'Schitt's Creek' star Emily Hampshire apologizes for Johnny Depp, Amber Heard costume
Emily Hampshire is feeling remorse for her controversial Halloween look.
The Canadian actress, best known for her role as Stevie Budd on the sitcom “Schitt’s Creek,” issued an apology on social media Wednesday after her Halloween costume, which spoofed the legal troubles of Johnny Depp and ex-wife Amber Heard, drew backlash online.
“I want to address what is one of the most thoughtless, insensitive, and ignorant things I’ve ever done,” Hampshire wrote. “For Halloween, I stupidly thought it would be funny to dress as Johnny Depp and Amber Heard.”
Depp sued Heard for defamation in 2019, accusing her of defaming him in a 2018 op-ed for the Washington Post. She countersued, also for defamation over comments made by Depp's former lawyer Adam Waldman. The lawsuits resulted in a grueling six-week trial that began in April 2022 and saw both parties testify about alleged abuse they endured during the couple's 15-month marriage.
Depp won the defamation lawsuit in June 2022, with a Virginia jury awarding him more than $10 million in damages and vindicating his stance that Heard fabricated claims that Depp abused her before and during their brief marriage. Heard also partially won her countersuit, with the jury awarding her $2 million in damages.
Hampshire’s costume saw the actress dress up as Depp while a friend portrayed Heard, according to screenshots of Hampshire’s since-deleted Instagram post obtained by Buzzfeed News.
In one photo, Hampshire can be seen holding a prop of fake fecal matter with googly eyes, a reference to Depp’s trial allegation of seeing a photo of the couple’s bed in May 2016, in which fecal matter could be seen on Depp's side of the bed. Another photo showed Hampshire holding what appeared to be a liquor bottle (Heard testified in the trial that during one attack from Depp, he penetrated her with a liquor bottle.)
The costume earned Hampshire swift criticism from some users on social media. “It really is a special kind of depraved to keep the costumes going a full year and a half later. (Emily Hampshire) clearly felt the need to rise to the task,” X user @briartearose wrote.
"The fact that Emily Hampshire felt it was okay to dress up as a woman and her abuser is VILE," user @hannee92 wrote on X. "Why are we so obsessed with being entertained by violence and horror when many of us have to live that in real life?"
"Anyone who participated in the global mockery, harassment and torment of an abuse and rape victim should apologize," X user @stancidru wrote.
Reflecting on the costume, Hampshire said she is “deeply sorry and ashamed for putting something that awful out in the universe.”
“Domestic abuse is never, ever funny,” Hampshire concluded. “These are real issues with real people and I REALLY regret my actions. In the future I will do better. I’m so sorry.”
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Contributing: Naledi Ushe, USA TODAY