Rihanna was called out on social media for including Johnny Depp in her upcoming Savage X Fenty fashion show.
NBC News confirmed that Depp, "Pirates of the Caribbean" star, will join other celebrities — including dancers, models, singers, and actors — at the 40-minute show that will stream Wednesday on Amazon's Prime Video.
Depp has faced backlash after winning his defamation case against ex-wife Amber Heard in June.
Depp sued Heard for $50 million after she wrote a 2018 op-ed for the Washington Post claiming she was a survivor of domestic abuse. She did not publicly name Depp but he claimed the allegations damaged his ability to work.
Heard countersued, claiming Depp orchestrated a smear campaign against her. In June, the jury determined that Heard defamed Depp on all three counts. He was awarded $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages. Heard was awarded $2 million in compensatory damages.
After news broke of Depp's appearance at the Savage X Fenty fashion show, which sees Rihanna take on the role of executive producer and creative director, many of his critics took to social media to call for a boycott of the event and Savage X Fenty's brand.
A Twitter user wrote: "If Johnny Depp has any part in this, I will no longer support the brand." Another wrote: "We will boycott the show if Johnny Depp is in it."
Others questioned why Rihanna was including Depp in the event considering the allegations of domestic abuse against him, especially given her past with her ex, Chris Brown, who was arrested and accused of physically assaulting her in 2009. Brown pleaded guilty to felony assault and completed probation in 2015.
Since winning his case against Heard, Depp has tried to revive his career. Notably, he recently made an appearance as a floating astronaut hovering above the crowd at MTV's Video Music Awards. His face was digitally projected onto the network's mascot, the Moon Man, saying how he "needed the work."
"I just want you guys to know that I'm available for birthdays, bar mitzvahs, bat mitzvahs, weddings, any ol' thing you need … anything, you name it. So, oh, I'm also a dentist," Depp said.
That cameo also generated criticism and left social media users divided.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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