Fact Check: Did Johnny Depp slam Hollywood and reject returning as Jack Sparrow?
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Following the announcement of his return as the iconic ‘Captain Jack Sparrow’ in the sixth installment of ‘Pirates of the Caribbean,’ a video is circulating on social media platforms claiming actor Johnny Depp slammed Hollywood for ignoring him during the legal battles. The claim has sparked questions, prompting a fact-check.
Claim: Johnny Depp says he won't return as Jack Sparrow
According to the viral claim, Depp said in a recent interview, “Hollywood wants me back as Jack Sparrow? After everything?
They left me for dead when I was fighting for my life in court. Watched me get dragged through the mud, cancelled, discarded… like I was already finished. They thought I was going down. They were counting on it.”
He allegedly went on to say, “Now that I won, suddenly the phone’s ringing again. Suddenly, they want the pirate back. Suddenly it’s ‘Johnny, we miss you.’ Covering their a**** like I’m some disposable piece of shit they can just pick back up when it’s convenient.”
“Nah. Not happening. Not right now. I need time. Real time. To heal. Properly. On my own terms. They had their chance when I needed them. They chose silence. I’m choosing peace,” he allegedly added.
The claim drew mixed reactions from fans and online users, with many expressing disappointment, while others remained skeptical and called for a fact-check.
Fact Check: Johnny Depp made no such statement
The claim, however, is false and fabricated, as there are no records of the 63-year-old actor making a statement.
Although the producers of the iconic franchise hinted at the return of Jack Sparrow in ‘Pirates of the Caribbean 6,’ no recent interviews, official statements, or announcements from the Oscar-nominated actor show he expressed disdain towards Hollywood over his legal battles.
A Google search for the claim yielded no credible reports by any news and entertainment media outlets, which, if true, would have made headlines, triggering fan frenzy and widespread debates.
Also, the video accompanying the post is not recent and features an unrelated statement by the actor.
Johnny Depp in talks to return as Captain Jack Sparrow
The claim surfaced after the producer of the series, Jerry Bruckheimer, stated that Depp is in talks to return as Captain Jack Sparrow.
This comes despite the actor having said under oath in 2022, during the trial of the defamation case against his ex-wife, Amber Heard, that Disney had dropped him from the series and he would not play the character again even if he’s offered millions.
“We’re talking with Johnny; we’re working on a screenplay, and hopefully we can get this done,” Bruckheimer said.
