in the past Nine weeks later, Johnny Depp became TikTok. And TikTok is Johnny Depp. Now, after just posting to thank his followers, his new account has more than 12 million followers. If the actor’s defamation lawsuit against ex-wife Amber Heard turned Depp into a meme, then his presence on the platform that transformed him from Hollywood celebrity to social media influencer is an all-encompassing one The inevitable end of the world.
The roles played by actors – most notably pirates of the caribbean Captain Jack Sparrow – Formerly a meme for his eccentricity, but the actor himself has now entered the world of his legend. “It’s interesting that Depp is joining TikTok because I don’t believe it would have happened before the trial, or if the platform wasn’t as influential in producing content and shaping opinion,” said Rebecca Williams, associate professor of media audiences and engagement South Culture at the University of Wales.
What’s more, Depp’s first post on TikTok — a highlight clip of him performing and driving past adoring fans at the end of the trial, during which a jury found Heard responsible for the 2018 defamation Washington post She claimed to be a “public figure representing domestic abuse” (she didn’t name Depp) for her op-ed — kind of thank you. “The appeal of the sense of connection and recognition to fans here is palpable,” Williams said. That feeling is heightened by TikTok’s algorithm, which increasingly pushes Depp’s content to the feed, creating a loop that pulls more people in and asks for more content.
That’s what Tom Divon, a social media, communication and culture researcher at the Hebrew University of Israel, calls “a common pathway for generational meme spread”—meaning not wanting to be left behind by a snub moment. In 2022, the easiest way to get involved in the water cooler moment is to produce content…a lot of content.some videos Covers the inner thoughts of Heard and Depp probably during the trial, while others Compare everyone’s court behavior blame on sin.
Since its trial began in mid-April, TikTok has become the 21st century version of Court TV, and Depp has become a hero to his followers. Footage of the trial, and the tortuous response to it, took over TikTok. In late April, videos using the hashtag #johnnydepp had 11.3 billion views, while #justiceforjohnnydepp had 5.6 billion views. Now, that’s closer to 34.1 billion and 20.4 billion. According to TikTok’s own hashtag analytics tool, the hashtag has proven to be “extremely popular,” with #johnnydepp trending over the past 71 days and #justiceforjohnnydepp trending 58 days.
The popularity of content generates its own momentum, with users creating videos to satisfy a near-insatiable interest in experimentation.Key moments were hyper-edited in testimonies compiled by users who acted as leaders to talk about trial developments, and conspiracy theory As to whether Heard’s legal representative is a fan of Depp, who allegedly appeared at the premiere of Depp’s 2013 film, Lone Ranger. Even a TikTok user claim, no evidenceto be one of the jurors deliberating on the case to take advantage of the attention.
