In light of Johnny Depp’s appearance at the MTV VMAs, Twitter users have been sharing their feelings towards the differential treatment of Hollywood stars. Namely, following their most controversial moments.
The Infamous Slap
Everyone remembers Will Smith’s controversial moment from the 94th Academy Awards. Firstly, because it was just this year and, secondly, because it was spoken about everywhere. Even today there are still headlines about the event with Chris Rock stating he declined an offer to host the next Oscars due to the incident.
The infamous slap has followed Smith since. He’s been banned and blacklisted from the Oscars for 10 years. What’s more, Bad Boys 4, a movie from a franchise starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, has been placed on indefinite hold by Sony. Rumour has it that the reason behind this is because Smith slapped Rock at the Oscars.
I’m sure there may have been other significant impacts of this event. There are likely projects we are not even aware of that have fallen through for Smith since the Oscars. What we do know however, is that Smith received plenty of backlash for his actions and continues to do so.
Unfair Treatment
Twitter users’ claims of unfair treatment stem from the fact that Smith’s actions – insignificant in comparison to some other Hollywood stars’ recent decisions – were treated with much more severity; mostly from the academy and movie/TV production companies.
For instance, Ezra Miller has been caught up in various controversies and alleged crimes, as reported by the Metro. These would tarnish and ruin anyone’s reputation for the rest of eternity. However, The Flash, where Miller stars as the DC Comics superhero, is currently still set to be released in June 2023. Whereas Smith has suffered more consequences over a slap. Are you beginning to see where there may be some unfair treatment towards the latter?
Of course, this isn’t to say that slapping someone should not come with its consequences. However, consequences for actions should be evenly applied to all.
Moreover, users have also compared the reaction to Johnny Depp’s treatment after his win in a defamation lawsuit against ex-wife Amber Heard. During the trial, fans rallied to support Depp both in person and online. Although in their minds they were showing support for the actor, in reality it seemed strange as real-life cases of the same issue are never met with the same attention. I suppose when someone is world famous that is slightly different.
Besides that, the trial revealed horrible insights into the violent relationship between both actors. Across social media, Heard was quickly pinned as the primary instigator, making Depp the victim. This article won’t go into that discussion as it isn’t relevant to the unfair treatment of Hollywood stars. However, Depp nonetheless also did some wrongs towards Heard (as revealed in the trial). Yet his return to stardom has arguably been pleasant. He’s appeared in live music gigs and, most recently, in digital version at the MTV VMAs.
False Claims?
As with any discussion, there is more than one side to share. Not everybody is convinced that there has been unfair treatment towards Smith in relation to other Hollywood stars. Perhaps Smith isn’t a victim like some of Twitter is making him out to be. After all, the consequences he has endured are a result of his inappropriate action. Others argue that some are overestimating the extent to which actors such as Depp are receiving love after their controversial moments.
A Final Note
From reading through Twitter and other online sources, it does seem to me that Smith’s treatment is unfair. Especially in comparison to the consequences Miller has suffered for their allegedly significantly worse actions.
What are your thoughts on the issue? Feel free to use the comments feature to share your opinions.