In a recent interview, Johnny Depp has criticised Hollywood for "boycotting" him and his upcoming movie, Minamata, for the "unpleasant and messy situation" that arose from his divorce from actress Amber Heard.
After one year of marriage, Heard filed for divorce from Depp in 2016 and claimed that he had been verbally and physically abusive throughout their relationship and that alcohol and drug abuse were the triggers of these incidents. Depp denied that he had caused any physical harm to Heard, and after the settlement was reached, the two actors released a joint statement explaining that "relationship was intensely passionate and at times volatile, but always bound by love... there was never any intent of physical or emotional harm."
However, the fallout of this highly public dissolution of their relationship continues to hit the headlines. Depp sued the tabloid newspaper The Sun for describing him as a "wife-beater" in an article in 2018, and Heard testified 14 occurrences of violence committed to her by Depp throughout their marriage in the trial. Of these, the High Court of Justice ruled that 12 were "substantially true." Most recently, a US judge has asked that the American Civil Liberties Union release proof that Heard donated her $7 million settlement to the charity as she had declared four years ago.
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His new movie Minamata follows photographer W. Eugene Smith and his work on the mercury poisoning of the people who live in the Japanese city of Minamata by the activities of a Chisso Corporation chemical factory. Speaking to Sunday Times, Depp complained that he and his movie are being "buried" by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures owing to the ongoing disputes with Heard. At the moment, there is no date for Minamata but Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures asserted that it is on its schedule of future releases.
"We looked these people in the eyeballs and promised we would not be exploitative," said the actor. "That the film would be respectful. I believe that we've kept our end of the bargain, but those who came in later should also maintain theirs."
"Some films touch people," asserted Depp and explained the significance of the movie's subject matter irrespective of the external events that might surround it right now. "And this affects those in Minamata and people who experience similar things. And for anything... For Hollywood's boycott of me? One man, one actor in an unpleasant and messy situation, over the last number of years? ... But, you know, I'm moving towards where I need to go to make all that ... To bring things to light."
Featured Image Credit: Walt Disney Pictures, Harald Krichel via Wikimedia CommonsTopics: TV and Film, News, No-Article-Matching