Two petitions have brought in more than 500,000 signatures each calling for actor Johnny Depp’s role in the “Pirates of the Caribbean franchise” to be restored.
One petition titled, “Justice for Johnny Depp,” has garnered more than 572,000 signatures as of Monday.
“Johnny Depp has been a phenomenal actor throughout his career. Depp was removed from the movie Pirates of the Caribbean by Walt Disney’s Company,” the petition stated.
It claims “this unfortunately is due to his ex wife Amber Heard lying and stating that Depp beat her.”
It continued, “Amber Heard ruined Johnny Depp’s life as well as career. Johnny Depp has always been one of the greatest actors ever since he started acting around the age of 21. This man NEVER disappoints when he makes a movie, so why continue to keep him from doing Pirates of the Caribbean??”
The petition suggested, “That movie is nothing without him!”
It argues Depp “deserves his life back the way it was before Amber Heard came along, because no actor or actress could ever say this man is not an amazing actor.”
Another petition titled, “We want JOHNNY DEPP back as CAPTAIN JACK SPARROW,” attracted more than 800,000 signatures.
“Don’t they know that without Johnny Depp or Jack Sparrow they will sink, they will never be able to reach that horizon,” the petition stated.
It continues, “They have to bring him back to rule the seas again, UNLESS it is actor’s own choice to withdraw from the role.”
Depp is suing his ex-wife Amber Heard for $50 million, accusing her of defaming him in an op-ed for The Washington Post, as Fox News reported.
In the op-ed, Heard claimed she was the victim of domestic and emotional abuse.
Daniel Gutenplan, who has represented clients in high-profile defamation cases, told Fox News, “As most defamation plaintiffs have, Depp and his team have an uphill battle and have a challenge in proving the case because they have to prove, first of all, that anything that was said [in the op-ed and Heard’s testimony] is completely false.”
He explained, “The Washington Post piece in question, of course, doesn’t mention Mr. Depp by name, although, his camp will argue — and I think it’s a compelling argument — that a reasonable reader will assume that the article was written about Mr. Depp.”
Additionally, Gutenplan pointed out the op-ed “also does not mention any specific instances of abuse or events. So it doesn’t say, ‘On this date, at this time or at this place, this thing happened. He did this to me.’ It just generally references being a victim of abuse.”
Gutenplan is not involved in the proceedings, as Fox News reported.
The outlet noted a cross-examination of Heard’s claims will begin on May 16 at 9 a.m.
