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Although Johnny Depp’s domestic abuse allegations and subsequent defamation lawsuit with ex-wife Amber Heard have polarized fans of both actors, it didn’t have much effect on his music career.
Depp spent part of his summer touring with the Hollywood Vampires, his musical side project with Alice Cooper and Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry.
Despite his recent scandals receiving lots of attention in the press, Cooper told Vulture that Depp’s trials didn’t seem to make a difference with concertgoers.
“I don’t think it was ever mentioned on the tour because nobody cared,” Cooper said, adding that he never watched a moment of the trials. “It was so blown out of proportion. It was such a Hollywood thing. I knew Johnny was gonna win because how many people have other exes literally on their side testifying for him? That never happens. I turned it right off and said, ‘Well, you know, Johnny will weather this storm, and when he’s onstage, he’s our guitar player.’”
Cooper said Depp didn’t seem very concerned about the domestic abuse allegations Heard made against him.
“If you talk to Johnny about it, it was something that happened. He was just like, ‘Yeah, yeah, what’s the next song?’” Cooper said. “For Johnny, it was one of those things where … you can’t say it got blown out of proportion, but I don’t know why they would televise the proceedings, right? It’s because of the fame of both people.”
Depp and Heard started dating in 2012 and were married between 2015-17. Heard filed for divorce in 2016, accusing him of domestic violence.
In December 2019, Heard wrote an op-ed for The Washington Post that Depp said defamed him. In a lawsuit, he accused her of being the abuser.
A jury awarded the actor $15 million in June 2022 in total damages (which the judge capped at around $10 million) and awarded Heard $2 million in compensatory damages in her countersuit.
Despite all this, Cooper has what he thinks is a hilarious and financially lucrative way for Heard and Depp to put their past behind them ― and boost their careers.
“The best thing I said about the whole thing was, ‘They should do a remake of [the 1989 Michael Douglas-Kathleen Turner comedy] ’War of the Roses’ with Johnny and Amber,’” Cooper said. “Who’s not gonna go see that? I’m going to see that! To make it even better, make their lawyers Angie and Brad. All you need is a really funny director, and that’s gonna be a monster hit.”