Christina Ricci recalls Johnny Depp explaining to her ‘what homosexuality was’ as a child
According to Ricci, Depp’s explanation was given ‘very matter-of-factly’
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Christina Ricci has opened up about a childhood memory, which involved Johnny Depp explaining to her “what homosexuality was”.
The Yellowjackets actor was nine when she co-starred alongside Depp’s then-girlfriend Winona Ryder in 1990 romance drama Mermaids.
“There was something going on on set and someone was not being nice to someone else. And they were like, ‘Oh, well, he might be homophobic,’” Ricci explained to Andy Cohen during a recent appearance on his SiriusXM radio show.
“And then I was like, ‘Well, I don’t understand what that is,’” she continued. “And I was in Winona’s trailer and she was like, ‘I don’t know how [to explain].’
“So she put me on the phone with Johnny, and Johnny explained it to me,” she remembered.
Ricci described Depp’s explanation as being given “very matter-of-factly”.
“He was like, ‘It’s when a man wants to have sex with a man and when a woman wants to have sex with a woman.’ And I was like, ‘Ah, okay,’” she said.
The Emmy-nominated actor went on to star alongside Depp in multiple films, including 1998 comedy Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, 1999 horror Sleepy Hollow, and 2000 romance The Man Who Cried.
Depp was recently involved in a high-profile court case with his ex-wife Amber Heard. He claimed she had defamed him in an op-ed published in The Washington Post, in which she described herself as “a public figure representing domestic abuse”. Heard filed a counter-suit in November 2020, asking to be granted immunity against Depp’s claims.
On 1 June, a jury overwhelmingly found in Depp’s favour that his ex-wife Amber Heard had defamed him in three statements. Jurors also found that an attorney for Depp defamed Heard in one of three statements highlighted in her counter-suit. Depp was awarded $10.35m in damages, while Heard was awarded $2m.
As part of the release of pretrial documents relating to the case, Depp’s former girlfriend Ellen Barkin testified that Depp gave her a drug before they had sex for the first time.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments