Featured Image Credit: Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images for The Red Sea International Film Festival)
Topics: Celebrity, Johnny Depp, Instagram
Rhiannon Ingle
Topics: Celebrity, Johnny Depp, Instagram
Johnny Depp has made a rare social media post to issue a direct warning to his followers.
The 61-year-old Pirates of the Caribbean star shared a lengthy statement alerting people about a number of 'illicit schemes' he's currently up against, but assured he and his team were working tirelessly to 'protect' his fans.
In the Instagram post, which was just posted yesterday (7 January), Depp wished his 28.5 million followers a 'Happy New Year' before revealing: "Sadly, it has been brought to my attention that online scammers are intensifying their efforts to target my fans and supporters."
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He continued: "As part of their tactics, they create multiple, deceptive social media and email accounts impersonating me and members of my team."
Depp went on to warn that artificial intelligence - or AI - can 'create the illusion' of his face and voice, adding: "Scammers may look and sound just like the real me. But, neither I, nor my team, will ask you for money or your personal information."
Assuring fans he and his team were 'actively working to combat these illicit schemes', Depp noted: "While we do, for the protection and awareness of my fans, I am reiterating the following:
"This page (@johnnydepp) is my only account on Instagram.
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"My only Facebook account is @johnnydepp.
"My only TikTok account is @johnnydepp.
"I am not on X/Twitter, Snapchat, or Discord.
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"I do not offer paid meetings, phone calls, club memberships, or fan cards. If you are ever asked for any money for a meeting, call, membership, or fan card, it is a scam.
"I do not interact directly with fans on any social media platforms, via email, or via chat-based platforms like Telegram, WhatsApp, Signal or Zangi.
"Again, neither myself, my team, my agent, nor my family will ever contact you on my behalf asking for money or your personal information."
Depp signed off the post 'JD and team X'.
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Depp's daughter, Lily-Rose Depp, who he shares with French singer Vanessa Paradis, recently opened up about why one of her dad's films 'traumatised' her.
The film in question was the 1990 gothic-comedy Edward Scissorhands, in which Depp played the titular character.
Despite being considered a cult classic nowadays, the Tim Burton flick is somewhat unnerving.
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After all, it tells the tale of an unfinished humanoid with scissor blades instead of hands.
Apparently, however, it wasn't her father's ghoulish appearance or potential to injure that left Johnny's daughter so terrified - but the way that Edward was treated by his on-screen associates.
Speaking to Harpers Bazaar, the 25-year-old admitted she hated the film growing up, adding: "I was traumatised by it.
"Not because I thought he was scary, but because everyone was being so mean to him and I got really upset."