Johnny Depp fans have been left worried after photos of the 54-year-old actor looking pale and thin have surfaced on Facebook and Instagram. The Pirates of the Caribbean star looked virtually unrecognizable in photos posing with Russian fans at the Four Seasons Hotel in St. Petersburg, according to the Daily Mail, which obtained some of the pics. Gone were the dreamy locks that we’ve come to know and love. Instead in one photo, he wore a FUGLY baseball cap over his partially shaved head.
The actor was heading off to play a gig with his band, The Hollywood Vampires. But, rather than gush about the star, fans flooded social media with concern about his appearance. “I think that my hero looks ill,” one wrote on Facebook. Another was more blunt, tweeting, “F*ck me is that Johnny Depp?” This is not the person who PEOPLE twice declared the “Sexiest Man Alive.”
The pics come as controversy still rages over his inclusion in the Fantastic Beasts franchise following allegations that he hit his ex-wife, actress Amber Heard. Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling – who created the characters – defended the decision in 2017, nearly a year before the release of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, which comes out in November 2018.
She wrote, “Based on our understanding of the circumstances, the filmmakers and I are not only comfortable sticking with our original casting, but genuinely happy to have Johnny playing a major character in the movies.” But that’s not enough for many fans who are furious with the decision. Given the comments on social media though it’s safe to say that Johnny still has an army of supporters.