Johnny Depp Career: Actor Is Hollywood's Next Harvey Weinstein?
Many experts believe that the career of Johnny Depp, after losing the libel case against British tabloids The Sun, is over.
Being axed from the highly-anticipated "Harry Potter" spin-off "Fantastic Beasts" franchise is only just the beginning, as per experts.
The "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" star faced a massive blow after his ex-wife, Amber Heard, alleged that he was violent and abusive.
The 57-year-old Hollywood hunk sued the British tabloid after they referred to him as a "wife-beater" in a published article in 2018.
In their high-profile trial, the judge ruled that the publication's article was "substantially true."
Now, experts are convinced that this entire controversy will end his A-list status in Tinseltown.
A former federal prosecutor even called Depp the next Harvey Weinstein.
Speaking to Insider, Neama Rahmani said, "I predict his career may never recover."
"Disney has lost interest in Depp for its 'Pirates of the Caribbean' franchise, and I can't imagine and any other major studio wanting to work with him. He's going to be the next Harvey Weinstein."
Weinstein was accused of several female celebrities from harassment to assault and is currently in jail for the said crimes.
Another expert thinks producers, directors, filmmakers, and brands will start to distance themselves from Johnny Depp.
Stacy Jones, CEO of Hollywood Branded, said, "The reality is Warner Bros. had no choice in the matter to bid farewell to Depp."
Since the "Fantastic Beasts" franchise is a family movie, claims of Depp being physically abusive and his alcohol and substance abuse are just some of the no-no's of big studios, even if his role in the franchise is a villain.
Despite that, Jones believes that Johnny Depp's career has a "fighting chance of survival."
Though it may look like there's no point "until then," the only way for Depp is to "admit fault, accept responsibility," and begin to reform.
Additionally, Rahmani believes that the "Edward Scissorhands" star should get out of his defamation lawsuit against Heard while he still can.
He believes that the actor won't be winning the upcoming case against his ex-wife in Virginia.
The expert explained, "The Virginia case is also a loser, like many celebrity family-law cases that do little to show celebrities in a good light."
"Depp should stick to scripts written by others rather than airing his real-life drama in a courtroom."
He is scheduled to face the Australian beauty in January 2021.
A few weeks after the judge's ruling, the star's supporters continue to seek justice for him, calling the entire fiasco "an injustice."
Fans have called out Judge Andrew Nicol for allegedly being bias.
They had also slammed Warner Bros for forcing Johnny Depp to resign but still keep Heard in the "Aquaman" franchise when she also admitted in one of the depositions that she physically hit Depp as well.
A Change.org petition was also set up for "Warner Bros, Bring Johnny Depp back as Gellert Grindelwald!!!"
The original signatures need were supposedly 150,000, but they upped it to 200,000. Currently, it has about 196,922 signatures.
