Depp said in the interview with The Sunday Times, his first since he was accused of domestic violence by ex-wife Amber Heard, that his change in public perception is an “absurdity of media mathematics.”
Last year, the Pirates of the Caribbean star lost a libel case against The Sun after the tabloid referred to him as a “wife-beater” due to Heard’s accusations. A judge ruled the domestic violence allegations were “substantially true”. His defamation lawsuit against Heard in the U.S. is still ongoing.
Initially, Minamata was scheduled to have a February release in the U.S, but after Depp lost the libel case, the date was moved to “TBA”. The actor also lost his role in the Fantastic Beasts franchise.
Seemingly addressing MGM’s choice to delay the release, Depp said, “Some films touch people and this affects those in Minamata and people who experience similar things. And for anything – for Hollywood’s boycott of me? One man, one actor in an unpleasant and messy situation, over the last number of years? But, you know, I’m moving towards where I need to go to make all that – to bring things to light.”
The comments come after the San Sebastian International Film Festival in Spain defended its decision to celebrate the actor with its highest honor, the Donostia Award, despite criticism from Spanish filmmakers that the move “transmits a terrible message to the public.” The festival maintained that Depp has not been charged “of any form of violence against women.”
“In these present times, when lynching on social media is rife, we will always defend two basic principles which form part of our culture and of our body of laws: that of the presumption of innocence and that of the right to reintegration,” festival director José Luis Rebordinos said in a statement.
“According to the proven data which we have to hand, Johnny Depp has not been arrested, charged nor convicted of any form of assault or violence against any woman.” Depp is also being honored at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic.