Johnny Depp made an attention-grabbing return to one of entertainment’s biggest stages by taking an unexpected swipe at President Donald Trump. The actor appeared at San Diego Comic-Con on Thursday to promote Paramount Pictures’ upcoming “Ebenezer,” but he did not walk into Hall H as himself. Instead, Depp remained fully in character as Ebenezer Scrooge and slipped a tariff joke into the elaborate performance. The political punch line drew one of the loudest reactions of the event and quickly spread online as fans celebrated Johnny Depp’s return to a major U.S. studio project.
Depp helped transform part of the Comic-Con festivities into a Victorian Christmas village inspired by Charles Dickens’ classic story. Dressed in full costume as Scrooge, the “Pirates of the Caribbean” actor roamed the mock village and interacted with other performers rather than participating in a traditional promotional panel.
During one moment, Scrooge began pulling decorative garlands from a gate. Johnny Depp’s character described the decorations as “poison” and argued that they needed to be kept away from children. When another performer objected, Scrooge insisted that the decorations were on his property. The exchange then became unexpectedly political as Depp shifted the character’s complaint toward taxes and tariffs.
The Actor Slips In A Donald Trump Tariff Joke
Depp joked that everyone would have to pay taxes simply because the decorations were present before mentioning “putting tariffs on the gate.” The audience immediately erupted in laughter, with many attendees interpreting the unscripted-sounding moment as a jab at Trump.
The timing gave the joke added political relevance. It came only days after Trump reignited a trade dispute with Canada by invoking a nearly century-old tariff law to place 50% duties on numerous Canadian imports. Earlier this year, the Supreme Court blocked portions of the Trump administration’s broader tariff policy.
Although Depp did not explicitly name the president during the Comic-Con bit, the reference was clear enough for many members of the audience to connect the joke to Trump’s tariff agenda.
Johnny Depp Has Criticized Trump Before
The Comic-Con moment was not Depp’s first time publicly mocking Trump. While promoting “Donald Trump’s The Art of the Deal: The Movie” in 2016, the actor shared his interpretation of the future president’s personality during a public forum at Arizona State University.
“It’s not about being a rich kid or anything like that,” Depp told Lawrence Krauss. “I approached Donald Trump as what you see when you really watch him. There’s a pretense, there’s something created about him, in a sense of bully-dom.” Depp then offered a blunt assessment of Trump, adding, “But what he is, I believe, is a brat.”
The actor also criticized Trump’s speaking style during the discussion. “Also,” Depp added, “the absurdity of it, where his sentences might travel.” One year later, Depp apologized after making controversial remarks involving the president during the Glastonbury Festival.
‘Ebenezer’ Marks A Major Studio Return For The Actor
Depp’s surprise appearance carried significance beyond the political joke. “Ebenezer,” Paramount’s upcoming adaptation of the Charles Dickens story, marks the actor’s return to a major U.S. studio production.
Depp’s return to a major Hollywood studio project comes several years after his highly publicized legal battle with ex-wife Amber Heard dominated headlines. In 2022, a Virginia jury found Heard liable for defaming Depp through statements connected to her 2018 op-ed about domestic abuse, although the article did not name him.
The jury awarded Depp $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages, with the punitive award later reduced under Virginia law. Heard also prevailed on one count of her countersuit and was awarded $2 million.
Johnny Depp’s Hollywood Career Includes Three Oscar Nominations
Depp remains one of Hollywood’s most recognizable performers after spending decades taking on an array of unconventional characters. He earned Academy Award nominations for his performances in “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,” “Finding Neverland,” and “Sweeney Todd.”
His extensive filmography also includes acclaimed roles in “Edward Scissorhands,” “Donnie Brasco,” “Sleepy Hollow,” and “Black Mass.” Now, Depp is adding another literary character to that list by stepping into the role of Ebenezer Scrooge.
