US actor Johnny Depp received the Donostia Award for his contribution to the cinema at the 69th San Sebastian Film Festival, in San Sebastian, northern Spain. Photo / AP
US actor Johnny Depp received the Donostia Award for his contribution to the cinema at the 69th San Sebastian Film Festival, in San Sebastian, northern Spain. Photo / AP
Johnny Depp has given an almighty speech about his battered reputation at the San Sebastian Film Festival overnight.
The 58-year-old US actor was controversially presented with the prestigious Donostia lifetime achievement award at this year's ceremony, where he took to the stage to condemn cancel culture amid his ongoing legalwoes with ex-wife Amber Heard.
In an unusual public statement off the back of his libel case loss against The Sun newspaper who had dubbed him a "wife beater", an unwavering Depp declared "no one is safe".
"It can be seen as an event in history that lasted for however long it lasted, this cancel culture, this instant rush to judgment based on what essentially amounts to polluted air," Depp said at the ceremony, Deadline reports.
"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.
"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. Children have suffered from various types of unpleasantries. Sadly at a certain point, they begin to think that it's normal. Or that it's them. When it's not."
Johnny Depp waves to fans after receiving the Donostia Award for his contribution to cinema. Photo / AP
It's clear Depp was referencing his damaged reputation in Hollywood as a result of Heard's claims she was a victim of domestic abuse during their two-year marriage, which saw Depp forced to step down from Warner Bros' Fantastic Beasts franchise.
Depp has vehemently denied allegations he was abusive, and is suing Heard in a $70 million defamation case which goes to trial in the US in April 2022, regarding a Washington Post opinion piece Heard wrote about being a victim of domestic violence.
Heard, 35, is pursuing a $138 million counterclaim.
"It doesn't matter if a judgment, 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, because they need you," Depp added in his speech.
Depp seemingly referenced ongoing court dramas with his ex-wife, Amber Heard. Photo / Getty Images
At a press conference during the festival, Depp was slapped with questions as to how he felt about backlash that he was the recipient of the Donostia award – the ceremony's highest honour.
While the host of the conference shut down personal questions, Depp was more than willing to answer, admitting he was "worried" about attending because he "didn't want to offend anyone".
He also thanked organisers for their "undying support" and for "not buying what has been, for far too long, some notion of me that doesn't exist".
"I haven't done anything, I just make movies," Depp added.
Addressing his most famous role as Captain Jack Sparrow in Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean movies, Depp said the role could "never" be taken away from him.
Disney is reportedly planning more films in the Pirates franchise but Depp's involvement is still up in the air.
