Johnny Depp was set to receive £18 million (US$22.5 million, AU$32 million) from the sixth instalment of the Pirates of the Caribbean before being booted from the franchise.
The Captain Jack Sparrow actor’s agent Jack Whigham testified in the defamation case against Amber Heard, claiming the Aquaman star's 2018 op-ed caused severe financial loss for Depp.
Depp is suing Heard for £40 million (US$50 million, $71 million) and claims his ex-wife defamed him in a piece she wrote in The Washington Post where she alleged she was a victim of domestic abuse.
The article did not name Depp, however, the actor believes it had a devastating impact on his professional reputation.
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Whigham testified via video link for the trial and agreed with the sentiment that the op-ed affected Depp's career.
He said: “With respect to Johnny, it was catastrophic because it was coming from a first-person account, it was not from a journalist, not someone observing, it was from someone saying this happened to me.”
Depp’s agent claimed the article damaged a potential deal between Depp and Disney for Pirates of the Caribbean 6.
When asked by Johnny Depp’s lawyer about what potential role Depp was going to have in the upcoming Pirates film, Whigham dropped an absolute bombshell.
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He said: “Captain Jack Sparrow.”
All sorts of outrageous things are coming out of this trial, but this admission trumps them all.
Funnily enough, Heard’s lawyer objected to the questioning on basis that it was speculation - as if there was any speculation about what role Johnny Depp would be playing in any Pirates of the Caribbean film.
Whigham claims Depp has scored an £18 million (US$22.5 million, AU$32 million) deal to reprise his role as Jack Sparrow in the film, however, in 2019 learned the film series would instead be going in a ‘different direction’.
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He noted that the independent drama, Minamata, in which Depp was cast also struggled after the op-ed came out.
Whigham said: “The op-ed came out in December right as we were going on Christmas break.
“Minamata was supposed to start (shooting) in January. It was very, very difficult to keep Minamata together.
“The financing became shaky, Johnny's fee came down in order to save the movie.”
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Heard’s attorney, Elaine Bredehoft had questioned whether there was a confirmed lucrative contract between Depp and Disney for the sixth Pirates film.
She asked: “Do you have an explanation why there is not even a piece of paper ... nothing that suggested Mr. Depp is going to be in Pirates 6 as Jack Sparrow?”
Whigham replied: “We would work on many deals where you wouldn't see a contract, they would be a verbal agreement.”
Whigham’s testimony appears to support Depp’s claim that his professional reputation and earning manner were impacted as a result of Heard’s op-ed.
Topics: Johnny Depp, TV and Film, Money
Jayden Collins