Schitt’s Creek actress Emily Hampshire has apologised for her “insensitive” Johnny Depp and Amber Heard Halloween costume.
In a since-deleted post, Hampshire was seen styled as Depp, with drawn-on facial hair and tattoos, while her friend, dressed as Heard, feigned distress and held a fake piece of excrement with googly eyes.
Former couple Depp and Heard both accused each other of domestic abuse.
Hampshire, who played Stevie Budd in the Canadian sitcom Schitt’s Creek, said she was “sorry and ashamed” of the costume, describing it as “one of the most thoughtless, insensitive, and ignorant things” she had ever done.
In the original post, the Canadian actress was seen wearing a pin-striped suit, with her hair slicked back. She was also holding a wine bottle – an apparent reference to details from the couple’s televised court case last year.
Taking to Instagram to issue her apology, Hampshire wrote: “I want to address what is one of the most thoughtless, insensitive, and ignorant things I’ve ever done. For Halloween, I stupidly thought it would be funny to dress as Johnny Depp and Amber Heard.
I am deeply sorry and ashamed for putting something that awful out in the universe. Domestic abuse is never, ever funny. These are issues with real people and I really regret my actions.”
She added: “In the future I will do better. I’m so sorry.”
Emily Hampshire dressed up as Johnny Depp, while her friend dressed as Amber Heard. CREDIT: Neil Mockford/GC Images/Win McNamee/Getty Images
Last year, Depp sued his ex-wife Heard for defamation over a 2018 op-ed in The Washington Post, where she wrote about being a survivor of domestic violence. The piece did not mention Depp by name, but his lawyers argued it falsely implied she was physically abused by him during their marriage.
Heard later filed a counterclaim, arguing Depp had created a smear campaign against her.
Following the trial, the court ruled in favour of Depp, finding Heard liable in three instances of defamation raised. Depp was awarded $10million in compensatory damages and $5million in punitive damages, but due to Virginia state limitations, the latter was reduced to $350,000.
Heard was awarded $2million in compensatory damages due to her counterclaim.
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