Hollywood actor Johnny Depp blasted cancel culture this week, saying that he has been a victim of it himself. After lamenting that “no one is safe” from cancel culture, Depp called on others to “stand up” for people who they see facing “injustice.”
Depp Blasts Cancel Culture
“It can be seen as an event in history that lasted for however long it lasted, this cancel culture, this instant rush to judgement based on what essentially amounts to polluted air,” Depp said before receiving the honorary Donostia Award at this year’s San Sebastian Film Festival, according to Deadline.
You can hear Depp’s response to a question about artists being protected in this era of cancellation starting at the 7:35 mark:
“It’s so far out of hand now that I can promise you that no one is safe. Not one of you. No one out that door. No one is safe,” the Pirates Of The Caribbean star continued. “It takes one sentence and there’s no more ground, the carpet has been pulled. It’s not just me that this has happened to, it’s happened to a lot of people. This type of thing has happened to women, men. Sadly at a certain point they begin to think that it’s normal. Or that it’s them. When it’s not.”
Johnny Depp at San Sebastian receiving his Donostia Award pic.twitter.com/8niteq0ERb
— epiphany (@jacxpearl) September 22, 2021
Related: Whoopi Goldberg Torches Cancel Culture – ‘The Truth Doesn’t Seem To Matter’
Depp Refers To His Own Situation
Depp went on to seemingly refer to his high-profile libel case with UK newspaper The Sun, which branded him as a “wife-beater” during his heated divorce from actress Amber Heard.
The fallout from this caused Depp to be fired from his role in the lucrative Fantastic Beasts movie franchise
“It doesn’t matter if a judgement, per se, has taken some artistic license,” he explained. “When there’s an injustice, whether it’s against you or someone you love, or someone you believe in – stand up, don’t sit down. ‘Cause they need you.”
Depp’s legal battles are far from over. He has a $50 million defamation lawsuit against Heard that is set to go to trial next year. And, she’s filed a $100 million counterclaim against him as well.
Related: Sharon Osbourne Says Cancel Culture Is Why She’ll Never Return To Talk TV
Depp ‘Worried’ About Appearing At Festival
Depp also admitted that he was “worried” that his presence at this festival right now “would offend people” and that he “didn’t want to offend anyone.”
He then praised festival director Jose Luis Rebordinos, and the mayor of San Sebastian for their “undying support” and for “not buying what has been, for far too long, some notion of me that doesn’t exist.”
“I haven’t done anything, I just make movies,” he added.
There was some criticism of Depp by feminist groups and film industry associations for being the award recipient when it was announced in August.
One group, the CIMA association of female cinematographers and audiovisual professionals, said it was “an error from an ethical point of view.”
However, Rebordinos responded that the award was a reflection of Depp’s cinematic achievements was not related to his personal life.
Press Conference Interruption
At a press conference in Spain, someone played a recording of the Depp’s ex-wife Amber Heard.
The recording was of a statement Heard made outside the High Court in London in July 2020, “It has been incredibly painful to relive the break-up of my relationship, to have my motives, my truth questioned and the most traumatic and intimate details of my life with Johnny shared in court and broadcast to the entire world.”
But, the conference continued.
One of the worst parts about cancel culture is that society has done away with the concept of innocent until proven guilty.
These days, public figures are cancelled forever before the facts about what they’ve allegedly done have even come to light.
Sadly, cancel culture appears to be more powerful than ever.
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