Johnny Depp will make a guest appearance in the latest edition of Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty lingerie show, a source with knowledge of the information confirmed to BuzzFeed News.
The news, first reported in TMZ, claims that Depp’s prerecorded cameo was orchestrated by Rihanna, who owns a 30% stake in the business. The fashion show is set to stream on Amazon Prime on Nov. 9.
The Savage X Fenty fashion show has previously been hailed as a refreshing rival to the star-studded Victoria’s Secret runway show for its diverse and inclusive lineup of models who vary in body type, ethnicity, and gender.
Though it is unclear exactly what his involvement in the show will be, Depp is being billed as “the first male celebrity figure” to have this role, which has led critics online to describe Rihanna as being “out of touch.”
“Savage x Fenty is already a flop adding Johnny Depp to the mix is just another example of how out of touch Rihanna actually is,” one Twitter user said.
Savage x Fenty is already a flop adding Johnny Depp to the mix is just another example of how out of touch Rihanna actually is
“Rihanna inviting Johnny Depp to her show is so, so fucking weird. Not a single billionaire on this planet with decency and she’s keeping up the trend sadly,” another wrote.
Rihanna inviting Johnny Depp to her show is so, so fucking weird. Not a single billionaire on this planet with decency and she’s keeping up the trend sadly
The news of Depp's involvement comes five months after he won a high-profile defamation case against his ex-wife Amber Heard following a six-week legal battle in court and a vicious online campaign.
Depp filed the lawsuit after Heard, to whom he was married from 2015 to 2016, wrote an op-ed for the Washington Post in 2018 calling for there to be more support for women who have experienced domestic abuse, citing her personal experience.
Although he was not mentioned by name, Depp’s legal team wrote in a complaint filed in 2019 that it was a “clear implication that Mr. Depp is a domestic abuser.” The Pirates of the Caribbean star denied all allegations of abuse.
In June, a jury found that Heard libeled Depp by writing the op-ed and ordered her to pay her ex-husband $15 million in damages.
Depp fans have been quick to celebrate the news of the show as the latest highlight in a string of appearances marking the actor's return to celebrity status.
In his first major outing, the 59-year-old made a surprise cameo as the Moonman at the 2022 VMAs in August, where he joked that he was in need of employment opportunities.
Depp famously was dropped from his lead role as Jack Sparrow from the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise in response to the abuse allegation.
“I needed the work. I just want you guys to know that I’m available for birthdays, bar mitzvahs, bat mitzvahs, weddings, wakes, any old thing you need,” he said at the VMAs.
BuzzFeed News reached out to representatives for Rihanna for comment.