times. And yet he was, in a sense, hidden away and living his life that way. So the layers between him and the real world, they start to get thicker and weirder.
There you have it. It sounds like Depp found some common ground with his character in his first post-trial movie. Namely because he’s also a public figure who also tries to find some privacy from the world. After all, Depp has been living in Europe since the defamation trial ended.
It’s definitely been interesting to see how Depp decided to step back into the public space over the past few years. He appeared at the VMAs, walked in Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty show, and even took a directing gig. But he hasn’t actually returned to the Hollywood machine. Later in that same interview, Depp spoke about wanting to isolate himself, offering:
It has been something like that for me at times. … I certainly wouldn’t complain about it ever, but there is a part of you that is kind of cut off from the world. Where, if you go out, it gets weird, you know? It just gets weird.
It definitely makes sense that his level of fame can be “weird.” After all, fans were able to watch the Depp/Heard trial on TV, and it made countless headlines during that time. There are few things more bizarre than having one’s personal life become daily, public news. So who can blame him for trying to find some privacy?
Only time will tell how Depp’s professional comeback will continue, and if he ever rejoins Hollywood. Jeanne du Barry hit theaters on May 2nd via Fathom Events. Check the 2024 movie release dates to plan your next trip to the theater.