Why Johnny Depp Is The True Victim In His Personal Battles (Op-ed)

Johnny Depp is a Hollywood veteran and is one of the most versatile actors of this generation. He has starred in such films as Black Mass, Edward Scissorhands, Finding Neverland, and the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise as Captain Jack Sparrow. 

In his recent years, Johnny Depp seems to have been down on his luck as, back in 2016, his then-wife Amber Heard claimed that Depp abused her. Depp’s career and reputation in Hollywood were naturally under fire and it even cost him major movie roles, but as the years progressed, and new evidence was revealed on audio that Depp’s ex-wife Amber Heard had assaulted Depp first and began the physical fights, the tide of public opinion began to shift. 

In an audio recording that was later published by The Daily Mail, Heard is saying:

“You can please tell people that it was a fair fight, and see what the judge and jury think. Tell the world, Johnny, tell them, Johnny Depp, I Johnny Depp, a man, I’m a victim too of domestic violence. And I, you know, it’s a fair fight. And see how many people believe or side with you.”

After what Heard has said, it sounds as if Heard is not the victim at all, but actually the perpetrator. This isn’t the first time that Heard has snapped at Depp. There was also an incident where Heard severed Depp’s finger, and according to the tapes threw bottles and other objects at Depp’s face and as a slap to the public’s face, Heard received a $7 million divorce settlement and claimed that she was going to donate it to the Children’s Hospital Foundation. However, the Foundation has yet to receive the money from Heard. Meanwhile, according to Showbiz CheatSheet Johnny Depp donated all of his earnings to Heath Ledger’s daughter Matilda when Depp partially filled Ledger’s role in The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. 

Public outrage would not be so violent to Heard if justice had been served for Depp, but Depp has been fired from the Pirates of the Caribbean and Fantastic Beasts franchises while Heard is claiming to return for Aquaman 2. 

Luckily in Depp’s case, Twitter and earnest Depp fans have come out to support the actor while hashtagging #JusticeforJohnny. Many fans have called for the dismissal of Heard and want to see Depp back as Captain Jack Sparrow and even as Gellert Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts series. As a result, many will be boycotting the next Fantastic Beasts movie and the Aquaman sequel. 

In most abusive relationships, when it is between a man and a woman, almost everyone defaults and says that it was the man’s fault and that the man is the problem and he is the abuser, without ever assuming that the woman might have had a hand in that abuse. So in Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s case, the media and Production companies like Disney and Warner Brothers have decided to punish Johnny Depp, the actual victim, and reward Amber Heard, the true abuser, while these big-name companies try to do their best to look “woke” in the eyes of the people and not come off as sexist, misogynistic pigs.

When people realize that fair is fair and right is right and wrong is wrong regardless of sex, color, race, identity or religion, then and only then can this society in 2021 and beyond can begin to progress and think about what is truly right and not what looks right to others.