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Actor and one-time teen heartthrob Johnny Depp has been in and out of the news regularly in the past few years, chiefly as a result of the trial involving his ex-wife Amber Heard.
Now that this issue has largely been put to bed by judge and jury, Depp is getting back to relative normality; or as close to that as you can get when you’re an international A-list celebrity.
In the past week, pictures of Depp emerged which got social media abuzz with comments relating to his appearance. So what was it that surprised fans and reporters so much?
A clean break with a clean shaven face
Undoubtedly the most significant point to note about the pics of the Pirates of the Caribbean actor which went viral on October 10 was the lack of any facial hair.
While in his younger years a clean-shaven Depp was a common sight on our screens, since his stint as Captain Jack Sparrow kicked off back in 2003, it’s been uncommon to see him without at least a mustache.
The piratical aesthetic definitely spilled over into his everyday wardrobe, and this has only snowballed in the past decade. And if you’re interested in keeping up with the 59 year old former hunk, finding Johnny Depp news at The Inquisitr is one of your best bets.
Time leaves its mark on us all
Of course the lack of a beard and a slightly strange combo of a tasseled jacket and loosely-entwined scarf aren’t the only things that got tongues wagging.
The perhaps unflattering pics of Depp do show that, at 59 years old, he is beginning to exhibit the signs of aging which all of us succumb to at some point.
His once chiseled features are certainly softening, and there’s the inescapable quality to his skin which is an inevitable part of getting older. The fact is that our own expectations of how Johnny Depp should look are lagging a long way behind the reality, and it’s on us to recalibrate the way we think of him.
Back on the road
So what was Johnny Depp actually up to at the time he was captured on camera and talked about in less than flattering terms online?
Well, he’s currently out and about with musician Jeff Beck, an artist with whom he’s recorded an album. The pair are playing shows in the US, and have previously partnered together for various tour dates across the UK as well.
Aside from music, Depp is also returning to our screens in a number of upcoming productions, including in a French language film that will see him embodying King Louis XV.
The uncertain road to redemption
While performing with Jeff Beck in Chicago, acting in interesting movies and making sure to sign autographs and chat to fans at every opportunity, it’s impossible to escape the sense that Johnny Depp is still a long way from ascending back to the heights of public acclaim and adoration that he once enjoyed.
The messiness and the controversy of the various court proceedings he’s been involved in are still too fresh in the minds of most people.
There’s also the fact that we are more forgiving of eccentricities of dress and behavior in younger people, meaning that as Depp gets older, he will undoubtedly be seen less as a beautiful and charmingly odd individual, and more as a strange presence on the celeb scene.
Final thoughts
Everyone has a right to interpret celebrity photos as they see fit, and Depp is certainly not impervious to this type of scrutiny. No doubt we’re just entering the era in which his age plays more of a part in how he’s perceived.
Image Source: Wikimedia
