It looks like Rihanna has become the latest power broker to sign with the actor Johnny Depp’s victory lap in reputation, rehabilitation, lawsuit after defamation.
It’s no surprise that Depp jumped at the chance to be co-signed by one of the classiest, most successful and beloved women on the planet. But what’s in it for Rihanna?
It’s no surprise that Depp jumped at the chance to be co-signed by one of the classiest, most successful and beloved women on the planet. But what’s in it for Rihanna?
On Thursday, TMZ reported that Depp would be a “surprise” guest star on Savage X Fenty Vol. 4 Fashion Show, which is set to premiere on Amazon Prime on November 9. Depp’s appearance would be pre-recorded, providing one of the show’s “star moments”. Depp is the first man to receive such an honor.
The atmosphere? “Cool and classy.”
Because nothing says “cool and chic” like an aging, grizzled movie star with a history of domestic violence allegations. (Depp has denied the abuse allegations; in his libel trial against ex-wife Amber Heard, a jury found Heard liable on three counts of defamation and Depp liable on one count of defamation .)
TMZ also reported that Rihanna and her team are actively pursuing Depp’s appearance on the Fenty show, and that “both parties are super excited for this to happen.”
As usual these days, this little bit of news set off an immediate internet storm — especially because Rihanna is a domestic violence survivor herself. (In 2009, her then-boyfriend Chris Brown was arrested after physically assaulting her. He eventually pleaded guilty to felony assault.) Some people (aka Johnny Depp Stans) were thrilled by the news of Depp’s cameo, seeing Rihanna’s desire to work with the actor as confirmation of his innocence — as if Rihanna’s survival inherently affirms Depp’s. Others, mostly Rihanna fans, expressed horror and confusion as to why the entrepreneur and entertainer would use her platform to boost Depp’s. The decision seemed particularly puzzling in light of the fact that she previously cut ties with model Draya Michele for making a joke glamorizing domestic violence in 2020.
Rihanna’s choice to feature this special guy at this particular moment is certainly a puzzle. Here’s a guy who texted his friends about how he would brutally murder his ex-wife and what he would do to her “rotting corpse”. A guy who was tried in a UK court couldn’t challenge the court’s dismissal of his case against a news publisher who called him a ‘wife beater’. This guy is the face of a waist-centric lingerie brand for women? In the year of our lord 2022?
But Rihanna is a businesswoman; the billionaire mogul behind Savage X Fenty and Fenty Beauty. Nothing influences people’s values in a late-stage capitalist society better than a big paycheck. And right now, Depp is an in-demand moneymaker, someone the rich and famous have warmly brought into the fold.
In a way, Depp’s return to the limelight as an anti-hero idol in this particular moment makes sense in a time when everything old and out is new and again. After years trapped in an isolated pandemic country, people are angrier, more cynical and more nihilistic. The post-9/11 “indie sleaze” aesthetic, I-don’t-give— is making a comeback, and with it, a greater desire to push back any narrative that feels too easy. Depp is complicated, edgy, and occupies the liminal space between abuser and victim. It’s cultural catnip.
Depp’s return to the limelight as an anti-hero idol at this particular time makes sense in a time when everything old and out is new and again.
At the end of the summer, Depp made a surprise appearance at the MTV Video Movie Awards, playing the channel’s mascot, the Moonman. He was also tapped to direct a biopic produced by Al Pacino, and that same month signed a seven-figure, multi-year deal with Dior to continue as the face of its men’s fragrance, Sauvage. (According to WWD, the perfume saw a “sharp increase in sales” after Depp won the libel suit against Heard in June.) Even costumes for Jack Sparrow, Depp’s character in “Pirates of the Caribbean,” received a financial boost. Rihanna may be jumping on the bandwagon, hoping her gamble pays off.
The only question that remains is whether Rihanna misjudged her audience. The outcry was strong from at least one segment of its target demographic. Many women don’t want their sexy, affordable lingerie with a sordid side of alleged aggressor. Guess we’ll see if they keep buying what Depp — and now, Rihanna — is selling now.