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Was Johnny Depp’s Surprise Disneyland Appearance Related To His $40 Million Debt?

By Stacey Cole
Published on: 06:13 PST, May 4, 2017

Johnny Depp brought a bit of Disney magic to Pirates of the Caribbean fans in California last Wednesday.

Johnny Depp made a surprise appearance dressed in his full Jack Sparrow costume at the popular Disneyland ride, which served as a basis for the original 2003 film of the popular movie franchise.

Exactly one month ahead of the May 26 release of the fifth installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Dead Men Tell No Tales, Johnny Depp popped up in several places of the popular water ride attraction in Disneyland, according to Deadline.

Whether it was a marketing stunt to promote the new Pirates of the Caribbean flick or a desperate attempt for Johnny Depp to make some quick cash – the 53-year-old actor is in $40 million debt, after all – the appearance of the real Jack Sparrow in Disneyland was nonetheless a delightful experience to riders of the attraction.

As seen from numerous videos and photos posted by Disneyland visitors on Instagram and Twitter late Wednesday night, Johnny Depp was interacting with Pirates of the Caribbean fans without breaking character.

The water ride that inspired the Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise features robotic pirates drinking rum and fighting one another. However, visitors of the Californian Disneyland were stunned and delighted to see Johnny Depp himself instead of the robotic version of Jack Sparrow on the set.

As seen from clips posted by Disneyland visitors, Johnny Depp – dressed in full Jack Sparrow costume and acting exactly like his iconic character from the franchise – stood on the set and interacted with fans on passing boats.

Johnny Depp’s surprise appearance on the water ride was so special that Disneyland even shut off other characters from the hit franchise. The robotic Jack Sparrow was nowhere to be seen that night.

Johnny Depp is currently going through a rough patch in his life. The 53-year-old actor, who has reportedly earned over $250 million for the five installments of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise alone, is in a massive $40 million debt, according to E! News.

Earlier this year, Johnny Depp caught the media’s attention when his ex-managers claimed in a lawsuit that the actor was responsible for his financial downfall after spending $2 million per month, $30,000 of which went on buying wine.

While it’s unclear if Johnny Depp agreed to make the surprise appearance on the Disneyland ride to get some extra cash, Depp, who last year topped Forbes‘ list of most overpaid Hollywood actors for the second straight year, is expected to get a massive payday for the upcoming Dead Men Tell No Tales film.

In Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, Johnny Depp reprises his role of Jack Sparrow. The film, which is set to premiere in China on May 11 two weeks before its U.S. release, will focus on the quest to find the Trident of Poseidon as Depp’s character flees Salazar (played by Javier Bardem).

The surprise appearance of Johnny Depp in Californian Disneyland on Wednesday came less than four months after the actor made headlines with his lawsuit against his ex-managers, claiming that they led him to be more than $40 million in debt.

The Management Group, which had managed Johnny Depp’s finances for years, then filed a countersuit, alleging that the Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales actor was responsible for his financial disaster.

That’s where his ex-managers revealed details about Johnny Depp’s ultra-extravagant lifestyle, which included spending $2 million per month.

But Johnny Depp, who is seeking $25 million in damages for fraud and negligence, said in a recent interview with The Wall Street Journal that it’s his own right to spend his money however he wants.

“It’s my money. If I want to buy 15,000 cotton balls a day, it’s my thing.”

[Featured Image by Jesse Grant/Getty Images]

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