The current status of the career of Johnny Depp, who was reported on Wednesday to have applied to the U.K. Court of Appeal over a lost libel case against a tabloid, is the subject of a new deep-dive from the Hollywood Reporter's executive film editor Tatiana Siegel.
In the piece, Deep is said to "no longer be involved" with a Harry Houdini TV project from his Pirates of the Caribbean collaborator Jerry Bruckheimer, which was notably a project that some might argue would have been key in a path forward amid the ongoing legal battles centered on abuse allegations by his ex-wife Amber Heard.
To drive home how much things have changed since Depp's heyday, the THRpiece notes that the actor earned $3 million for the upcoming Minamata. During his 13-year run at the top, by comparison, Depp bagged an estimated $650 million.
Crisis PR expert Eric Schiffer, meanwhile, notes that Depp has indeed suffered "immense" damage to his career optics but also points out the ravenous dedication his fans have for him.
"He still has a fan base that in many ways is like Donald Trump's with their emotional intensity and commitment to a star icon," Schiffer said.
However, a studio boss—whose name is not given in the THR piece—shared a more dire take on Depp's current situation.
"You simply can't work with him now," the studio head said. "He's radioactive."
Others cited in the deep-dive point to the legal strategy of Depp attorney Adam Waldman as being counterproductive, ultimately resulting in action against those who were previously a part of Depp's closest inner circle while also seeing his private life detailed to the world.
"It wasn't just erratic and violent behavior that wrecked one of the world's most bankable stars," Siegel writes. "It was his unquenchable thirst for revenge." That thirst got so bad that at one point, Depp reportedly asked Warner Bros. to have Heard removed from Aquaman. "I want her replaced on the WB film," a text he sent his sister, Christi Dembrowski, read.
Peep the full piece here.
Last month, Depp released a letter to fans following his forced exit from Fantastic Beasts and the aforementioned libel case loss. In it, Depp thanked his supporters and confirmed his intentions to appeal, which he has now done:
