The news, first reported in TMZ, claims that Depp’s prerecorded cameo was orchestrated by Rihanna, who owns a 30% stake in the business. The fashion show is set to stream on Amazon Prime on Nov. 9.
Kevin Mazur / Getty Images for Savage X Fenty
“Savage x Fenty is already a flop adding Johnny Depp to the mix is just another example of how out of touch Rihanna actually is,” one Twitter user said.
Depp filed the lawsuit after Heard, to whom he was married from 2015 to 2016, wrote an op-ed for the Washington Post in 2018 calling for there to be more support for women who have experienced domestic abuse, citing her personal experience.
Although he was not mentioned by name, Depp’s legal team wrote in a complaint filed in 2019 that it was a “clear implication that Mr. Depp is a domestic abuser.” The Pirates of the Caribbean star denied all allegations of abuse.
In June, a jury found that Heard libeled Depp by writing the op-ed and ordered her to pay her ex-husband $15 million in damages.
Depp fans have been quick to celebrate the news of the show as the latest highlight in a string of appearances marking the actor’s return to celebrity status.
In his first major outing, the 59-year-old made a surprise cameo as the Moonman at the 2022 VMAs in August, where he joked that he was in need of employment opportunities.
Depp famously was dropped from his lead role as Jack Sparrow from the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise in response to the abuse allegation.
“I needed the work. I just want you guys to know that I’m available for birthdays, bar mitzvahs, bat mitzvahs, weddings, wakes, any old thing you need,” he said at the VMAs.
BuzzFeed News reached out to representatives for Rihanna for comment.
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