EXCLUSIVE Johnny Depp's rocky road back from cancellation: Pirates of the Caribbean actor is attempting to revive his career after bitter court battle with Amber Heard - but expert says he's dropped to a 'lower tier of stardom'

Daily Mail​

a day ago

The latest unfiltered slating of Johnny Depp 's newest project is proof that life after domestic violence allegations is tough for even the rich and famous.
Critics have slammed the star's latest directorial effort, Modì: Three Days on the Wing of Madness - a biographical drama based on the life of Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani - as an 'abomination' and 'filth'.
The Pirates of the Caribbean star, 62, who dated Kate Moss in the 90s, was on the verge of cancellation in 2018 when rumors of him physically abusing his then-wife Amber Heard sensationally flooded airwaves.
It sparked a tumultuous legal battle between the acrimonious duo, resulting in Depp suing the Aquaman actress in 2019 for defamation. She countersued in 2020 and the trial officially began in April 2022. Two months later, the jury's verdict was in favor of Depp.
Perhaps decades ago that might have been the end of it, but in the era of 'flops' and being 'cancelled' - popularized by millenials and Gen Zs - A-listers' behavior is scrutinized more than ever - and the chance to attain the sort of fame they enjoyed before their misstep is more often than not wiped out.
Whether proven right or wrong, false or factual, sometimes stars endure a public smearing that is hard to come back from - which is the case for the one-time mega movie star.
The world anticipated his second coming post the legal battles when movie Jeanne du Barry dropped in 2023; but it fell flat, and so has every other project he's put his name to since then.
According to British publicity extraordinaire Natalie Trice, the Johnny Depp we once revered is long 'gone' and any attempt at salvaging his ailing career won't work - at least for the foreseeable future.
Simply put, calling the current state of his career a 'comeback' is a stretch.
The expert said: 'Let's be honest, this once untouchable, mysterious figure that women wanted, and men wanted to be, is gone.
'That version of Depp had an almost supernatural cool factor, an enigmatic quality that made him seem like he existed on a different planet from the rest of us.
'The problem is people have long memories, and once you've seen someone's dirty laundry aired in court for weeks, the text messages, the recordings, and the details of a toxic, abusive relationship are shared across the news and social media you can't unsee it.
'The mystique has been shattered and his relationship with Amber Heard is as career defining and legacy leaving as roles like Pirates of the Caribbean'.
Hopes of Johnny Depp reemerging as the comeback kid began with his appearance in the independent French-language movie Jeanne du Barry.
The plot centers around the true life story of Jeanne Bécu, the illegitimate daughter of an impoverished seamstress born in 1743, who went on to become French king Louis XV's (played by Johnny Depp) last official mistress.
One look at critics reviews and it's hard to tell if the flick's main actor is a multi Academy Award star who once dazzled in Edward Scissorhands and Donnie Brasco.
Ever since the jury ruled in favor of Depp the actor has forged a 'comeback' which has been subjected to debates and ridicule (Depp gestures to spectators in court after closing arguments at the Depp vs Heard trial in 2022)
The Telegraph 's chief film critic Robbie Collin called Jeanne du Barry a 'stale and draughty period romance' with Depp 'ill suited' to play the king.
He further said Depp's regal gravitas was 'nonexistent' in the film, and told fans that it wasn't the 'glorious' comeback they anticipated.
The review's further two out of five stars sharpened the blow to his acting chops, but perhaps not as much as The Guardian 's razor summary.
Writer Peter Bradshaw proclaimed it to be a 'preposterous confection' and accused Depp's performance of overshadowing Jean du Barry's story.
But while some social media users at the time purported it to be a flop, even sharing screenshots of empty movie theaters to prove their point, it has reportedly grossed around $15 million across the world.
Considering a decade earlier mobster movie Black Mass pulled in $100 million and the classic Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides a fiery $1 billion, one struggles to brand Jean Du Barry an achievement, but neither does it satisfy the criteria of a flop.
PR expert Natalie says Depp's latest work has descended into a lower 'tier' of stardom.
'Depp keeps insisting he never left, and technically he's right as he kept working through the chaos, but his career trajectory, reputation and legacy are different.
'The industry didn't cancel him outright, but they've definitely moved him to a different tier. He's gone from being Johnny Depp the phenomenon to Johnny Depp the working actor who comes with baggage and a reputation that's somewhat "savage".
'I think the new reality is he is less icon and more human. I don't think Depp's brand will ever recover its old power because we've seen too much; the court footage, the personal struggles, the very human messiness of it all - he's still incredibly wealthy but he's no longer mythical'.
Around the same time Dazed sensationally questioned if Depp could ever be 'cancelled' following abuse allegations stated by Amber Heard - and if he was, whether it had been a 'good' thing for his brand.
Citing back to back movie projects, a seven-figure deal with Dior and at the time JusticeForJohnnyDepp hashtags amassing 15 billion TikTok views compared to 8 million for Amber, the publication said Depp's career was 'thriving'.
Fans have equally straddled the line between calling his rebirth attempt a comeback or cancellation, with many stating it hard to call.
Writing on a Reddit forum about the Dazed article, one person said his 'level' of celebrity might be to blame: 'For someone with Jonah [Hill]/Depp level celebrity to be truly "cancelled", the allegations against have to be overwhelming, with mountains of physical evidence, video footage etc, and a criminal trial that proves their guilt. And even then you'll find some people continue to defend them'.
One fan said Depp's career will never entirely 'disappear', but suggested it would coast over the next few years.
