He’s no angel either: the long list of Johnny Depp’s problematic faults

The glorification of Johnny Depp is unsettling to say the least. You possibly can nonetheless defend the actor—the truth is as a sufferer of violence it is best to—nonetheless the assist proven in direction of him has shortly turned (as many predicted) into an unbridled mania that chooses to stay unaware of Depp’s personal wrongdoings. Not solely that, however the circus erected rather than what must be a courtroom has belittled the intense means of legislation, crime and abuse.

Let me make clear for the Depp fanatics on the market, I’m not saying that him ‘not being an entirely good particular person’ means he doesn’t should be supported as a survivor of abuse. He does. What I am saying is that it’s not as simple as him being an angel and Amber Heard being satan incarnate.

Shannon Ashley highlights this extremely properly in her essay titled Johnny Depp Is a “Good” Victim. Amber Heard Is Not. “I don’t know anybody who can take heed to Amber Heard on tape and name her behaviour wholesome. But the identical individuals who can’t wait to lambast Heard could be discovered making one excuse after one other for Depp’s personal terrible—and sure, poisonous—behaviour,” she wrote.

“A part of the rationale right here is frustrating. Johnny Depp is a ‘good’ sufferer. Amber Heard just isn’t,” Ashley continued. “By that, I imply that Depp largely behaves the way in which we count on a person to behave whereas Heard doesn’t behave the way in which we count on a girl to behave.”

To assist within the de-glorification of the Pirates of the Caribbean alum and eradicating him from the immortal pedestal that’s superstar, we’ve compiled a listing of Depp’s earlier problematic transgressions to color him for what he’s—human, not god-like.

He despatched graphic and violent textual content messages

As a part of the continued trial, incidents of Depp’s questionable behaviour had been highlighted by Heard’s camp. One got here evidenced within the type of leaked text messages exchanged with fellow actor and good friend Paul Bettany in June 2013. The messages written by the Edward Scissorhands lead learn as follows: “Let’s drown her earlier than we burn her!!!”

“I’ll fuck her burnt corpse afterwards to ensure she’s lifeless,” he added. A message was additionally learn in court docket the place Depp was calling his ex-wife and mom of his kids Vanessa Paradis a “French extortionist, cunt.”

One other textual content by the actor made in 2014 referring to Heard read: “I’ll smack the ugly cunt round earlier than I let her in.” 

To again up a declare Heard made that Depp was violent onboard a flight, the next textual content from her ex-husband was issued as proof during which he described himself on the journey as “an indignant aggro injun in a fucking blackout, screaming obscenities and insulting any fuck who received close to.” Depp confirmed in court docket that these textual content messages had been certainly from him.

He brazenly supported Roman Polanski

Sadly not alone on this group, Depp joins a plethora of his Hollywood counterparts of their horrifying reverence of Roman Polanksi. The director was found guilty in 1977 for sexually assaulting a lady of simply 13 years of age (he was 43), after which he fled the US and lived primarily in France whereas avoiding any international locations which have jurisdiction to extradite him to the States. Regardless of this crime (that he later admitted to) in addition to the opposite horrifying shows of predatory behaviour—he’s not precisely refined about it—Polanski went on to win an Oscar in 2003.

A number of folks have since come forth to accuse the director of assault. When confronted with a home arrest in 2009, Depp was one in all many to return to the rapist’s defence. “Why now? Clearly there’s something happening someplace. Any individual has made a take care of somebody. Perhaps there was somewhat cash concerned, however why now?” said the actor.

“And likewise…very clearly, very clearly and he’s confirmed this. Roman Polanski just isn’t a predator. He’s 75 or 76 years outdated. He has received two lovely youngsters, he has received a spouse that he has been with for an extended, very long time. He’s not out on the road doing horrible, horrible issues,” Depp added. Yep, that’s your fave…

He was accused of verbal abuse and throwing a bottle at Ellen Barkin

Whereas many individuals have cited that Depp has proven no indicators of problematic behaviour in his earlier relationships—naming Paradis and Winona Ryder as examples—one other girl from his previous is testifying as a key witness for Heard. Ellen Barkin, who had some kind of relationship with Depp (she claims it was severe whereas he counters that it was purely bodily), got here forth along with her personal story concerning the actor.

Barkin, who met her Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas co-star in 1998, alleges that whereas he was along with her, Depp was an indignant and jealous particular person and on one occasion, threw a bottle of wine in her path. It has by no means been confirmed whether or not she was injured by the incident. In court documents that held Barkin’s submissions (as a witness for The Sun within the UK libel case) she is famous saying: “There may be at all times an air of violence round him.”

“He’s a yeller. He’s verbally abusive,” she added.

One other ex, Jennifer Grey—Dirty Dancing’s star—additionally attested to comparable behaviour patterns in her own relationship with Depp in 1989 in The Independent, describing him as “loopy jealous and paranoid about what I’d been as much as whereas he was gone.” She additionally claimed that he allegedly usually received into bar fights and was ill-tempered.

