Speaking to the media during the press conference for his new film, Jeanne du Barry, in which he plays King Louis XV, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in France, actor Johnny Depp excoriated the media.
Calling it a collection of “horrifically written fiction,” he didn’t pull any punches in exposing the media’s intentions or proclivities.
As you can hear in the video, Depp, speaking to the media during the press conference, said, “We’re all here because we made a film. Not because we have a product to sell, but we made a film. The majority of you who’ve been reading for the last five or six years, I mean, with regard to me and my life, the majority of what you read is fantastically, horrifically written fiction.”
Continuing, he then said, “We’re here to talk about a film, but you know, it’s like asking a question, ‘how are you doing?’ But what’s underneath, in the subtext, is ‘God I hate you.’ Do you know what I mean? So that’s the sort of media thing.”
Then, after ripping the media, he returned to speaking about filmmaking, saying, “But the focus should be simply on the fact that it’s a miracle to get a film made, that you care about in the first place. So you succeed there, you win right there. But to get a film like this made, and with the caliber of people and the vision of a absolutely, you know, forward, moving artist that that’s the focus that should be the real focus. All the stuff that you can stuff your shoes with, line your parrot cage with. I mean, it’s boring. But by now, it’s weird. $100,000 bird sings unrecorded Beatles songs. You’ll get it later. I promise.”
Breitbart, providing some background on Depp’s recent life and why he so dislikes the media, said:
Last year, a jury decided in Johnny Depp’s favor in his libel lawsuit against ex-wife Amber Heard, vindicating his assertion that Heard lied when she wrote in an op-ed that he abused her both before and during their marriage.
Prior to the verdict, Hollywood and much of the news media had sided against Depp based solely on Heard’s allegations. Depp reportedly lost his role in the Fantastic Beasts movies due to Heard’s claims, though not his $16 million paycheck.
Further, many people on Twitter agreed with Depp, commenting on the above video and saying things like:
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“It is so embarrassing & tiresome to hear an American reporter still clinging to the fictional narrative & interrupting a press conference regarding the film, art, production, etc. as if he is gathering dirt for a trashy supermarket tabloid. This is NOT journalism. 🤦♀️”
“That’s why the world loves this man. Speaks to the face and still makes fun of the face of reporters. Yes it’s wonderful. hahahaha”
“It’s so admirable that he stands up for the right to have rights. So many of us are too afraid of the consequences of not conforming ourselves and our voices. He gives us strength to be authentic.”
“I mean it’s boring, isn’t it? Aren’t you guys sick of it by now? It’s weird”
Johnny Depp reminds the media that the focus should be on the film, not his life, of which he calls the reporting of as, “fantastically, horrifically written fiction”
“Hundred thousand dollar bird… pic.twitter.com/fA5pulOXan
— LillyJane916 (@LillyJane916) May 17, 2023
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video