Back in February, we reported that Johnny Depp is going broke after spending his money on what we then described as weird-ass sh-t.
In addition to the usual rich guy splurging (Sources say Depp spent $ 30,000 a month on wine.), there were some truly bizarre expenditures, such as a $ 3 million ash cannon to shoot the remains of his friend Hunter S. Thompson into the atmosphere.
Rather than denying that he went a little crazy with his cash, however, Depp is now defending his right to blow a fortune on whatever gonzo luxuries he wants:
The speculation of where Depp’s money went began when he sued his management group, TMG, for allegedly mishandling his sizable nest egg.
TMG countersued, claiming that “Depp lived an ultra-extravagant lifestyle that often knowingly cost [him] in excess of $ 2 million per month.”
The firm’s cross complaint argues:
“Depp, and Depp alone, is fully responsible for any financial turmoil he finds himself in today.”
In a new interview with The Wall St. Journal, Depp doesn’t claim that he never lived an overly-posh lifestyle, but instead argues that it was his right to do so, and his management group’s job to warn him before he went too far:
“It’s my money,” Depp said. “If I want to buy 15,000 cotton balls a day, it’s my thing.”
He went on to say:
“Why didn’t they drop me as a client if I was so out of control? I’ve worked very, very hard for a lot of years and trusted a lot of people, some who’ve clearly let me down.”
Depp says that in some areas, TMG lied to make his spending seem more lavish than it was, but in a hilariously candid quip, he says they actually underestimated his spending in one case.
The cannon used to propel Thompson’s ashes into the night sky over the writer’s famous Woody Creek, Colorado ranch actually cost $ 5 million, not three.
Depp has been unabashedly frank about his foibles throughout his career, and from a PR standpoint, the ball is now in TMG’s court.
The firm finds itself in the unenviable position of facing off against a film icon who’s soon to resume his most famous role.
The past year has been rough on Depp, but he still has a spot in the hearts of millions of devoted fans.