Did Johnny Depp Really Say This About Animal Violence?

Actor Johnny Depp once said, “If you don’t like seeing pictures of violence towards animals being posted, you need to stop the violence, not the pictures.”

Fake quotes by celebrities are ubiquitous on the internet, but one quote allegedly by Johnny Depp has been making the rounds since at least 2014. Depp, who has been rumored to dabble in veganism for years, allegedly once said: “If you don’t like seeing pictures of violence towards animals being posted, you need to stop the violence, not the pictures.”

“If you do not like seeing pictures of violence towards animals being posted, you need to help stop the violence, not the pictures.” – Johnny Depp pic.twitter.com/QzLwm3yzg3

— αddie (@shadesofyeIlow) July 24, 2019

We scoured the internet to find where and when he supposedly made this statement. In addition to being quoted on blogs, memes, and across social media, the Telegraph, Bustle, and even musician Moby have also attributed this quote to Depp.

But none of these places actually provided us with the correct source for this statement — whether it was in an interview, a statement released publicly, or something Depp personally wrote. On some websites, the quote appeared without attribution to Depp.

Depp was rumored to have provided vegan options at his engagement party to his ex-wife Amber Heard back in 2014, who was herself reportedly vegan.

In the spring of 2022, Heard and Depp, who divorced in 2017, went to trial to settle a defamation case related to an article Heard wrote, which alleged Depp had abused her during their marriage. During the trial, Heard also accused him of cruelty toward one of her dogs. Depp allegedly grabbed her Yorkie and held it out of the window of a moving car, while “howling like an animal.”

However, after a jury awarded Depp damages in the trial, he was spotted at an Indian restaurant in the U.K., and his group reportedly ordered a large meal that included chicken. Depp was also seen at a wildlife rescue in England.

We have been unable to find any evidence that Depp actually made the comment about violence toward animals, and rumors of his veganism have yet to be confirmed. As such, we rate this claim as “Unproven.”

Sources:

“12 Quotes About Veganism For World Vegan Day That Will Help You Celebrate The Lifestyle.” Bustle, https://www.bustle.com/articles/192014-12-quotes-about-veganism-for-world-vegan-day-that-will-help-you-celebrate-the-lifestyle. Accessed 23 Nov. 2022.

Boult, Adam. “National Vegetarian Week: 20 Celebrities on Why They Gave up Meat.” The Telegraph, 16 May 2016. www.telegraph.co.uk, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/food-and-drink/news/national-vegetarian-week-20-celebrities-on-why-they-gave-up-meat/. Accessed 23 Nov. 2022.

Evon, Dan. “Did Amber Heard Steal ‘Talented Mr. Ripley’ Lines During Depp Trial?” Snopes, 5 May 2022, https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/amber-heard-johnny-depp-trial/. Accessed 23 Nov. 2022.

Grady, Constance. “Johnny Depp Has Filed an Appeal against Amber Heard’s Sole Defamation Suit Victory.” Vox, 4 May 2022, https://www.vox.com/culture/23043519/johnny-depp-amber-heard-defamation-trial-fairfax-county-domestic-abuse-violence-me-too. Accessed 23 Nov. 2022.

Jankowicz, Mia. “Johnny Depp Booked out an Entire 300-Seat Indian Restaurant on His UK Tour and Left a Big Tip, Staff Say.” Insider, https://www.insider.com/johnny-depp-books-300-seat-indian-restaurant-leaves-big-tip-2022-6. Accessed 23 Nov. 2022.

Johnny Depp Visits Wildlife Rescue and Cuddles a Badger After Defamation Trial Win | Entertainment Tonight. https://www.etonline.com/johnny-depp-visits-wildlife-rescue-and-cuddles-a-badger-after-defamation-trial-win-185076. Accessed 23 Nov. 2022.

“Johnny Depp/Amber Heard’s Slightly Medieval Engagement Party.” TMZ, https://www.tmz.com/2014/03/15/johnny-depp-amber-heard-engagement-party/. Accessed 23 Nov. 2022.

Shamsian, Jacob. “Johnny Depp Held One of Amber Heard’s Dogs out a Moving Car Window While He Was ‘howling like an Animal,’ Actress Testifies.” Insider, https://www.insider.com/johnny-depp-held-amber-heard-dog-out-window-howling-2022-5. Accessed 23 Nov. 2022.