Johnny Depp has opened up about the aftermath of his highly publicized legal battle with ex-wife Amber Heard, saying he harbors no regrets and had never left the spotlight in the first place.
Speaking to The Times U.K., the Hollywood actor shared candid reflections on how the experience reshaped his personal and professional life.
Addressing his so-called “comeback,” Johnny Depp dismissed the idea altogether. “I didn’t go anywhere,” he said, adding that if he had ever walked away, he wouldn’t have returned.
Johnny Depp described the turbulence during the legal battle as a “boycott,” which took a toll on his career. He expressed deep gratitude toward the San Sebastián International Film Festival, which stood by him through the controversy.
The festival honored him with the Donostia Award in 2021 and warmly received his film Modi: Three Days on the Wing of Madness the following year.
On the defamation trial itself, Depp was resolute: “I have no regrets about anything,” he said. The legal saga concluded in 2022 with a Virginia jury ruling largely in Johnny Depp’s favor. The dispute stemmed from a 2018 Washington Post op-ed in which Heard described herself as a domestic abuse survivor without directly naming Depp. The trial, broadcast widely, sparked intense public debate and a tidal wave of social media commentary—much of it, later reports claimed, manipulated or inauthentic.
Explaining why he pursued the case, Depp said he felt compelled to challenge the narrative. “If I don’t try to represent the truth, it will be like I’ve actually committed the acts I was accused of,” he said, citing the impact on his children and young fans.
Depp also reflected on the lack of industry support during the controversy, claiming he was treated like a “crash test dummy” for the MeToo movement. “I wanted to see who was playing it safe,” he noted, hinting at Hollywood’s shifting allegiances.
Though the journey was difficult, Depp said he was prepared to fight to the “bitter end”—even if it meant starting over. “If I end up pumping gas? That’s all right. I’ve done that before.”