Rolling stone magazine sent journalist Stephen Rodrick to England to spend three days at Johnny Depp’s lavish estate. His resulting article portrays a tragic and bizarre image of the once beloved movie star who is now deep in addiction, debt and lawsuits.
“So, are you here to hear the truth?” Depp asks as Russell brings him a glass of vintage red wine. “It’s full of betrayal.”
The article profiles what happens when Hollywood’s most famous bad boy grows up: he becomes a bad man. Depp has already been canceled due to his allegations of abuse of his ex-wife Amber Heard, and this in-depth interview portrays Depp as a tragic character unable to take responsibility for his current situation. After years of playing the characters of Tim Burton, Depp now lives fully as one. But how did he get here? The answer won’t surprise you: pride and toxic masculinity.
It doesn’t take a psychiatrist to figure out that Depp was greatly influenced by Brando and Thompson, two father figures who don’t care what the world thinks of them.
During the interview, Depp speaks philosophically about his two mentors, Marlon Brando and Hunter S. Thompson. Depp admires them for their rebellious and anti-authority attitudes, and talks about intoxicating drug adventures with Thompson. It’s all fun and playful when you’re a rising young star (I mean, whose 20s wasn’t a hot mess?) But the same anti-establishment ethics don’t age well, especially when it comes out of your mouth. ‘a multimillionaire. You can’t “Damn the Man” with one hand while simultaneously buying 14 mansions and taking private jets everywhere.
The purchases listed by TMG read as if Depp had given his wallet to an interpolated with ADD. There was $ 75 million for 14 residences. He spent $ 3 million to shoot the ashes of his friend Hunter S. Thompson into the sky from a cannon. Only $ 7,000 to buy a sofa for her daughter on the set of Keeping Up With the Kardashians. He bought some 70 guitars and 200 works of art, including Basquiats and Warhols, owned 45 luxury vehicles and spent $ 200,000 a month on private air travel.
Depp is involved in multiple lawsuits against agents and managers over the mismanagement of his enormous fortune. Once estimated at around $ 650 million, Depp is now cash poor and heavily in debt. So what happened? How to lose half a billion dollars? According to Depp’s former chief executives and financial advisers, you are losing it by spending $ 2 million a month on living expenses and blasting your fortune on absurd items (see Thompson’s ash cannon above). Depp and his loyalists claim the funds were mismanaged and stolen, which may or may not be true. At the same time, Depp admits that he fully trusts everyone in his life and is not interested in his own finances, simply signing any documents that have been submitted to him. Depp’s complete abdication of fiscal responsibility is downright shocking to a man in his 50s who has now weathered several financial crises.
When asked what he thinks of all the legal shenanigans, Depp shrugs. “I’m just a small part of it,†he says. “It’s the fucking Matrix. I haven’t seen the movie and I haven’t understood the script, but here’s what it is.
This quote sums up Depp entirely: completely lacking in knowledge (or interest in pursuing it) while assuming he knows what he’s talking about. He presents himself as a frustrated man-child who refuses to take responsibility for his actions and thinks he’s sort of forward thinking because he flaunts his drug use and IDGAF attitude. It’s not a good look at 55, my brother. Put your house (s) in order.
Over a few tuna, fish and corn sandwiches – Depp’s favorite – he talks about the financial mess Betty Sue’s Lexington farm had become.
Tuna and corn? Raw. Like everything else about this self-expanding jag weed. Pick yourself up Johnny Depp, we certainly did.
(Going through Rolling stone, image: John Phillips / Getty Images)
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