Johnny Depp’s Saudi Prince Bromance
Johnny Depp’s name has been in the headlines a lot over the last few years and just when you thought you were getting a break, boom, he’s right back in your face. This time, the Pirates of the Caribbean star is making waves after striking up a friendship with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, aka MBS. In fact, “friendship” doesn’t even begin to cover the pair’s bond as it’s been described as a “bromance like no other.”
Johnny Depp Looking For New Opportunities?
Although we certainly aren’t reading into any of this, Johnny Depp will likely be tossing over the possibility of signing on for a seven-figure deal that would see him become a cultural ambassador as he films in the country. With his public image in the United States still on a decline following his court case with his ex-wife Amber Heard, Depp has finely tuned into other options to renew his career.
Johnny Depp Has Spent Weeks In Saudi Arabia
After being given a top-notch tour of the Saudi Kingdom, Johnny Depp said that while he was “somewhat naïve at first,” he now better understands what’s going on in the country and of the “cultural revolution” that’s happening inside of it. Over the last year, the Cry Baby star has visited Saudi Arabia for about seven weeks and says that he’s had the opportunity to soak in the culture and speak to the people who call the country home. During this time, he’s gotten increasingly closer to MBS, with the pair developing a deep bond.
Depp Asked About The Infamous Beheading
In fact, Johnny Depp has gotten to be so chummy with MBS that he felt stable enough to ask the Prince about the murder of the Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a story that rocked the global news back in 2018. For a refresher, Jamal Khashoggi was brutally murdered and dismembered by Saudi agents just a few years ago making the topic a rather touchy one for Depp to bring up – even if he and MBS are in a bromance.
The Same Old Story
Sticking to the story he’s been telling for over five years, MBS said that he never ordered Khashoggi’s death but that he did take some accountability for it as he was the one to call for the journalist’s arrest. MBS went on to share with Johnny Depp his deep belief that the journalist had “become a rogue operative” who was teaming up with Saudi Arabia’s enemies to bring down the Prince and the government.
Saudi Arabia Funding Depp’s Next Movie
Despite asking MBS such a personal and loaded question, Johnny Depp has been clear that there aren’t political tangles between him and the Prince and that their relationship is solely one of arts, culture, and entertainment. As for that tie to cinema with Saudi Arabia, the Red Sea Film Foundation has given the green light on Depp’s next directorial project, Modi, which will star Al Pacino as the Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani.
A Refuge From Hollywood
As Johnny Depp attempts to put the lawsuit with his ex-wife Amber Heard behind him, it seems likely that his bromance with MBS will only continue to blossom. After all, if Saudi Arabia is looking to expand its hold on the entertainment business and bring more opportunities into the country, what would be better than getting a Hollywood A-list star, even if he has fallen from Tinsel Town’s good graces?
Source: Vanity Fair
