Johnny Depp Shocks Fans With Surprise Appearance 4,000 Miles From Courthouse

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Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow

Credit: Disney

Two days after closing arguments in one of the biggest public celebrity lawsuits in decades, actor Johnny Depp surprised music fans 4,000 miles away from the Virginia courthouse in a completely different country.

johnny depp wearing sunglasses
Credit: ABC

The defamation case between Pirates of the Caribbean star, Johnny Depp, and his Hollywood actress ex-wife, Amber Heard, has raged on for six weeks. Just last week, on 27 May 2022, lawyers for both sides presented their closing arguments to the jury at the Fairfax County Courthouse before Judge Penney Azcarate handed them the responsibility to make the decision on both Depp’s $50 million defamation case, and Heard’s $100 million defamation counterclaim.

johnny depp (right) and amber heard (left) on red carpet
Credit: ABC

Related: Divisive Depp’s New Movie Already Garnering Heat Amid Abuse Controversy

The trial has seen both Depp and Heard take the stand, as well as others like fashion model and Depp’s ex-partner, Kate Moss. It also saw people like James Franco, Elon Musk, and Paul Bettany brought up during proceedings. The Captain Jack Sparrow actor sued Heard, whom he first met on the set of The Rum Diary (2011), for $50 million after she published an Op-Ed in The Washington Post in December 2018. The article came two years after Heard took out a no-notice restraining order against her ex-husband on allegations of domestic abuse in 2016.

amber heard (left) and johnny depp (right) on red carpet
Credit: ABC

Both these incidents first came to a head in the largely publicized libel trial between Depp and News Group Newspapers, more specifically British tabloid The Sun, and executive editor, Dan Wootton, after the newspaper called Depp a “wife-beater”. Despite Depp losing the libel suit, where Justice Andrew Nicol found many of the domestic violence accounts “substantially true”, and his subsequent appeal request, the public opinion has largely remained in favor of the celebrated actor.

johnny depp as jack sparrow
Credit: Disney

Over the years #JusticeForJohnnyDepp and #FireAmberHeard have dominated social media; the latter in response to Heard’s continued work on Warner Bros.’s DC Extended Universe franchise, while Depp was removed from the studio’s Fantastic Beasts Franchise — replaced by Mads Mikkelsen as Gellert Grindelwald in JK Rowling’s Harry Potter spinoff — and also from his beloved role as Jack Sparrow in The Walt Disney Company’s Pirates of the Caribbean behemoth.

johnny depp as gellert grindelwald
Credit: Warner Bros.

Related: Marvel Star Zendaya Surprisingly Brought Into Johnny Depp, Amber Heard Trial

Now, in a surprising moment, Depp has surprised concertgoers with an appearance at the Sheffield City Hall in England, United Kingdom just two days after his lawyers, Camille Vasquez and Benjamin Chew, closed his side of the defamation case. The second time he has left the country amid the trial.

During a Jeff Beck gig at the popular city center venue, Depp shocked fans when he turned on stage to sing and rock out on his guitar alongside the legendary music icon.

Nelia (@Nelia23893053) tweeted shortly after it happened:

Just been to see Jeff Beck at Sheffield City Hall, he had a surprise special guest, Johnny Depp!!

Mol (@mollyrushforth_) said:

No way has Johnny Depp rocked up to Sheffield City Hall to perform on a random Sunday as if he weren’t in court 2 days ago?! Fair play bro

@GellertDepp said:

Johnny Depp is straight back to doing what he loves, as he should be

@ReemDepp caught a moment of Depp playing his guitar:

Sheffield City Hall “Well what a surprise we got last night when #johnnydepp joined Jeff Beck on stage.We couldn’t believe it and I don’t think our audience could either.Wishing Jeff Beck good luck for the rest of his amazing tour & a big thank you to Johnny for joining us!

Depp has long had support in Europe, especially since his exile from Hollywood. Last year he spoke about cancel culture while winning the prestigious Donostia Award at the San Sebastian Film Festival in Spain. He later went on to meet the Serbian President after the country bestowed another honor on the actor. While Depp’s latest feature film, Minamata (2020), received only a small domestic release one year after it officially debuted, fans rallied behind the movie, landing it third place in the highly-criticized #OscarsFanFavorite category at the 94th Academy Awards.

Johnny Depp in Minamata
Credit: Ingenious Metalwork Pictures

Related: Amber Heard Issues Rare Public Statement as Johnny Depp Lawsuit Begins

As for his role as the popular Jack Sparrow in Disney’s Pirates movies, Depp spoke during the trial that, while he wished to give the character a proper goodbye, he would not return to the role even if asked. The door is now open for Margot Robbie (The Suicide Squad) to star in Pirates 6, a move that was recently confirmed by producer Jerry Bruckheimer.

Even with allegations of domestic abuse against Heard, including recordings of her admitting to hitting Depp, the actress will appear in next year’s Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023) from director James Wan. Jason Momoa will also return as superhero Arthur Curry AKA Aquaman in the sequel.

amber heard as mera (left) gazing at jason momoa as arthur curry (right) in aquaman
Credit: Warner Bros.

The jury deliberation on the defamation case could come back as early as 31 May.

What do you think of Johnny Depp surprising fans in Sheffield? Let us know in the comments down below!

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