Johnny Depp has been going through a difficult time, having found his name besmirched by several accusations leveled by his ex-wife Amber Heard.
And while many of his fans have defended him as a victim of false narratives (it’s not uncommon to see the #JusticeForJohnnyDepp hashtag trend every once in a while), the damage to Depp’s name and reputation has proven undeniable. So much so that Depp recently spoke at length about his experience with Cancel Culture during a press conference at the San Sebastian Film Festival, where he was scheduled to receive the Donostia Award.
“Do I feel safe myself? Yeah, I do, I do now,” Depp reflects. “Because it’s important when you’re faced with something as mind-bogglingly bewildering, that sort of thing hits you from many, many angles.”
ANDER GILLENEA/AFP via Getty Images
However, it’s so far out of hand now that I could promise you that no one is safe,” he continues. “Not one of you. Not anyone out that door. No one is safe as long as someone is willing to say one sentence. It takes one sentence and then there’s no more ground. 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.”
Deadline shares additional comments from the press conference, which find him speaking further on the dangers Cancel Culture can pose on an individual. “It can be seen as an event in history that lasted for however long it lasted, this cancel culture, this instant rush to judgment based on what essentially amounts to polluted air,” he continues.
He also encourages people to speak up should somebody they know find themselves affected. “It doesn’t matter if a judgment, per se, has taken some artistic license,” he states. “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.”
Check out some of Depp’s words below, and sound off if you still support the Oscar-nominated actor during his ongoing personal and professional crisis.
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