Johnny Depp declared he's "on the verge of a new life" as he received the Gold Medal of Merit In Serbia on Tuesday (15.02.22).
Johnny Depp is 'on the verge of a new life'
The Hollywood actor was honoured by the President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic in recognition of his “outstanding merits in public and cultural activities, especially in the field of film art and the promotion of the Republic of Serbia in the world.”
Depp was pictured with his golden disc as he attended Serbia’s Statehood Day in Belgrade, where he filmed his 2021 movie 'Minimata'.
The 58-year-old star - who also voices Johnny Puff in the Serbian-produced animated series 'Puffins' - said at the event: “I truly, sincerely thank you, President Vucic, and this medal of merit, if I am given the honour to walk away with this, I thank you for being kind enough to bestow it upon me."
He added: “I’m right now on the verge of a new life and I like it, I like a re-beginning.
“And I would love for that beginning to start here.”
In recent years, the former 'Pirates of the Caribbean' star has faced many controversies.
Depp agreed to step down from his role in the 'Fantastic Beasts' franchise in 2020, after losing his libel case against The Sun newspaper, who had branded him a "wife beater".
His ex-wife, Amber Heard, previously accused him of domestic abuse - allegations he has denied - following the end of their marriage in 2016.
And a judge granted the 'Black Mass' actor the right to pursue his defamation case against the 35-year-old actress over an op-ed piece she wrote for the Washington Post newspaper in 2018 about surviving domestic abuse.
Depp previously admitted he feels he's been “boycotted” by Hollywood.
He was frustrated that studio MGM refused to release his new movie ‘Minamata' in the US and thinks the “unpleasant and messy situation” he was in with his ex-spouse has been allowed to overshadow his career.
Speaking about the movie - which tells the tale of real-life photographer W Eugene Smith, whose photos in Life magazine exposed the mercury poisoning of Japanese villagers in the early 1970s – he said: “We looked these people in the eyeballs and promised we would not be exploitative. That the film would be respectful. I believe that we’ve kept our end of the bargain, but those who came in later should also maintain theirs.
“Some films touch people. And this affects those in 'Minamata' and people who experience similar things. And for anything . . .For Hollywood’s boycott of, erm, me? One man, one actor in an unpleasant and messy situation, over the last number of years?
“But, you know, I’m moving towards where I need to go to make all that . . . To bring things to light.”
The film ended up being released by Samuel Goldwyn Films in the US in December.
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