Johnny Depp has signed a massive deal with French luxury fashion house and cosmetics giant Dior, marking the biggest men's fragrance pact ever. Despite facing choppy PR waters amid his legal battle with ex-wife Amber Heard, Dior stood by the star and signed him to a three-year deal worth upwards of $20 million. This amount eclipses Robert Pattinson's $12 million deal with Dior Homme and Brad Pitt's $7 million pact with Chanel No. 5. While most A-listers with fragrance deals earn around $2 million-$4 million per year, Chris Pine's deal with Armani is valued at $4 million per year over three years.
Although Dior has not commented on the deal, sources familiar with the fragrance industry have confirmed it. Since 2015, Depp has been the face of Dior Sauvage, using his image as a wild rocker to promote the fragrance. Dior faced pressure to drop Depp after a U.K. court ruled against him in his 2020 libel suit against The Sun over its description of him as a "wife beater" with regards to Heard. However, Depp's image and marketability improved dramatically last year after he won a closely-watched defamation trial against Heard. A representative for Depp declined to comment on the deal.
During the Virginia trial, which was streamed live online, a seven-member jury found that Amber Heard had defamed Johnny Depp, awarding him $10 million in compensatory damages and an additional $5 million in punitive damages, which were capped by the state at $350,000. The jury's decision contradicted Heard's 2018 op-ed in the Washington Post, in which she claimed to be a survivor of domestic abuse.
Coinciding with the upcoming Cannes Film Festival, Depp's new deal with Dior is a high-profile moment for the actor. He is set to attend the May 16 world premiere of "Jeanne du Barry," a historical drama in which he plays King Louis XV. Additionally, Depp will attend a Dior dinner on May 17 before heading to London for a Jeff Beck tribute, where he will perform alongside Eric Clapton and Rod Stewart. At the Cannes market, sales will begin for Depp's first directorial effort in 25 years, "Modi," which centers on the life of Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani and stars Riccardo Scamarcio and Al Pacino. Sales outfit The Veterans is handling distribution for the film, which will begin shooting in the fall.
The lucrative Dior deal, which was negotiated by Depp's reps at Range Media, may help clear the way for the actor's return to major studio films. Prior to the Virginia verdict, studios had been hesitant to work with Depp, as lost wages were significant. During the Virginia trial, it was revealed that Depp had been set to receive $22.5 million for "Pirates 6" in 2017.
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