Johnny Depp, Do Us All A Favor And Retire

Johnny Depp was long regarded as an endearingly eccentric presence in Hollywood. The Kentucky-born actor built a career on his brooding, quirky, tortured-artist persona, and somehow, it never felt like too much. He slid into teen idol status during the 1980s after starring on 21 Jump Street, formed a career-spanning partnership with filmmaker Tim Burton with flicks like Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood, and Sleepy Hollow (among a slew of others) and really got into the game when he starred opposite screen legend Al Pacino in Donnie Brasco. The prolific star also ensured that his personal life drew plenty of intrigue; “Wino Forever” remains something of a pop culture landmark of the 1990s, he had famous friends in interesting places, and even his arrests and drug use contributed to the appealing image he constructed.

The actor was able to keep all of this up for some-odd 25 years; he earned Oscar nominations for his work in Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl, Finding Neverland, and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Captain Jack Sparrow became a favorite role and integral to his public persona; he’d even leave in the gold teeth he donned for the film during press appearances. His bad-boy-to-family-man journey was something the public could get behind – he was named People’s ‘Sexiest Man Alive’ twice, became the face of multiple brands, and even after he split with long-term partner/mother of his children Vanessa Paradis and quickly married actress Amber Heard, there was still an indelible quality about Depp that made him a viable figure to carry big flicks. Blockbuster after blockbuster, he proved what an industry force he was – but nothing lasts forever, and the last few years have illustrated a remarkable fall from grace for the once-untouchable actor.

Once comfortably settled at the top of the A-list, Depp’s reputation as a reliably consistent star has seemingly been destroyed. Flop after flop – Transcendence, Mortdecai, The Lone Ranger, Black Mass, and Alice Through the Looking Glass, to name a few – marked a stunning fall from grace for the actor, one that was only exacerbated by the personal scandals that began to plague him. His once-beloved, memorable public persona now felt tired and try-hard, and his strange video apology to Australia for sneaking his dogs into the country caused a bizarre media frenzy. Things reached their peak, however, when Heard filed for divorce and alleged that Depp had been “verbally and physically abusive” to her for the entirety of their relationship. Photos of Heard’s bruised face and a video of Depp apparently drunkenly, violently arguing with Heard soon circulated, and while they eventually settled (and Heard donated her settlement to charity), some of the damage was done. That’s not to say that Depp’s image was completely tarnished – many members of his cult-like following took to their social media accounts to degrade Heard as a gold-digging liar intent on destroying Depp’s career. If anything, this scandal further spoke to just how difficult it is to truly take down someone like Depp. He hasn’t stopped working, but he has largely stopped making good movies – and he’s lost many of the professional relationships that made his career.

As if the controversies of 2016 hadn’t been enough, The Hollywood Reporter ran an extensive account earlier this month referring to Depp as a “star in crisis” who carries monthly expenses of $2 million, owes millions of dollars to a lot of people, and struggles with alcohol abuse. His zany string of press appearances leading up to the most recent (and final) installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean have only seemed to contribute to rumors of his alcohol abuse, and with stories like these on top of the rest of his scandals, it’s not difficult to imagine why Disney is done with the star. While the film is on track to perform well at the box office, critical responses are fairly mixed. It’s high time for Captain Jack Sparrow – and Depp – to walk the plank.

While the allegations of domestic violence, substance abuse, financial turmoil, and unprofessional behavior on set should have been enough to end Depp’s acting career, the truth is that he should throw in the towel anyway. Personal scandals aside, Depp has ceased to be interesting. He did good work, he reached his peak, and it’s time for the curtain to close. Big franchise flicks and smaller-scale projects just don’t benefit from a Depp billing anymore. Why have we been so quick to forgive him for transgressions both personal and professional? Depp has exhausted his time in Hollywood, and an Irish goodbye would suit him – and the rest of us – well.

(It’s obvious that money and industry complicity will not see this happen, but we sure can dream.)