Johnny Depp's new London art exhibition pays tribute to his ex-wife and children
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Spectator
3 days ago
- Spectator
The trials of ‘the sexiest man alive'
This is an account of the Johnny Depp/Amber Heard court cases with a top-dressing of pretentious tosh about the meaning of celebrity, etc – but you can easily ignore the tosh because the basic story is so gripping. Depp was 46 and already a global superstar when he met Amber Heard in 2009. She was a relatively unknown 22-year-old actress, but he auditioned her for the female lead in a film he was making of Hunter S. Thompson's The Rum Diary. Keira Knightley and Scarlett Johansson were also up for the role, but as soon as he saw Heard he decided 'Yep… That's the one.' Amber arrived for filming with her girlfriend Tasya van Ree, whom she introduced as her wife. The director Bruce Robinson panicked: 'She's gay?!' But Depp reassured him: 'Don't worry, no leading lady of mine stays gay for very long.' People magazine had voted him the Sexiest Man Alive for the previous two years. But he was supposed to be in a long-term relationship with the Parisian actress and singer Vanessa Paradis, the mother of his two children. Nevertheless, he split from Vanessa and married Amber in February 2015. All his friends urged him to get a prenup, but he didn't. He was supremely insouciant about money. He spent $500,000 a month just on storing his collections of Hollywood memorabilia, vintage guitars and cars, and he owned 14 properties around the world, including a private island. He spent a further fortune on drugs and alcohol. The marriage lasted only 15 months and was characterised by violent fights from the start. Depp's bodyguard apparently noticed that 'every time I see him, he's got marks or scratches. She has a scary, scary temper.' One time when they were filming in Australia, Depp apparently showed him his bloody hand and said: 'She cut my finger clean off… she slapped me with a vodka bottle.' The bodyguard dragged him to a car to take him to hospital while Heard kept screaming: 'You're a fucking coward, you big man.' The butler managed to find his severed fingertip, but it was too late to sew it back on, and Warner Bros put out a press release that Depp had been injured in a go-karting accident. In May 2016 Heard filed for divorce, accusing Depp of 14 incidents of domestic violence, and was granted a $7 million settlement which she said she would donate to charity. She then had a relationship with Elon Musk, which Depp later described as 'brutal'. Musk's brother Kimbal said: 'She was just so toxic.' On 27 April 2018 the Sun described Depp as a wife-beater, and he sued for defamation. Then Heard wrote an article for the Washington Post, speaking out against domestic violence. It didn't mention Depp by name, but still he sued for $50 million and she countersued. The Sun defamation suit opened at the Royal Courts of Justice in July 2020. Heard was the paper's star witness and testified to 14 different incidents of domestic violence. The judge believed her in 12 of the incidents and ruled that the Sun had not defamed Depp when it called him a wife-beater. He also rejected Depp's case that Heard was responsible for him losing a finger in Australia and found that he had in fact assaulted Heard on that occasion. Warner Bros then dropped Depp from its forthcoming Fantastic Beasts film. The bigger Washington Post trial was delayed by Covid for almost a year, and Heard spent the time having another lesbian relationship and producing a daughter, Oonagh, by surrogate. The trial was held in the town of Fairfax, Virginia, where the Washington Post was printed. The place was quickly overrun by TV teams and fans who queued all night to get a wristband admitting them to the courtroom. (One of the wristbands later fetched $4,000 oneBay.) Many fans came dressed as Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean – but there was also a woman who appeared as a turd, in reference to 'Poopgate', when Depp's housekeeper claimed to have found faeces in his bed. This time the trial did not go all Heard's way. Depp's lawyer established that she had not actually donated her $7 million divorce settlement to charity as she claimed. She said she had 'pledged' it, and 'I use pledge and donation synonymous with one another'. But the fact was the charity hadn't received it. Then jurors were shocked by an audio recording of Heard ranting at Depp, calling him a 'washed up piece of shit', where she was obviously goading him into a fight. And there was photographic evidence that her face could look bruised one day and flawless the next. After a six-week trial, the jury found in favour of Depp and awarded him $10 million damages. One of the jurors later claimed that they believed him rather than her because her evidence had so many inconsistencies and also 'having him on the stand was a breath of fresh air'. After the verdict, Depp retreated to his island in the Bahamas with his personal therapist Beechy Colclough and Heard moved to Spain. The newspapers wrote heavy op-eds asking if this marked the end of the #MeToo movement, and maybe it did. Anyway, the circus had moved on.
Daily Mirror
6 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Johnny Depp's secret new life in rural Sussex with sprawling mansion
Johnny Depp has reportedly ditched Hollywood for a sprawling Sussex mansion - hidden behind Gothic gates, and locals say he's been spotted "shopping quietly" and "enjoying country walks" Johnny Depp has traded the chaos of Hollywood for the quiet life of a secluded country mansion in East Sussex. The Caribbean actor appears determined to find peace in the rolling hills of rural England. Locals have spotted the 62-year-old Hollywood star strolling the high street in nearby Wadhurst and have also been seen wandering the grounds of his impressive and historic home. The ten-bedroom manor dates back to the 1850s and is hidden behind towering trees, ornate gates, and Gothic statues. The estate includes sunken gardens, water features, orchards, an open-air amphitheatre, and two staff cottages. According to a report, the star has often been spotted enjoying breakfast on a terrace overlooking the Sussex countryside. 'Mr Depp knows this area well and he loves it here,' a local source said. "It's a beautiful home and very peaceful.' His connection to the area reportedly began with visits to his late friend, guitarist Jeff Beck, who offered support during Depp's darkest days, even inviting him on stage when others turned their backs. Depp stayed at Beck's 16th-century farmhouse during the pandemic and remains close to Beck's widow, Sandra. Unlike the Cotswolds - favoured by stars like Hugh Grant, Stella McCartney, and Ellen DeGeneres - East Sussex offers anonymity. 'Johnny's choice of a very quiet corner of Sussex rather than the goldfish bowl that the Cotswolds has become for big stars tells you all you need to know about his mindset: he wants peace and quiet,' one showbiz insider told The Daily Mail. 'And he has no interest in being judged by the kind of people who walked away from him.' Depp's career was nearly destroyed after losing a UK libel case in 2020, being labeled a "wife beater," and then dropped from major roles, including Fantastic Beasts and Pirates of the Caribbean. Although he won a U.S. defamation case against Heard in 2022, the damage to his reputation was severe. 'I was shunned, dumped, booted, deep-sixed, cancelled, however you want to define it,' Depp said in a recent interview. 'Would I rather have not gone through that? Of course. But I learned more than I ever dreamed I could.' Now he's making a slow return as he was recently chauffeured from Sussex to the London premiere of Modigliani: Three Days On The Wing Of Madness—his first time directing since 1997. The film, set in WWI-era Paris, stars Riccardo Scamarcio and Al Pacino. His current residence is owned by multimillionaire Prudence Watts, 74, known locally for her garden centre and quiet philanthropy. The home, regarded as one of the finest in the area, reportedly rents for between £30,000 and £40,000 a month. It is owned by Prudence Watts, whose late husband, Kevan Watts, was a banker known for helping turn Merrill Lynch into a major global financial firm. Despite the tight security around the property, Depp's presence has caused little disruption in the area. 'He seems like a really nice, down-to-earth bloke,' said one local 'Being in East Sussex will do him some good.' Another person added: 'None of us are perfect—not even Johnny Depp. If I see him again, I'm going to ask for a selfie. I'm sure he won't mind.'
Daily Mail
7 days ago
- Daily Mail
'Cancelled' Johnny Depp's secret new life in rural Sussex revealed... and the REAL reason he snubbed the Cotswolds
Johnny Depp is renting a stunning historic country mansion in the heart of the East Sussex countryside, MailOnline can reveal. The Hollywood star has chosen rural England over Hollywood as he looks to enjoy a quieter life following a tumultuous five years dominated by his explosive legal battle with ex-wife Amber Heard. Depp, 62 has been spotted by locals enjoying country walks around his manorhouse home and strolling along the high street in Wadhurst, a town near to his lavish pile. It's believed Depp fell in love with the area when visiting his rock star pal Jeff Beck who stood by him throughout his battle with Heard - even inviting him on stage to play guitar - when other former friends dropped him. A local source confirmed to MailOnline: 'Mr Depp knows this area well and he loves it here, it's a beautiful home and very peaceful.' The historic ten-bedroom property, which looks like it could provide the set for a costume drama film adaptation, dates from the 1850s. It is bordered by giant trees high fences and CCTV cameras. It is located along a little used country lane and is accessed via an ornate iron gate that leads to a sweeping gravel drive lined with Gothic statues and flowers. The detached home boasts a celebrated sunken gardens with the grounds also containing an open amphitheatre, water features, orchards and two cottages for the use of staff. Depp has been enjoying breakfast on a terrace that looks out onto rolling Sussex hills, it's understood. He was recently chauffeured from his new home to the premiere of his new film, Modigliani: Three Days On The Wing Of Madness as he looks to make his Hollywood return marking his first time directing since 1997. The film follows the life of Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani and is set in WWI-era Paris and features Riccardo Scamarcio in the lead and Al Pacino in a supporting role. But Depp arrived late for his own party with his representatives blaming the long drive from East Sussex to Central London. A local resident said: 'He's been spotted out and about and we've heard that there's quite a lot of security at the house now. Everybody is talking about Johnny Depp living in our area because it's normally very quiet and not much happens around here.' The Anglophile actor's decision to move to the Home Counties was first reported by The Daily Mail's Alison Boshoff - but only now has his choice of property been revealed. Depp's best friend, the late guitarist Jeff Beck lived in the vicinity and the actor stayed with him in his 16th Century farmhouse during the Covid pandemic. Beck, who died two years ago, left a widow Sandra, who still lives in the property, and Depp has been spending time with her since moving into the area. But there may be other reasons for the actor's decision to relocate to a low-profile corner of East Sussex rather than The Cotswolds, the popular choice for most celebrities looking for a home in the English countryside. If Depp had opted for The Cotswolds like many of his A list contemporaries, then he would have found himself living alongside 'woke glitterati' such as US talk show host Ellen De Generes who recently revealed that she moved to the UK because of Donald Trump. Others would have included the likes of Lily Allen, Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant and Stella McCartney with sources indicating that given Depp's notoriety in recent years - which he has said led to attempts to have him 'cancelled' - it might have made it difficult for him to fit in and be accepted. One showbiz figure told us: 'I think Johnny's choice of a very quiet corner of Sussex rather than the goldfish bowl that the Cotswolds has become for big stars tells you all you need to know about his mindset: he wants peace and quiet. 'And he has no interest in being judged by the kind of people he feels have walked away from him in the past.' Depp famously lost the libel action which he brought at the UK High Court in 2020, after being called a 'wife beater', but successfully brought a libel action against Heard in a US court in 2022. But despite the latter result, his reputation took a battering with his stock as one of the world's leading actors dramatically falling amid sensational headlines of domestic abuse, sexual violence, drug taking and excessive drinking – not exactly something that would appeal to some of the illustrious 'woke folk' that could have been his neighbours in The Cotswolds. The whole ordeal with Heard threatened his entire career as he was dropped from a star role in the Harry Potter spin-off film series 'Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore,' as Hollywood turned its back on him. He was also dropped by Disney in his role as Captain Jack Sparrow from the sixth edition of 'Pirates of the Caribbean.' He recently admitted in a media interview: 'I was shunned, dumped, booted, deep-sixed, cancelled, however you want to define it.' Referring to the Heard trials he said: 'I fought it because had I not then I wouldn't have been me. Would I rather have not gone through that? Of course. But I learned more than I ever dreamed I could.' A source revealed: 'A lot has gone on for Johnny over the past few years and perhaps The Cotswolds wouldn't have bene a good fit for him. It's obviously the place to be for celebrities but he's now at the point where he wants to rebuild his career and do his own thing.' His new home is owned by Prudence Watts, 74, a multi-millionaire property developer who also owns a number of other properties in the area as well as a popular local garden centre. Her husband, Kevan Watts, who passed away in 2018, was a highly respected international banker and former board member of Tottenham Hotspur. He previously served as a private secretary in the Treasury in the late 1970s before leaving the Civil Service to join Meryl Lynch, where he made his fortune and is credited with turning the company into a major global force in deal making. He and Prudence met when they were 17 when he came to open an account at a local bank where she worked. They have three children and following his passing she revealed: 'We came from basic beginnings. We were provincial people and that never really changed.' It is also not known how much rent Depp is paying but according to local estate agents, comparable properties can fetch anything between £30,000-£40,000 per month. One told MailOnline: 'The Wattses are very well known around here and have a lot of property and business interests in the area. They like to do things discreetly and most people know them for the garden centre that Prudence runs. 'Not much is known about the manor house but it's been with them for quite a long time and is one of the finest homes in this whole area. Whatever the rent is, it's not going to be cheap.' Residents of Wadhurst revealed that Depp has been seen going into a local butchers and newsagents, but his presence has caused little shock. Frank Cummins said: 'I saw him walking along the high street with a couple of men, I think they were his bodyguards, but nobody bothered him. He's been around this area before so it's no big deal for us. 'He seems like a really nice, down to earth bloke and I think being in East Sussex will do him some good.' Mary, who has lived close to Wadhurst all her life said: 'I must admit I'm a big fan despite some of the stuff that came out about him during the trials. But none of us are perfect, not even Johnny Depp. If I see him again, I'm going to make sure that I have a selfie with him, I'm sure he won't mind.'
