Johnny Depp claims ‘cancel culture is out of hand’ as he accepts lifetime achievement award

Johnny Depp claimed that “cancel culture” is “out of hand” during a lengthy diatribe at the San Sebastian Film Festival.

The actor, who stepped down from his role as Gellert Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts franchise after losing a domestic assault-related libel lawsuit, claimed that “no one is safe” from cancel culture, according to a report from Deadline.

At a press conference for the festival, he said: “It’s so far out of hand now that I can promise you that no one is safe. Not one of you. No one out that door. No one is safe.”

Depp, who is at the festival to receive the honorary Donostia Award, went on: “It can be seen as an event in history that lasted for however long it lasted, this cancel culture, this instant rush to judgement based on what essentially amounts to polluted air.”

The actor added: “It takes one sentence and there’s no more ground, the carpet has been pulled. It’s not just me that this has happened to, it’s happened to a lot of people. This type of thing has happened to women, men. Sadly at a certain point they begin to think that it’s normal. Or that it’s them. When it’s not.”

Depp also made reference to the lawsuit he lost over being labelled a “wife beater”: “It doesn’t matter if a judgement, per se, has taken some artistic license. When there’s an injustice, whether it’s against you or someone you love, or someone you believe in – stand up, don’t sit down. Cause they need you.”

After his lengthy answer concluded, the host of the press conference made it clear that future questions could only be about Depp’s career.

The Edward Scissorhands star later confessed he was “worried” his appearance at the festival “would offend people”.

He also reiterated his innocence against any claims: “I haven’t done anything, I just make movies.”

Depp is still pursuing a libel lawsuit against ex-wife, Amber Heard, in the US, after losing in the UK.

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