‘Creepy and out of touch’: audience slams Johnny Depp’s cameo at 2022 MTV VMAs
It’s sometimes strange how things pan out online. When Amber Heard first accused ex-husband Johnny Depp of physically and sexually abusing her, we saw the Pirates of The Caribbean actor lose all his brand and movie deals in no time at all. Then, when the two confronted each other in one of the most covered trials in history, the tables turned and so did the media’s opinion on the veracity of Heard’s claims. Heck, even Hollywood’s biggest stars got involved to show their support for Depp.
It then should have come as a relief to all when the 59-year-old won the defamation suit, with the jury stating he should receive $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages. Well, plot twist: mass opinion was about to change once again, all because of the actor’s fan base.
Long story short, Depp fans were so keen on getting their hands on thousands of pages of unsealed court documents in the case that they raised more than $7,000 to access them. Before doing so, supporters were convinced that these extra documents would be the final nail in Heard’s coffin. Bummer for the Aquaman actress’ hate club—much of the new information cast Heard in a more sympathetic light and Depp in a much less flattering one.
Following this latest turn of events, a handful of celebrities did a U-turn and went back on Depp’s victory post on Instagram and made a point of unliking it—leading many to wonder about the fairness of the trial’s verdict. Said celebrities included Bella Hadid, Game of Thrones actress Sophie Turner, Zoey Dutch and Orlando Bloom.
Regardless of his wonky reputation, Depp made a surprise appearance at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) on Sunday 28 August, leaving viewers and Heard supporters alike shocked at the distasteful move. Right after Lizzo’s performance at the beginning of the star-studded ceremony, the actor made a quick cameo as the face of the Moon Person trophy.
“I just want you guys to know I’m available for birthdays, bat mitzvahs, weddings, wakes—any old thing you need,” he said in the brief clip, which saw his face imposed on top of the astronaut figure’s helmet.
While some fans were pleased to see their icon make his return official, many viewers took to Twitter to criticise the idea. “Ewww why did Johnny Depp make an appearance at the VMAs? So bloody creepy and out of touch of MTV,” one user wrote. “Johnny Depp showing up at the VMAs for funny cameos is really fucking gross,” tweeted another.
Even Heard’s sister, Whitney Henriquez—who testified that Depp struck her in the back while at the top of a staircase, grabbed her sister by the hair and hit her before trashing Heard’s closet—lashed out at MTV in her Instagram Story. “@MTV you’re disgusting and clearly desperate! I really hope that none of the people that made this call have daughters,” she wrote over an image of Heard with the strapline: “I stand with Amber Heard.”
What do you think, were you bothered by Depp’s cameo? Let us know in the comments below.
