Eva Mendes is making it clear that a viral image appearing to show Ryan Gosling and Johnny Depp together at San Diego Comic-Con never happened. The actress called out an Instagram account after it shared an AI-generated picture depicting her longtime partner walking alongside Depp at the convention. Although both actors attended the event, their appearances occurred on separate days, and there is no evidence they spent time together. Eva Mendes’ response prompted the account to apologize and change its caption to identify the image as artificial intelligence.
The fabricated picture was shared by the Instagram account @opavisions and showed Gosling walking through the Comic-Con crowds alongside Depp, who was dressed as Ebenezer Scrooge. A character named Slopaxo also appeared partially in the image and was tagged in the post. The original caption presented the scene as if it were a genuine candid moment from the convention.
“Some of our favorite moments from Comic-Con weren’t on stage; they were watching Ryan Gosling, Johnny Depp, and @slopaxo moving through the crowds like the unlikeliest best-friend trio,” the caption read. “Between candid walks, conversations with fans, and spontaneous stops, they quietly became one of the weekend’s most memorable sights.”
Mendes quickly entered the comment section to correct the claim. “FAKE. Please let People know when you’re putting out AI,” she wrote.
Instagram Account Apologizes After Being Called Out
Following Mendes’ response, the account acknowledged that the image was not authentic and promised to be more transparent. “@evamendes DISCLAIMER: THIS WAS AI***,” the account wrote.
“Thank you for saying something. You’re right, and I’ll be more clear going forward,” the message continued before praising Mendes and Gosling’s respective careers.
The account reportedly issued an additional apology with, “Ok we will sorry,” and later added, “Wow. I’m a big fan. I love your movies.” Comments have since been disabled on the post, while its lengthy original caption has been replaced with one word: “AI.”
Although the post has now been labeled, the initial presentation gave viewers no clear indication that the scene had been artificially created.
Johnny Depp Appeared At Comic-Con As Ebenezer Scrooge
Part of what made the fabricated image appear believable was Depp’s elaborate Ebenezer Scrooge costume, which he genuinely wore during Comic-Con. The actor made a surprise appearance in San Diego to promote “Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol,” scheduled to arrive in theaters on November 13.
Organizers constructed a mock storefront in the Gaslamp Quarter and covered the surrounding area in artificial snow. A crowd gathered as Christmas carolers performed before Depp emerged in character from the building. Despite fans cheering and calling out to him, Depp maintained Scrooge’s famously irritable demeanor as he moved through the activation.
He later appeared in costume during Collider’s Directors on Directing panel, giving convention attendees a closer look at his transformation for the forthcoming film.
Ryan Gosling’s Ghost Rider Casting Was Revealed Days Later
Gosling made his own surprise Comic-Con appearance on Saturday, when Marvel announced that he will portray Ghost Rider in an upcoming standalone film. Shawn Levy will direct the project, which is slated for release in 2028. The filmmaker recently worked with Gosling on “Star Wars: Starfighter,” scheduled to premiere on May 28, 2027.
“Gosling is the absolute sh-t. I say that with tremendous respect,” Levy told the Comic-Con audience. “We spent a lot of time last year making Starfighter, and the opportunity as Ryan started talking about this character, I was like, “Bro, let’s ride.” We’ll see you in 2028!”
The project will mark Gosling’s entrance into the Marvel Cinematic Universe and reunite him with Levy behind the camera.
Eva Mendes Has Her Own Connection To ‘Ghost Rider’
Gosling’s casting creates an unexpected full-circle moment for Mendes, who previously appeared in the 2007 “Ghost Rider” movie starring Nicolas Cage. Mendes portrayed Roxanne Simpson, the former girlfriend and love interest of Cage’s Johnny Blaze. The film earned approximately $229 million worldwide against a reported production budget of about $110 million.
The actress has publicly supported Gosling’s casting in the new adaptation, making her connection to the franchise even more personal. However, Mendes was considerably less enthusiastic about seeing her partner placed into a fictional Comic-Con encounter without an upfront disclosure.
