Captain Jack is back! Maybe not as the character he made famous back when Disney actually made good movies that people wanted to see, but Johnny Depp made his triumphant return to the Cannes Film Festival, and brought the house down with a 7-minute ovation.
After the allegations of abuse by Amber Heard, many thought Depp was done. It was the middle of the #metoo movement, and the charges against him looked salacious and damning. Turns out, at least in the eyes of the court Amber Heard was fibbing a little bit, and Depp cleared his name and stung her for a million-dollar defamation settlement. Since then, Depp has laid low, but his reception at Cannes was stunning. Check this out.
Depp has been working his way back into the public eye and entertainment business after crushing his ex-wife in a defamation trial. Heard accused Depp of abuse in an infamous Washington Post op-ed that didn’t name him. The actor sued and was awarded millions (later settled for just $1 million).
Many viewed it as the fatal and final blow to the #MeToo movement. After years of losing his reputation because of the unfounded allegations, Depp is finally roaring back and that was clear Tuesday night.
Johnny Depp got a 7 minute standing ovation after the screening of Jeanne du Barry!!!!! pic.twitter.com/bFSevzPo14
— M (@mimasdiaries) May 16, 2023
Indeed, much of the evidence pointed to Depp as the victim and Heard as a bonafide lunatic, so perhaps it was a matter of time before Depp came back, but what happened at Cannes was unexpected.
Depp and his new film “Jeanne du Barry” received a seven-minute standing ovation at the festival, according to Variety.
The famous “Pirates of the Caribbean” actor was visibly emotional during the powerful moment.
In addition to an adoring audience, Variety magazine reported that there were “thousands of supportive fans” waiting for Depp to arrive, just to get a glimpse or a handshake from their idol. Sensing the moment, it was reported that he spent five minutes talking to fans and greeting as many people as he could before entering the building. That is the reaction of someone who knows they are lucky to be back in the spotlight, and appreciating the gravity of the moment.
As for the new film, Outkick describes it thusly:
The plot of his new film is described by IMDB as, “The life of Jeanne Bécu who was born as the illegitimate daughter of an impoverished seamstress in 1743 and went on to rise through the Court of Louis XV to become his last official mistress.”
Not exactly Pirates of the Caribbean, but Depp is well known for his love of the art-house film, and he has to start rebuilding his career from somewhere.
Speaking of Pirates, it is rumored that Disney is considering Depp to reprise Captain Jack.
Judging from the reaction it received at Cannes, it’s going to be an outstanding movie. If it meets expectations, Depp might go right back to the top of Hollywood.
There’s even been whispers he could return for a new “Pirates” movie. It’s not clear how serious those rumors might be.
No matter what happens next, Johnny Depp appears to OFFICIALLY be back, and it’s been a long time coming.
It is a welcome and triumphant return for the beloved actor. While the Heard case might have very well been the death-blow for #metoo, it was still important because it proved the system still works, and the truth still sometimes wins.
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