Johnny Depp is one of the most recognizable movie stars in recent history.
He anchored one of the most successful film franchises of the 21st Century, and he’s been a bonafide screen icon for most of his adult life.
So how is it that Depp is broke and fighting for his financial life in civil court?
The news of Johnny’s relative destitution (He still has tens of millions in property and other assets.) comes to us courtesy of an increasingly bizarre pair of court cases.
It all started when Depp sued his management group, TMG, alleging that his finances were mishandled and he was never cautioned about his reckless spending habits.
TMG counter-sued, claiming that Depp was warned and that he persisted in making extravagant purchases and living a cartoonishly lavish lifestyle despite foreknowledge that he was headed for ruin.
“Depp is responsible for his own financial waste,” TMG’s lawyers claim in court documents filed last month.
The legal wrangling has brought numerous details of the spending and self-destructive behavior to light in a fashion that’s amusing from an onlooker’s standpoint, but probably deeply embarrassing for Depp.
Depp’s passion for privacy (he refers to one of his Bahamian properties ad “F–k Off Island”) is well-known, but these days, his finances are a matter of public record.
Revelations such as the actor’s habit of spending $ 30,000 a month on wine have been the stuff of tabloid headlines for several weeks now, and the mind-boggling figures just keep coming.
A scathing series of reports published by The Hollywood Reporter examines Depp’s decline in lurid detail, and the tale of the screen legend’s downfall is one of almost unimaginable excess.
According to the magazine, the expenditures outlined by TMG include:
-An estimated $ 200,000 for flying in private jets.
–$ 400,000 on a diamond cuff estimated to be worth less than half that amount.
–“Millions” on guitars and artwork. (Depp’s includes pieces by Modigliani and Warhol.)
-More millions on Hollywood memorabilia. (Depp reportedly pays rent on 12 storage facilities in order to store his film industry keepsakes.)
–$ 5 million for an “ash cannon” to fire off the remains of legendary journalist Hunter S. Thompson.
–$ 3.6 million annually for his personal staff. (In addition to his chef and security detail, each of Depp’s residences is fully staffed … even when the actor isn’t there.)
–$ 5.35 million for his chain of islands in the Bahamas.
–$ 18 million for a 156-foot yacht, which Depp’s financial planners have convinced him to sell to author J.K. Rowling.
-And of course, $ 75 million for the purchase and renovation of 14 residences worldwide, all but one of which the actor has reportedly refused to sell.
All of this splurging reportedly had Depp’s handlers in a panic, and a 2016 memo obtained by THR provides insight into how dire Depp’s financial situation has become:
“Did you tell [J]ohnny … he needs to make $ 25 million by the end of the year????? What are you doing?????"” his talent agent wrote to a TMG exec.
In addition to his spending, those closest to Depp say he’s been a personal tailspin since his divorce from Amber Heard, frequently partying late into the night and often failing to show to set on time … or at all.
Sadly, it sounds as though Depp’s financial irresponsibility may be a symptom of a much more dangerous disease.
We’ll have further updates on this developing story as more information becomes available.