ROME, ITALY: Yet another Italian comeback! Disgraced Hollywood actress Amber Heard has chosen Italy to be the first major appearance after her high profile defamation trial against her former husband Johnny Depp. However, the ‘Aquaman’ star is not the only Hollywood star to stage an Italian comeback. Even her estranged ex, the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ actor Johnny Depp made an appearance in the European nation following his favorable verdict last year.
Amber Heard is all set to make her first major public appearance following the much publicized trial. She is expected to be in attendance when her period film ‘In The Fire’ is slated to have its world premiere on June 24 at the Taormina Film Festival in Sicily.
Why do Hollywood stars choose an Italian comeback?
But the question remains why do stars choose Italy for their comeback appearance after a scandal? While there is no solid theory, it can be assumed that the distance between 'Old World' Italy and 'New World' America helps an actor achieve a lowkey re-entry into the public eye. The glare of Hollywood gets muted on the other side of the Atlantic. Italy, off the Mediterranean coast, provides the perfect safe distance from the origin of their scandals in America. However, Italy is also part of the European cinema circuit and so can provide the comeback publicity a disgraced actor needs to connect with audiences. Italy's rich history of filmmaking and its legacy of nurturing world-famous directors is an added bonus — it adds gravitas to any indie film project an actor releases in the country.
Thus, making an Italian appearance not only makes the star stay in the public eye, it does so without being glaringly obvious. While public reactions are always unpredictable, sometimes, an appearance away from home might also help in testing the water with respect to the public's acceptance of the disgraced star.
Which stars chose Italy as their comeback ground?
Not only Amber Heard but her former husband Johnny Depp also made an appearance in Italy after the conclusion of the trial. After receiving the favorable verdict, Johnny Depp was spotted in Italy ahead of his performance at Umbria Jazz Festival in Italy in the second half of July. The ‘Edward Scissorhands’ star was seen accompanied by his French teacher who helped him with his role in 2023 release ‘Jeanne du Barry’.
The ‘American Beauty’ star Kevin Spacey also used the Italian stage to make a comeback following the sexual allegations that derailed his career since 2017. After the allegations surfaced, the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences revoked Kevin Spacey's Emmy honor. Netflix also severed ties with Spacey and ‘House of Card’ went on without him in 2017.
In 2021, his first major movie role after the hiatus was announced. Franco Nero announced that Spacey has been roped in his Italian film, ‘L'uomo Che Disegno Dio’ in May 2021. In January 2023, he also received a lifetime achievement award from the National Cinema Museum in Turin, as per NBC News.
