The 59-year-old “Pirates of the Caribbean” star will make a surprise appearance at next weekend’s MTV Video Music Awards. Is this supposed to relaunch Johnny Depp’s music career?
Not at all. But it does send the message that he’s back in the industry for real – after a long (and possibly unfinished) battle with his ex-wife, Amber Heard.
According to TMZ, Depp has been in talks with the show’s production team about taking on the role of the Moonman. He’ll also allegedly “show face” on the August 28 show, which will be hosted by LL Cool J, Nicki Minaj, and Jack Harlow. MTV has yet to comment on the accuracy of the report.
Depp is not nominated for any awards this year, but he has received five Moonmen statues throughout his career, including Best Male Performance, Best Villain, Global Superstar, and the Generation Award in 2012.
Meanwhile, the Red Hot Chili Peppers will receive the Global Icon Award in 2022, and Minaj, 39, will receive the 2018 Vanguard Award.
The “Super Bass” rapper will take the stage alongside Lizzo, BLACKPINK, Mneskin, Anitta, J Balvin, Marshmello x Khalid, and Panic! at the Disco.
Johnny Depp’s possible attendance would come just a few months after he won his widely publicized defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard.
A Virginia jury found Heard, 36, guilty of defaming Depp in a 2018 Washington Post opinion piece about sexual abuse and sentenced her to pay him $15 million in damages. Depp’s career has slowly regained traction.
Page Six previously reported that the actor will co-produce and direct a film about the Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani with Al Pacino and Barry Navidi.
TMZ also reported that Depp signed a multi-year, seven-figure contract to continue serving as the celebrity face of Dior’s best-selling Sauvage fragrance earlier this month. The 2022 MTV Video Music Awards will take place at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on Sunday, August 28.
In contrast to previous years’ customary “host” gigs, such as in 2021, when Doja Cat hosted and transported us to outer space with a live performance of “Been Like This” and “You Right” at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, this year’s ceremony will take a novel approach.
Instead, this year’s hip-hop group will emcee from a stage where they are well-versed. Harlow is set to make his first solo VMA performance on the main stage this year, following last year’s memorable performance of “Industry Baby” with Lil Nas X.
This year, the rapper has seven nominations (tied with LNX and Kendrick Lamar), including two of the evening’s most coveted categories, Video of the Year and Artist of the Year. He was nominated for PUSH New Artist and Song of the Summer for the first time at the VMAs in 2020, where he also performed “Whats Poppin.”