He is an efficient good friend of Marilyn Manson

Depp’s relationship with Marilyn Manson, who has been accused of sexual, physical and psychological abuse by a number of former companions, is not only problematic in its isolation. Very like Kanye West continuing to work with Manson, simply being in affiliation with such an individual is subject sufficient—however Depp’s entanglement with the artist, married with the context of his ongoing libel case towards Heard, has, as we predicted, undermined the experience of abuse of survivors going ahead.

Plainly Depp’s bestie has been impressed by the case and has gone on to sue ex Evan Rachel Wood for guess what? Defamation. Shock, shock. What makes the matter much more unsettling is that Depp’s incessant followers have truly rallied behind Manson, claiming that he too has been falsely accused—keep in mind at the very least 16 girls have come out in regards to the singer (and amongst these are allegations of rape).

Although after all Depp particularly truly has a case for himself being abused, his perspective in court docket (we’ll get to that quickly sufficient) in addition to the horrid glorification and ridiculing of the lawsuit has solely aided in vilifying actual feminine survivors of sexual and bodily violence. The New York Post made be aware that it’s Depp’s personal staunch followers who’ve shortly unfold the hashtag #IStandWithMarilynManson all through Twitter.

Award-winning anti-rape activist Wagatwe Wanjuki took to the platform to completely encapsulate the disastrous penalties of this relationship. “The case has been became a circus (and an earnings stream for social media platforms and a few creators),” she wrote. “Turning it right into a referendum of who’s and isn’t the abuser distracts from the central subject of survivors’ free speech. Manson is already impressed and just lately sued outspoken sufferer and advocate Wooden,” Wanjuki added.

Inappropriate behaviour in court docket

Whereas Heard’s behaviour in court docket may fairly clearly have an effect on the juror’s notion of her negatively, so may Depp’s. Regardless of being broadly celebrated on-line, the giggles and scoffs made by the actor may very well be wholly detrimental to his case. Depp is commonly seen doodling, consuming gummy bears and making snide remarks about his ex-wife to his legal professionals. In line with authorized specialists, the ex-couple’s courtroom manner may imply they each lose the case.

“You need the jury to sympathise together with your shopper they usually should be likeable for that. When you’re appearing like this, it’s simply enjoyable and video games that might flip lots of people off,” Virginia lawyer Lee Berlik advised Daily Mail. Berlik went on so as to add that Depp’s immense fame and public assist is an element that might affect that additionally. “I believe it’ll flip some folks on the jury off, however will it flip all of them off?” he added.

His perspective in court docket in what’s in any other case an extremely severe case solely provides to the comedian sensationalising of a lawsuit that’s about abuse—principally, it leaves a nasty style in your mouth. Heard’s clearly not within the clear both.

Steven Krieger, a Virginia-based lawyer who specialises in defamation instances, criticised the actress’ courtroom antics to LADbible. “For Depp, you don’t wish to seem to a jury that you simply’re making jokes, snickering, or not taking this severely. [And] as for Heard, you don’t wish to be staring straight forward with a deadpan expression in your face. Each must be making an attempt to look sympathetic, humane, and just like the sufferer.”

His relationship with cultural appropriation

It’s arduous to overlook any celebrities dancing with cultural appropriation—they’ve all finished it, and The Lone Ranger star isn’t any stranger to such tasteless strikes. Maybe what instantly involves thoughts is that Dior advert that was scrapped and reshot (you recognize, the one which appropriated Indigenous American imagery and paired it with the phrase ‘Sauvage’). Properly, “so what?” you could say—he apologised, they modified it and, moreover, “Johnny wasn’t even accountable anyway” I can already hear followers cry. However it’s this coddling of what’s a 58-year-old man that additional illustrates our softer attitudes to males versus our harsher attitudes to girls.

Moreover, the aforementioned movie is the place Depp participates in one other act of appropriation the place his alternative is obvious. For The Lone Ranger, it was reported by Time that the actor himself wished to play the a part of Tonto (a historically Native American character) relatively than taking part in the masked man—a transfer some referred to as “redface.” The result of Depp’s casting left many divided with some defending the choice. Adrienne Keene, recognized for her in style weblog Native Appropriations, wrote on the matter and completely illustrated the stereotyping and harmful penalties of Depp’s Indigenous portrayal.

He dated Winona Ryder when she was 17 and he was 25

Yep, the connection that littered our Tumblr feeds in 2013 wasn’t as harmless as first thought. Although celebrated as one of the iconic pairings of all time, Depp was allegedly truly 25 and Winona Ryder only 17 once they first met—making him eight years her senior. The cries of Heard being a younger, manipulative gold digger don’t ring as true while you peruse the actor’s courting historical past. In actual fact, much like Leonardo DiCaprio, Depp has a behavior of courting youthful girls.

In his relationship with Kate Moss, which has been described as “volatile,” Depp was 31 whereas the supermodel was simply 20. The identical age hole (although much less problematic, you could say) existed in his relationship and marriage to Paradis the place he was around 36 and she 25. This leads us as much as his tumultuous pairing with Heard with the biggest hole of all—the actor being 51 on the time he married the 29-year-old actress.