Johnny Depp

Folklorist Bruce Jackson accused Depp and Jeff Beck of reproducing numerous lines from the prison toast Hobo Ben, which he had collected from inmate Slim Wilson, in their song Sad Motherfuckin' Parade without credit. The duo's representatives initially stated that they would examine the claims and add credits if necessary. In October 2022, Depp and Beck in turn sued Jackson, disputing his ownership of copyright in the traditional lyrics and seeking, among other relief, a declaration of non-infringement.

State of the evidence

Alleged

Attribution

Protagonist is the complainant

Depp's return to cinema with Jeanne du Barry benefited from the involvement of Saudi Arabia's Red Sea Film Foundation. Press investigations subsequently documented his repeated visits to the kingdom, his growing closeness to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Saudi interest in future Depp projects, as part of the Vision 2030 strategy to develop the cultural and tourism industries.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

Gregg "Rocky" Brooks, location manager on City of Lies, sued Depp, alleging that the actor had struck him twice in the ribs and insulted him following a dispute about ending an outdoor shoot in April 2017. Depp denied assaulting him, and his lawyers maintained that Brooks had provoked the incident. A settlement was reached in July 2022, resulting in cancellation of the scheduled trial.

Attribution

Accused

In his Virginia defamation action against Amber Heard, the jury found in June 2022 that three statements by Heard were defamatory towards Depp and awarded him $10 million in compensatory damages plus punitive damages reduced to the statutory cap of $350 000. The same jury found in Heard's favour on one counterclaim based on a statement by Depp's former lawyer Adam Waldman and awarded her $2 million. Both parties appealed before reaching a settlement in December 2022 ending the appeals, with Heard agreeing to a $1 million payment.

Depp sued News Group Newspapers and Dan Wootton after The Sun called him a "wife beater". On 2 November 2020, the High Court dismissed his claim and found that the defendants had demonstrated the substantial truth of the expression, accepting 12 of the 14 incidents of assault alleged by Amber Heard on the civil balance-of-probabilities standard. The Court of Appeal refused permission to appeal in March 2021. Days after the original judgment, Warner Bros asked Depp to leave the role of Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts, and he agreed.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Protagonist is the complainant

Two former bodyguards, Eugene Arreola and Miguel Sanchez, sued Depp in 2018, seeking unpaid wages and overtime and alleging dangerous working conditions, claiming in particular that they had been required to "protect Depp from himself" and perform duties beyond ordinary security work. The case was conditionally settled in January 2019 and hearings were cancelled.

Attribution

Accused

A Dior campaign for Sauvage fragrance featuring Depp in landscapes of the American South-West and drawing on Indigenous visual imagery was accused of racism and perpetuating stereotypes, particularly because of the name "Sauvage". Dior removed elements of the campaign from its social media accounts following the public reaction.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Close aide

Depp sued his former management company, The Management Group, for $25 million, accusing it of fraud, theft and financial mismanagement, among other allegations. TMG counterclaimed for fees and maintained that the actor's difficulties arose from exceptionally high personal spending. Following months of proceedings and disclosures about his finances, the parties reached a confidential settlement in July 2018, before trial.

During an appearance at Glastonbury, Depp asked when an actor had last assassinated a president and added that "maybe it's time", while saying he was not suggesting he would act himself. The White House and political figures condemned the remarks. The following day, Depp apologised for the "bad joke" and stated that he had no malicious intent.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Personally implicated

Amber Heard pleaded guilty in Australia to producing a false entry document after the couple's two Yorkshire terriers, Pistol and Boo, arrived without the required biosecurity declaration. Depp was not personally convicted in the proceedings, but appeared alongside Heard in an official video urging compliance with Australian rules, before publicly mocking the video a few weeks later.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Shared responsibility

Person targeted by the proceedings

Amber Heard

Role of the person profiled

Protagonist not prosecuted

After filing for divorce, Amber Heard obtained a temporary restraining order against Depp on 27 May 2016, alleging that he had physically assaulted her, including during an incident on 21 May, and that there was a history of verbal and physical abuse. Depp, through his lawyer, disputed the allegations and maintained that they were intended to secure a swift financial settlement. In August 2016, the parties settled their divorce, withdrew the restraining order litigation and issued a joint statement describing their relationship as passionate and sometimes volatile.

Attribution

Personally implicated

Robin Eckert sued Depp and several security companies after alleging that bodyguards had manhandled her at an Iggy Pop concert at the Hollywood Palladium in 2011, dragging her along the floor and partially exposing her to the public. The case was settled in 2014, with the terms undisclosed.

Casting Depp, an actor not publicly identified as a member of an Indigenous nation, as Tonto in The Lone Ranger triggered debate over "redface", Hollywood stereotypes and whether a Native American actor should have been cast. Depp had referred to possible Cherokee or Creek ancestry and said he wanted to reinvent the character from Tonto's perspective.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

In an interview with German magazine Stern, Depp was quoted as saying that America was "dumb" and comparable to a young dog with large teeth capable of biting and causing injury. Following the controversy, he maintained that his remarks had been distorted, explained that he was referring to the United States' relative historical youth and apologised to those offended.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Personally implicated

Depp was detained after an altercation with paparazzi outside the Mirabelle restaurant in London. Contemporary sources reported that he brandished a wooden plank and threatened photographers; he spent approximately four hours at a police station before being released.

Attribution

Personally implicated

Depp was arrested in New York after furniture and glassware were destroyed in a room at the Mark Hotel, causing nearly $9 767 in damage. The original charge of second-degree criminal mischief was reduced to a lesser offence after he agreed to repay the damage in full; prosecutors indicated that the charges would be dropped after six months without a further incident.

Attribution

Personally implicated

Following a noisy party at a Vancouver hotel, Depp was arrested and charged with assaulting a security guard. In September 1989, he pleaded guilty to assault and received an "absolute discharge"; his lawyer expressed regret and the measure meant that no conviction record would remain.

State of the evidence

Established by a court

Attribution

Personally implicated