Actor Johnny Depp plans to reignite his Hollywood career not through the silver screen where he made his name but through a new album with Hi Ho Silver Lining guitarist Jeff Beck.
After a highly publicized contentious legal battle with ex-wife Amber Heard — in which Depp was awarded $15 million in his defamation case, while Heard was awarded $2 million in a counterclaim — the actor joined Beck for a handful of shows in the United Kingdom recently where the musical artist revealed the duo’s project.
“We actually made an album. I don’t know how it happened. It will be out in July,” Beck said, per the BBC. The pair have previously collaborated together on a cover of John Lennon’s “Isolation,” released in April. Depp has said in the past that he enjoys music more than acting.
On Thursday, Depp joined Beck on stage for eight songs during a concert at the Sage venue in Gateshead. While the actor did not publicly speak about the trial verdict, Beck did reportedly remark “What a result.” Depp will join Beck on all of his remaining tour dates, per the outlet.
“I think he was having one,” one fan told the BBC after the show. “He looked really happy. He seemed to be in a great place.”
While many fans admitted to being impressed with Depp’s musical prowess throughout the show, the sentiment was not shared by everyone.
“Jeff Beck was excellent,” another fan from Newcastle told the outlet. “The thing that spoiled the night was the talentless Mr. Depp. He was like a drunken pub singer at one point. I don’t know what Jeff Beck’s thinking of.”
Though the jury decided that both Depp and Heard won separate suits, questions remain as to whether their on-screen careers can rebound after the trial. In 2020, Depp revealed that he had been asked by Warner Bros. to exit the “Harry Potter” prequel franchise “Fantastic Beasts.” He was replaced by Mads Mikkelsen as the villainous Gellert Grindelwald.
During the trial, Heard claimed that her role in WB’s upcoming blockbuster sequel “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” was reduced as a result of their public dispute. DC Films head Walter Hamada revealed that she was nearly recast due to a lack of chemistry with star Jason Momoa.