Johnny Depp ‘signs biggest mens fragrance deal ever’ with Dior worth $20m

The French fashion house stood by the actor throughout his trial against Amber Heard

Johnny Depp has reportedly signed a new deal with Dior worth $20m (£16m), which would make it the most lucrative men’s fragrance deal in history.

Depp has been the face of Dior Sauvage fragrance for men since 2015. The French fashion house stood by the embattled actor throughout his highly-publicised defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard last year.

Citing sources, Variety and later The Hollywood Reporter both reported that the Pirates of the Caribbean star had signed a three-year extension with the brand worth upwards of $20m.

The Independent has contacted Christian Dior Parfums and Depp’s representatives for comment.

Variety notes that Depp’s figure eclipses Robert Pattinson’s $12m (£9.6m) deal with Dior Homme and Brad Pitt’s $7m (£5.6m) pact to promote Chanel No 5.

While many brands and Hollywood projects parted ways with the 59-year-old after Heard accused the actor of abuse, Dior stayed silent.

Johnny Depp in the ‘SAUVAGE, THE NEW ELIXIR’ ad (2021) (Christian Dior)

Months after Depp came out victorious from his defamation trial, the brand posted photos of the actor backstage in Paris before performing with the late rocker Jeff Beck. In its caption, Dior Beauty called the actor “fearless yet human, just like Sauvage”.

During a financial presentation in January this year, Bernard Arnault, CEO of Dior’s parent company LVMH, said the ”remarkable success” of the fragrance was “driven by the image of Johnny Depp”.

In just a few days’ time, Depp’s new film Jeanne Du Barry will open Cannes Film Festival.

On the controversial decision, the festival’s director Thierry Fremaux said: “I don’t see Maïwenn’s film as a controversial choice at all, because if Johnny Depp had been banned from working it would have been different, but that’s not the case.

“We only know one thing, it’s the justice system and I think he won the legal case. But the movie isn’t about Johnny Depp.”

Johnny Depp in ‘Jeanne du Barry’ (Le Pacte)

Depp has not been cast in a major US film since his 2018 lawsuit against The Sun, which he lost after a UK court ruled that the tabloid’s description of him as a “wife beater” was “substantially true”.

Meanwhile, Heard’s Aquaman character recently made a fleeting appearance in the trailer for the 2018 film’s forthcoming sequel.

During the trial, Heard testified that her part in the film was significantly cut down after Depp’s legal team called her abuse claims a “hoax”.

Testifying in court, then-DC film head Walter Hamada denied Heard’s claim.

Depp had sued Heard in Virginia court for defamation, claiming that she had falsely implied he was abusive towards her in a 2018 Washington Post op-ed titled: “I spoke up against sexual violence – and faced our culture’s wrath. That has to change”.

A jury determined that Heard defamed Depp on all three counts and awarded him $10m (£8.2m) in compensatory damages and $5m (£4.1m) in punitive damages. Heard was awarded $2m (£1.6m) in compensatory damages.