MeToo movement has got out of hand, says Johnny Depp

The Hollywood star says nobody is safe from the ‘instant rush to judgment’ handed out by today’s cancel culture.

Johnny Depp accepts the Donostia Award on Wednesday night. Picture: AFP

Nobody is safe from the “instant rush to judgment” handed out by today’s cancel culture, Hollywood star Johnny Depp said on Wednesday at a Spanish film festival where he was accepting a lifetime achievement award.

Depp, who last year lost a libel case against The Sun after the UK newspaper labelled him a “wife-beater”, suggested at the San Sebastian festival that MeToo movement had got out of hand.

“The various movements that came out — I’m sure with the best of intentions — however, it’s so far out of hand now that I can promise you that no one is safe,” he said.

He also lashed out at “this cancel culture or this instant rush to judgment based on essentially what amounts to polluted air that’s exhaled.”

The three-time Oscar nominee sued The Sun over claims he was violent to his ex-wife Amber Heard during their two-year marriage. In the aftermath, Depp was asked to step down from his role in the Fantastic Beasts film franchise based on the book by Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling.

Women’s rights groups and some women in the film industry have criticised the festival’s decision to hand Depp its Donostia award.

“No one safe, but I believe that if you are armed with the truth then that’s what you need,” said the 58-year-old, who was critical too, of the state of mainstream American cinema.

“How much more condescension as an audience do we need?”

AFP