San Sebastian, Spain, September 23 (BUS): Actor Johnny Depp took center stage at a prestigious Spanish film festival to claim a high professional award, presenting himself as a victim of the “cancellation culture” that has spread, he says. cinema industry.
Depp was answering reporters’ questions at the San Sebastian International Film Festival on Wednesday about Hollywood losing new roles since his ex-wife, actress Amber Heard, made allegations of domestic violence against him, The Associated Press reported.
A British judge last year found the allegations “largely true”.
The 58-year-old actor responded: “It’s a very complicated situation, this culture of cancellation, or this instant rush to judge based on what essentially amounts to polluted air.”
“It has gotten so out of hand that I can assure you, no one is safe. None of you are, as long as someone is willing to say one thing.”
Female filmmakers and other groups have criticized the organizer’s decision to feature Depp with the Donostia Prize, the festival’s highest honor, saying it tarnished the event’s image and sent the wrong message to victims of violence against women.
Last year, Depp lost a defamation case against a British newspaper that accused him of domestic violence, and the judge in the case ruled that the allegations were “largely true”. In March, a British court refused Depp’s permission to appeal the ruling against his ex-wife, Amber Heard, saying his attempt to overturn the decision had “no real chance of success”.
Depp is also suing Heard for $50 million in Virginia over a Washington Post op-ed she wrote about domestic violence. The trial in this case was recently adjourned until April 2022.
The Spanish Association of Women Filmmakers and Audiovisual Media, which has close links to the festival, said awards should not be awarded on the basis of professional or artistic achievements only.
“What message remains when men who denounce sexual violence are lauded, photographed on red carpets, and surrounded by unconditional fans?” The association, known as CIMA, wrote in a Twitter thread acknowledging the “complexity” of the problem.
The actor who played famous Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean and lead roles in “Edward Scissorhands” and “Sleepy Hollow” spoke to reporters hours before the awards ceremony. The controversy emerged despite the festival’s request that media questions be limited to Depp’s career. The director of the press conference blocked a question from a reporter about CIMA’s criticism.
“It takes one sentence, and then there’s no more ground, the rug has been pulled off,” Depp said, without mentioning Heard or the defamation issues.
“It didn’t just happen to me. It happened to a lot of people: women, men, and children experienced so many different kinds of unpleasant things that unfortunately at a certain point they began to think it was normal, that they are,” he said.
The actor also spoke about how the coronavirus pandemic has lured more people to watch movies on screens at home rather than going to cinemas, which are closed during the lockdowns.
“The majority of the world is gone, you know, that’s not bad. We can sit back and watch this thing at home. We can cook some popcorn, unlike the idea of a guy who makes $700 a week and wants to take his wife and kids to dinner and a movie on the weekend, which is a bargain.” Worth $200. I think the Hollywood movie machine has some design flaws they just realized.”
“I’m glad I saw it coming in person,” he added.
Asked about his views on the health of the industry, particularly in the United States, Depp said that “Hollywood is definitely not what it used to be.”
“The grudge, the chaos and the chaos of the movie releases match… It’s a case of, ‘No matter what, I’ll get my own,'” the actor said. “This is where these people come from. They realize that they can be disposed of just like me. some more. “
The San Sebastian International Film Festival takes place in northern Spain from September 17-25 this year. Depp was due to receive the award late on Wednesday evening, in what was the actor’s third appearance at the event.
RAE