Johnny Depp Releases Heartfelt Statement On George Floyd & Black Lives Matter

It’s taken several days for Johnny Depp to speak out on the surging Black Lives Matter movement, but it’s not because the reclusive star is out of touch.

In a lengthy open letter, the Pirates of the Caribbean star describes how deeply he was affected by seeing the murder of George Floyd, captured forever on video.

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He wrote on his new Instagram account on Thursday:

“As the majority of American people, our global community and our extended family of humans helplessly watched a man die on television… I too, was exposed to the atrocity of blatant barbarism, ruthless cruelty and unmitigated lack of humanity. A handcuffed man, pleading for his life lay prone with the full weight of a man sworn to defend the peace on his neck. The victim of this heinous act of cowardice, George Floyd, told the officers that he could not breathe. As he called for his dead mother, how could our collective hearts not break as his face was ground and mashed firmly into the pavement by those sworn to protect him, and all of us? Justice, I desperately hope, will address the horror of Officer Chauvin’s nonchalance and indifference to his participation in the agony, suffering and ultimately the murder of our fellow traveler George Floyd in a grotesque illustration of the abuse of power!!!”

Johnny sadly and lyrically wrote:

“There is no way to make sense of what is senseless. There is no way to restore a life that has been taken. Just as there is no way to un-break a heart that is broken.”

Oof. Well said.

The 56-year-old followed up this sentiment with a call for fans to watch the words of Killer Mike, half of the rap duo Run The Jewels, who recently spoke very powerfully on the matter:

“What we can do is make a vow to ourselves that racism and the ignorance inherent in such judgmental ugliness that it gives birth to, is NO LONGER AN OPTION!!! THERE MUST BE A CHANGE!!! DEMAND IT!!!! My dear friend and brother, Killer Mike – (Run The Jewels), is a brilliant musician, artist, activist for social justice and the son of an Atlanta Policeman. He is also, one of the kindest, most caring and loving human beings that I’ve ever had the pleasure and honor to know!!! I beg everyone to listen to the remarks of this true statesman. True statesmen have never been so needed, and they’ve never been in such short supply. With All Love, JD”

See the 8-minute video Johnny shared (below):

View this post on Instagram

As the majority of American people, our global community and our extended family of humans helplessly watched a man die on television… I too, was exposed to the atrocity of blatant barbarism, ruthless cruelty and unmitigated lack of humanity. A handcuffed man, pleading for his life lay prone with the full weight of a man sworn to defend the peace on his neck. The victim of this heinous act of cowardice, George Floyd, told the officers that he could not breathe. As he called for his dead mother, how could our collective hearts not break as his face was ground and mashed firmly into the pavement by those sworn to protect him, and all of us? Justice, I desperately hope, will address the horror of Officer Chauvin’s nonchalance and indifference to his participation in the agony, suffering and ultimately the murder of our fellow traveler George Floyd in a grotesque illustration of the abuse of power!!! There is no way to make sense of what is senseless. There is no way to restore a life that has been taken. Just as there is no way to un-break a heart that is broken. What we can do is make a vow to ourselves that racism and the ignorance inherent in such judgmental ugliness that it gives birth to, is NO LONGER AN OPTION!!! THERE MUST BE A CHANGE!!! DEMAND IT!!!! My dear friend and brother, Killer Mike – (Run The Jewels), is a brilliant musician, artist, activist for social justice and the son of an Atlanta Policeman. He is also, one of the kindest, most caring and loving human beings that I’ve ever had the pleasure and honor to know!!! I beg everyone to listen to the remarks of this true statesman. True statesmen have never been so needed, and they’ve never been in such short supply. With All Love, JD

A post shared by Johnny Depp (@johnnydepp) on Jun 4, 2020 at 2:19pm PDT