'Depp isn't going to disappear. He's too much a part of the Hollywood ecosystem for that and too ingratiated into pop culture. But I don't think his career is going to be anything like it was before.
'I think the last two years are a good indication of what the rest of his career/life is going to be like. He'll occasionally star in some European film that no one will see, someone he worked with years ago will post a picture with him on Instagram every now and then, he might even have the odd supporting role in a Hollywood film to remind people he's still alive'.
Some people have disagreed with Dazed claims, including one user who joked: 'I think 'thriving' is hidden in one of Depp's tooth cavities, it might come out one day when he visits a dentist with a background in archeology'.
Another added: 'Is Depp's career actually thriving? He doesn't seem to be doing much, and what he's doing seems to be relatively small projects'.
Others spoke on his upcoming Hollywood comeback 'again' with movie Day Drinker, though they say it will tank like others before it.
Dedicating an entire Reddit thread to the flick, one person wrote: 'Johnny Depp's comeback film again, it's got to be a running joke'. Another commenter predicted it would be a flop.
Some critics and fans say Day Drinker could mark Depp's biggest-yet attempt to revive his silver screen career amid the Amber Heard scandal.
Heard was found to have defamed Depp with references to 'sexual violence' and 'domestic abuse' in a 2018 Washington Post column and ordered to pay her ex-husband $10million in damages.
The televised trial in 2022 turned into a circus with Heard decried by some as a conniving liar and Depp the saintly victim, while her supporters argued it was a dark day for the #MeToo movement and that it would put off other women from reporting domestic violence.
However even his most ardent fans could hardly claim that the debacle painted a wholly flattering picture of Depp. The court heard messages he'd sent to his friend Paul Bettany about Heard, including: 'I will f**k her burnt corpse', as well as a recording of Depp smashing up the kitchen while drunk.
This verdict also came less than two years after Depp unsuccessfully sued The Sun for calling him a 'wife beater' when a judge found the 'majority' of his alleged assaults against Heard had been 'proved'.
But despite the drinking, drug use and toxicity laid bare in court, the actor remained the face of Dior Sauvage and rather than being cancelled, he is making a Hollywood comeback in the action thriller blockbuster Day Drinker next year.
According to IMDb, the film, set for release in 2026, is about 'an enigmatic stranger who forms an unlikely bond with a grieving bartender who lost her lover as their lives intertwine in unexpected ways'.
His newest look hasn't escaped the rebrand as the actor underwent a complete transformation for the movie, including sporting silver hair, a bushy full grey beard, and piercing blue contacts.
Fans raved about his 'silver fox' look and numerous noted the actor looked a far cry from his usual self.
Only time will tell if the movie is doomed like the ill-fated flicks before it. But if his recent calendar is anything to go by, he will surely dust it off and try again.
'The question isn't whether he can work again, he's proving that he can' said Natalie.
'He's [Depp is] proving that - but it's whether audiences can accept Johnny Depp as a flawed rather untouchable icon'.
Digital PR strategist Stacey Wong says the actor has gotten it all wrong and shouldn't have hastily returned to the big screen.
Speaking to FEMAIL, she added: 'Right now, the focus should be on credibility and clarity. He doesn't need to win everyone over, he just needs to show stability.
'The next project, whether as an actor or director, will be important. If it's well-received, he could begin to rebuild his image'.
It's too late as reviews for the Depp-directed Modi: Three Days on the Wing of Madness have come in thick and fast.
The plot- released in British cinemas last week, is described as, 'a 72 hour whirlwind through the streets of WWI Paris,' following Italian bohemian artist Modigliani (Riccardo Scamarcio).
The film follows the artist as he, 'attempts to out maneuver bombs, policemen, girlfriends and critics in an increasingly desperate search of a home for his art'. It reunites Depp and Al Pacino for the first time since their 1997 mobster smash Donnie Brasco.
According to The Telegraph, Depp's attempt at a career comeback is hard to decipher under the 'great pile of steaming filth' of a 'mangy biopic'.
Meanwhile The Times branded the whole affair an 'abomination' and thought it 'a plotless and formless offering with a shamefully inept screenplay'.
Rotten Tomatoes is yet to aggregate a final score for the movie but a succession of two out of five scores is sadly telling.
'A string of gruelling clichés' is what one user called it, while another called it 'bland'.
'Modi, Three Days on the Wing of Madness is, despite the floridity of its title and the bad behavior shown onscreen, a curiously bland package' it read in full.
Stacey says the project shouldn't have happened in the first place.
'He's won the legal battle which helped his public image, but the industry hasn't fully welcomed him back. Directing Modìgliani: Three Days on the Wing of Madness shows he's pushing forward, but early reviews have been really harsh.
'Choosing to direct a biopic about a chaotic, tortured artist feels symbolic, but passion projects don't always translate into strong public comebacks. Critics are calling the film messy and unfocused, which makes it harder for audiences to re-engage with his work'.
At the moment Depp's career 'comeback' is as bleak as the foggiest winter morning and it appears to be coasting into oblivion.
But Natalie sees hope at the end of the tunnel for the troubled star even though she says he'll have to put in a lot of work to restore his sparkle.
'His second act depends entirely on his willingness to be more grounded, maybe humbler, with accountability taken for what happened, which many will never forgive or forget either side' continued the expert.
'Fundamentally what made him famous in the first place, be that the good, bad or downright ugly, has changed and he has to work with that and find a way ahead'.