Actor Johnny Depp warned against cancel culture Wednesday, ahead of receiving the honorary Donostia Award at this year's San Sebastian Film Festival. According to Deadline, Depp said "no one is safe" from cancel culture and he calls for a movement to "stand up" against it.
"It can be seen as an event in history that lasted for however long it lasted, this cancel culture, this instant rush to judgement based on what essentially amounts to polluted air," Depp said after being asked about his exile from Hollywood as a result of abuse allegations from his former wife, Amber Heard.
"It's so far out of hand now that I can promise you that no one is safe. Not one of you. No one out that door. No one is safe," Depp continued. "It takes one sentence and there's no more ground, the carpet has been pulled. It's not just me that this has happened to, it's happened to a lot of people. This type of thing has happened to women, men. Sadly at a certain point they begin to think that it's normal. Or that it's them. When it's not."
Depp referenced a high-profile libel case against UK newspaper The Sun, which called him a "wife-beater." A lawsuit which he lost last year.
"It doesn't matter if a judgement, per se, has taken some artistic license. When there's an injustice, whether it's against you or someone you love, or someone you believe in – stand up, don't sit down. 'Cause they need you."
As a result of the cancel culture mob coming after Depp, Warner Bros dropped him from the Fantastic Beasts franchise. Meanwhile, Depp also has a $50 million defamation lawsuit against ex-wife Amber Heard, and Heard is pursuing a $100 million counterclaim and is scheduled to go to trial next year.
During the press conference at the festival, Depp also slammed Hollywood. "Hollywood is certainly not what it was," Depp said. "The studio system, the grudge matches, the pandemonium and chaos of cinematic releases to streaming… it is a case of, 'no matter what, I'm going to get mine.' That's where these people are coming from."
"They realize they're just a disposable as I am. Some more so," he continued. "Large corporations take control of these things. As someone who takes part in the creation of cinema, how much more formula do we need from the likes of studios? How much more condescension do we need as audiences? I think that Hollywood has grotesquely underestimated the audience."
Finally, Depp also noted he was "worried" about his attendance at the festival, noting he "didn't want to offend anyone." He went on to praise the event director, Jose Luis Rebordinos, and the mayor of San Sebastian for their "undying support" and for "not buying what has been, for far too long, some notion of me that doesn't exist."
"I haven't done anything, I just make movies," Depp concluded.
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