Johnny Depp makes cameo in Rihanna’s Savage x Fenty show amid backlash

9 November 2022, 17:02

Rihanna stuns in Savage X Fenty Vol 4 trailer

By PopBuzz

"The average millennial or generation Z aren’t resonating with that man. So..."

Last week, it was reported that Johnny Depp would be appearing in Rihanna's Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 4 following his heavily publicised legal battle with ex-wife Amber Heard.

True enough, Depp does appear in the show – for about 40 seconds out of the 40 minute run-time. Wearing a khaki-coloured, loose-fitting jacket and trousers with a patterned vest top and multiple necklaces, Depp appears from behind a tree as a troupe of performers dance around him to OutKast’s ‘So Fresh And So Clean’.

The Pirates of the Caribbean actor is also the first male to headline the show's "star moment", which has previously featured the likes of Cindy Crawford and Erykah Badu.

His appearance has sparked quite a bit of conversation on social media – and it's brought a fair amount of backlash to Rihanna and her brand, too.

Earlier this year, Depp won a defamation case in the US against ex-wife Amber Heard, claiming that Heard defamed him in an op-ed for The Washington Post where she said she was the victim of domestic abuse.

However, two years ago, he lost a UK libel case against The Sun newspaper, with the judge finding that a column published in April 2018 calling Depp a "wife-beater" was "substantially true" following evidence given by Heard.

While Johnny has many supporters who stand by him and believe his innocence, some were confused by Rihanna’s controversial decision to cast him in the show, given that it would almost certainly cause a backlash which could harm the brand.

Fans expressed their disappoint, with one user writing: "Putting Johnny Depp on your show adds ZERO value. Maybe shock value or a slight viral moment. But that’s it. Because the average millennial or generation z aren’t resonating with that man. So..."

Several others added they would "not be streaming" the show on Amazon Prime, nor would they be buying Savage X Fenty in the future.

After Depp's appearance in the show was confirmed, Years & Years singer Olly Alexander – who is a huge Rihanna fan, and ambassador for Savage X Fenty – vowed that he would stop wearing the brand due to the actor's involvement.

Rihanna has not addressed the backlash surrounding Depp’s casting.

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