Dior sparked backlash by airing a fragrance commercial starring Johnny Depp
- A Dior cologne commercial starring Johnny Depp sparked controversy after it was broadcast in the UK on Tuesday, The Guardian reported.
- A spokesperson for the UK's Advertising Standards Authority told The Guardian that after Depp's Dior ad was aired, it received 11 complaints from viewers that criticized Depp's place in the ad in light of his recent legal case.
- In early November, the "Edward Scissorhands" actor lost a high-profile libel case against publishers of the UK publication The Sun over a 2018 article that described him as a "wife beater."
- Fans of Depp who continue to support him saw Dior's commercial as a victory for the ousted actor, who was recently dropped from his role in Warner Bros. "Fantastic Beasts" franchise.
A Dior cologne commercial starring Johnny Depp sparked controversy after it was broadcast in the UK on Tuesday.
The Guardian reported that a Dior ad for its Sauvage fragrance, which stars Depp playing an electric guitar, was shown during an episode of "The Great British Bake Off" that aired Tuesday in the UK.
Depp has been the face of the French luxury brand's cologne since 2015 and has starred in a number of ad spots for the Dior fragrance line.
The actor came under scrutiny the next year, when actress Amber Heard filed for divorce in 2016 and alleged Depp had physically abused her throughout their relationship. Depp denied the allegations and their divorce was finalized in 2017.
A spokesperson for the Advertising Standards Authority — which regulates ads in the UK — told The Guardian that after Depp's Dior ad was aired on Tuesday, it received 11 complaints from viewers that were all related to Depp's presence in the commercial.
"We have received a total of 11 complaints about this ad, with the complainants believing that Johnny Depp shouldn't be in the ad due to details concerning his recent court case," a spokesperson for the Advertising Standards Authority said.
While the advertisement garnered criticism from some, supporters of Depp appeared to see the Sauvage commercial as a victory for the ousted actor. Fans of Depp took to Twitter on Friday and Saturday to share a #JusticeForJohnnyDepp hashtag and applaud Dior for not appearing to drop the actor from the campaign.
Representatives for Dior did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
Depp recently lost a high-profile libel case against publishers of the UK publication The Sun and was dropped from his 'Fantastic Beasts' role
On November 2, it was announced that Johnny Depp lost his libel case against the publishers of the UK newspaper The Sun over a 2018 article that described him as a "wife beater."
Judge Andrew Nicol ruled that The Sun's reporting of Depp as being violent toward his ex-wife during their marriage was "substantially true."
The Sun cited Heard's allegations that Depp had assaulted her 14 times, and Heard said that the abuse was heavily influenced by the actor's drug and alcohol use, according to the Associated Press.
Following the announcement of the verdict of Depp's case, the actor wrote in a typed, which that he shared on Instagram, that he was asked by Warner Bros. to resign from his role as the villain of the "Fantastic Beasts" franchise. Actor Mads Mikkelson will replace Depp in the forthcoming "Fantastic Beasts 3."
Experts previously told Insider's Zac Ntim that Depp's career will likely plummet as a result of his failed libel case and repeated denial of domestic abuse allegations.
It's not the first time Dior has come under fire for a commercial starring Depp
In 2019, an ad for Dior's Sauvage campaign that also starred Depp garnered backlash — but not because it featured the actor. Dior pulled the commercial after people criticized it for including what they described as stereotypical portrayals of Native Americans.
Depp later defended the advertisement to the Hollywood Reporter.
"The film was made with a great respect for the indigenous people not just of North America but all over the world," the actor said in 2019.
- Read more:
- A complete timeline of Johnny Depp and Amber Heard's tumultuous relationship
- Jude Law says 'it was unusual' that Johnny Depp was ousted from 'Fantastic Beasts 3'
- Screenwriter Caroline Thompson reveals behind the scenes details about 'Edward Scissorhands'
- 'Fantastic Beasts' is just the start. Johnny Depp's career is over, experts say.