Actor Johnny Depp has no intention of setting sail as Captain Jack Sparrow in future “Pirates of the Caribbean” films, according to a new report.
The U.K.’s Daily Mail reported that a close friend of the actor claims Depp is still upset with Disney. The studio decided to drop Depp due to abuse allegations his ex-wife, actress Amber Heard, made in a 2018 Op-Ed in The Washington Post.
“They blind dropped him even though Amber had lied her a** off,” the friend told the outlet.
Depp ended up taking Heard to court and, ultimately, won a defamation lawsuit in 2022 against the actress. He was originally awarded $15 million in damages, while Heard later paid a reduced amount.
At the time, while Depp was questioned during trial, he gave a definitive answer on whether he would ever work with Disney again on the film franchise.
“If Disney came to you with $300 million and a million alpacas — nothing on this Earth would get you to go back and work with Disney on a ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ film?” Heard’s lawyer Ben Rottenborn asked.
Depp simply responded, “That is true.”
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And that may still very well be the case. The Mail reported the friend as stating “that no matter how lucrative the offer, or how cameo the role, he will never agree to go back for this particular studio film.”
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Sean Bailey, president of Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production, spoke to The New York Times Tuesday about potentially starting the “Pirates of the Caribbean” films again.
“We think we have a really good, exciting story that honors the films that have come before but also has something new to say,” he said.
However, Bailey noted that Depp is “noncommittal at this point.”
The Mail’s source hinted that the actor might be taking a break from his acting career and pursuing more passion projects.
“He says he isn’t interested in speaking someone else’s words,” the friend stated. “He is interested in authentic expression of himself, through art and music at the moment.”
Last month, Depp attended the Cannes Film Festival to support his film “Jeanne du Barry.” It was his first official appearance since the very public trial.
Post-screening and after receiving a seven-minute standing ovation, Depp addressed how he now feels about Hollywood.
He said, “Do I feel boycotted now? No, not at all.
“But, I don’t feel boycotted by Hollywood, because I don’t think about it. I don’t think about Hollywood.
“I don’t have much further need for Hollywood myself,” Depp said.
