Johnny Depp makes surprise concert appearances amid wait for Amber Heard verdict


Johnny Depp made not one, but two surprise appearances at concerts over the weekend while waiting for a verdict in his high-profile defamation trial.
The Pirates of the Caribbean star played with guitarist Jeff Beck at Sheffield City Hall in England on Sunday, and he then made another surprise appearance with Beck on Monday night.
"What a surprise we got last night when Johnny Depp joined @jeffbeckmusic on stage," Sheffield City Hall said on Twitter, adding, "Big thank you to Johnny Depp for joining us."
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Beck introduced Depp by saying that the actor "came knocking on my dressing room door about five years ago and we haven't stopped laughing since," TMZ reports — and according to the outlet, the crowd gave them multiple standing ovations. Depp and Beck previously collaborated and released a single together in 2020, a cover of "Isolation" by John Lennon.
"Johnny and I have been working on music together for a while now and we recorded this track during our time in the studio last year," Beck said at the time. They performed "Isolation," as well as a cover of Marvin Gay's "What's Goin' On," at the surprise concerts, CBS News reports.
Depp's performances came as he waits for a verdict in a closely watched defamation trial, in which he's suing his ex-wife, Amber Heard, over an op-ed she wrote about domestic abuse. After six weeks of testimony, jury deliberations began on Friday and resumed Tuesday following a Memorial Day recess.
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Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
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