Johnny Depp's Latest Career Move Proves To Be More Than Profitable

Johnny Depp didn't waste any time following that spectacle of a defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard to remind people he's a man of many talents. The "Pirates of the Caribbean" star quickly proved he still takes his music career quite seriously. Making a surprise appearance in late May at a Jeff Beck concert in London, Depp and the British rocker, longtime pals, have been touring across Europe all summer, per The Guardian. Depp and Beck's joint album, "18," dropped on July 15. Depp mused of the endeavor, "It's an extraordinary honor to play and write music with Jeff, one of the true greats and someone I am now privileged enough to call my brother." 

Reportedly, one of the 13 tracks on the record, "Sad Motherf***in' Parade," is about Depp's high-profile trial against Heard. As the "Edward Scissorhands" star sings on the self-written headbanger, "If I had a dime, it wouldn't reach your hand ... Snitches were bragging 'bout the fools they took," per Genius. 

In further musical news, Depp's own band, the Hollywood Vampires, announced a new world tour starting in June 2023, with Depp reuniting with bandmates Alice Cooper, Joe Perry, and Tommy Henriksen after a pandemic-induced hiatus. Even given this packed schedule, Depp recently showed off yet another creative talent he had up his sleeve — to much commercial success.

Johnny Depp recently sold his first art collection through Castle Fine Art, garnering an eye-watering $3.6 million, per the Daily Mail. Depp announced the sale of the 780-print collection on Instagram on July 28, with it selling out in hours. With each piece going for $4,800, the entire collection brought in $18,000. Depp worked off photographic references to paint the collection, titled "Friends & Heroes," per the Castle Fine Art website. With portraits of icons such as Elizabeth Taylor and Al Pacino, the art retailer described the collection as "Pop Art with feeling." Castle Fine Art also emphasized the "characteristic freehand flourishes" Depp infused into every portrait, making each piece specific to his gaze.

Depp loves the opportunity to branch out artistically. "I've always used art to express my feelings and to reflect on those who matter most to me ... My paintings surround my life, but I kept them to myself and limited myself. No one should ever limit themselves," Depp mused, per the Castle Fine Art website.

The topic of Depp's artwork previously popped up in unexpected ways during his defamation trial against Amber Heard. While Depp was oft-seen doodling in the courtroom for fun, photos of "paintings" Depp drew on the walls of his Australian home were shown to jurors as evidence. Using what Heard's attorney called "a mixture of paint and blood," per the Independent, Depp made the expressionistic scribblings after the March 2015 incident in which he infamously severed his finger.