The casting came sooner after Johnny Depp got his start in Hollywood as Glenn Lantz in the original A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984).
21 Jump Street aired on the FOX network between 1987 and 1990, before Depp became a household name as both Sparrow and Tim Burton’s favorite leading man in projects like Edward Scissorhands (1990), Sleepy Hollow (1999), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), Sweeney Todd (2007), and Alice In Wonderland (2010).
Over the last couple of years, Depp has found himself embroiled in a bitter legal battle with ex-wife, Amber Heard. Currently, the former couple are engaged in a $50 million civil lawsuit in Fairfax, Virginia.
Now, however, Disney has snuck footage of Depp into a new episode of The Goldbergs after famously firing the star. The sitcom airs on Walt Disney Company-owned ABC and is described, in part, as:
The Goldbergs are back! Our iconic ’80s family returns for what is sure to be an epic and legendary eighth season. The gang’s all here, and they’re rowdier, funnier and more heartfelt than ever before. Jam-packed with hi-jinks, hilarity and heart, our favorite Jenkintown family navigates a classic decade with fresh, new adventures. As each of our cherished family members continues to grow and mature, one thing will always be the same: No matter the challenges life throws at them, as long as the Goldbergs stick together, there’s nothing they can’t handle.
In a recent episode, the family decided to watch the classic 1980s TV version of 21 Jump Street and Disney opted to use a clip featuring Depp’s character to end the installment — in fact, the final shot of the episode is of Depp, on the left [below]:
While this certainly doesn’t mean that Disney is endorsing Depp again, it is an intriguing move for those who have been following the Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard case.
If you haven’t been following the ongoing Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard case, in November 2020, Hollywood actor Depp lost his libel lawsuit against U.K. News Group Newspaper publication, The Sun, for their report that he had allegedly engaged in domestic violence — including a reported “hostage” situation during a Pirates of the Caribbean shoot in Australia — against the Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom actress on multiple occasions.
British Judge Andrew Nicol presided over the original proceedings, and Depp later lost his right to appeal the original ruling in the United Kingdom. The Jack Sparrow actor, for his part, has denied the domestic violence allegations, with even his ex-partners, Vanessa Paradis and Winona Ryder, speaking out in his defense at various points in time.
Depp has been fired from his two most high-profile parts — his iconic role as Captain Jack Sparrow in Disney’s Pirates franchise and as Gellert Grindelwald in Warner Bros. Fantastic Beasts series — as a result of the ongoing situation.
22
Credit: ABC
