Johnny Depp Raises ‘Last Time an Actor Assassinated a President’
LONDON — Johnny Depp has been no fan of President Donald Trump, but the Hollywood star took his rhetoric up a level when he raised the prospect of the president being killed.
“When was the last time an actor assassinated a president?” he asked a cheering crowd at the Glastonbury music festival in the U.K. on Thursday night. “Now I want to clarify, I am not an actor. I lie for a living. However, it’s been awhile and maybe it’s time.”
The Secret Service said it was aware of Depp's comment. Threats against the president are considered a crime under U.S. law and punishable by fine or time in prison.
“For security reasons, we cannot discuss specifically nor in general terms the means and methods of how we perform our protective responsibilities,” the Secret Service said in a statement.
Depp’s seemed to be referring to John Wilkes Booth, the actor who murdered President Abraham Lincoln.
Depp made the remarks while introducing a screening of his 2004 film "The Libertine."
He started by suggesting Trump “needs help."
"By the way, this is going to be in the press. It’ll be horrible, but I like that you are all a part of it,” the actor said, seeming to realize that his comments would be controversial.
NBC News reached out to Depp's representatives for comment but had yet to receive a response by 7.30 a.m. ET Friday.
The “Pirates of the Caribbean” star has been previously critical of Trump, calling him a “brat” during an appearance at Arizona State University last year.
He also played Trump in a Funny or Die film, “Donald Trump’s The Art of the Deal: The Movie,” and has offered to replace Alec Baldwin impersonating Trump on “Saturday Night Live”.
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At what point do people think something like this is acceptable. I realize he's an actor and only has a tenuous grip on reality, but making a public statement like this? Does he need publicity that badly? Isn't this the guy that reportedly physically abused his wife prior to her divorcing him?
Going back to Buzz's article about the level of dialogue-this is a perfect example of the level of stupidity currently out there. He should probably go back to what he's good at-playing a rum-soaked pirate in a fantasy movie and leave the real world to normal human beings.
I saw an article reporting what he said earlier, and was sadly disappointed by him.
Seems some people value their opinion far more than they value society. I wonder if he comes to NYC to do Saturday Night Live if there will be some time spent talking to the Secret Service?