Johnny Depp was handed the Favorite Movie Icon award during the 2017 People’s Choice Awards on January 18, 2017.
It was the actor’s first public appearance after his divorce with former wife Amber Heard was finally settled by the court and he spared no time in thanking his fans for their unwavering support.
In accepting the award, he talked about how his fans have stood by him through thick and thin and he expressed his gratitude for all of them for their steadfastness.
There was a fan who shouted to him ‘I love you’ right off the bat of his acceptance speech and he responded by saying ‘I love you too, kid,’ details US Weekly.
He said that he came to the occasion for one reason only and that he was there for the people who stood by him through good times or bad and also trusted him.
The 53-year-old actor added that he was very deeply affected by the kindness of the recognition and by their well-wishes to his family and to himself and that is the reason why it was especially meaningful for him to be in front of everybody to express his gratitude, notes USA Today.
Depp expressed his solemn and serious ‘thank you’ to the crowd at Los Angeles’ Microsoft Theater, saying that he felt very proud for the gracious invitation afforded to him once again. He said that he appreciated the gesture very much and people have no idea about the level of appreciation he had for it.
Getting on with his life
The “Pirates of the Caribbean” actor is now moving on with his life now that his divorce with Amber Heard has already been settled.
Amber Heard filed for divorce in May and accused the actor of allegedly physically and verbally abusing her during their short-lived marriage. But she recanted her allegations after.
After months of fighting each other in court, they settled their divorce for $7 million on August 16, with Heard vowing to donate the entirety of her settlement money to the ACLU and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.
The exes finalized their divorce on January 13, after eight months of legal drama. Pierce O’Donnel, the lawyer of Amber Heard, said that it was a great day for his client because all she ever wanted was to be divorced and it finally happened.
Depp has most recently been busy filming his latest role for the upcoming film “Labyrinth” in Los Angeles. The actor is also now suing his business managers for $25 million, claiming that they caused him to lose tens of millions of dollars over the years due to gross misconduct.
Seeking for compensatory damages
Johnny Depp made the gross misconduct allegations in a lawsuit filed on January 20 in state court in Los Angeles. He filed the complaint, which is 52 pages long, against The Mandel Co., The Management Group, Joel L. Mandel, Robert Mandel, First American Title Insurance Co., and 15 other unnamed defendants.
The “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” actor is seeking a jury trial and asking for compensatory damages as he alleged that the self-dealing by TMG was so extensive that he’s been forced to sell off assets to pay for the losses.
The suit contains 11 causes of action, including professional negligence, fraud, negligent misrepresentation, and unjust enrichment.
The management companies have denied the actor’s allegations and responded that the lawsuit is a mere fabrication and a result of Depp’s profligate spending.
Attorney Matthew Kanny, the lawyer of Johnny Depp, said that his client is one of the most sought after and highly paid actors in the world. But he said that his client is a victim of the gross misconduct of his business managers purportedly based on an oral contract, all at the actor’s expense.