Johnny Depp has referred to his supporters as “soldiers” and “warriors” in the midst of his court fight with ex-wife Amber Heard.

Many fans greeted Johnny Depp on the red carpet at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, where he received an outpouring of love and support. Depp’s continuing legal troubles with ex-wife Amber Heard have been well documented, prompting many big studios to distance themselves from the actor. Despite the backlash, the organizers of the KVIFF  invited Johnny Depp to honor the actor and stood by their choice when some objected.

Shortly before Johnny Depp’s visit, artistic director Karel Och issued the following statement:

“We’re convinced that there is something called ‘presumption of innocence’ that should be respected,” said Och. “If you enter certain discussions without thinking about the presumption of innocence, you can take it way too far, to a place which has nothing in common with why we’re inviting the person. We’re happy to have such a huge star in the festival, but he comes as a filmmaker, to support his work.”

The Pirates of the Caribbean actor recently addressed “Hollywood’s boycott” of him in the aftermath of his libel action loss, which saw a High Court judge rule in favor of The Sun’s publisher News Group Newspapers (NGN) over a story suggesting Depp was a “wife beater.”

Fans were clearly pleased with Johnny Depp and his spectacular presence. As a result, a slew of images and videos of people showing their support for Johnny Depp at the KVIFF have gone viral.

Depp can be seen waving to fans from a car in footage shared on Twitter by the account @salveogvm on Thursday (26 August).

“You are warriors. You are all amazing soldiers. Thank you! Bless you!”
– Johnny Depp, few minutes ago ❤️ pic.twitter.com/2oww2znQRH

— carpe (@salveogvm) August 26, 2021

Depp can also be seen in the backseat of a car throwing a thumbs up to some close admirers in one viral video circulating on Twitter. “Johnny, we believe you. We believe you, Johnny,” one fan says clearly, standing near enough to hear the former Pirates of the Caribbean actor.

In a previous interview with The Times, he discussed the “surreal five years” since Heard first made claims against him. It was a ‘absurdity of media mathematics… whatever I’ve gone through, I’ve gone through. But, ultimately, this particular arena of my life has been so absurd,’ he explained.

To those who have shown support for Johnny Depp, he has replied as follows:

“You’re warriors. You’re all warriors. You’re all amazing soldiers. Thank you. Bless you.”

Another video shows Depp’s first appearance on the red carpet, with the audience ecstatically applauding him. Depp smiles and gestures to the applauding crowd, and a close-up view reveals the actor mouthing the word “Wow” at one point. The actor must be well aware of the outpouring of love he’s received online, but it appears that even he was taken aback to witness such a big throng cheering him on in person.

He went on to thank his fans, saying, “They have always been my employers… they are all our employers. They buy tickets, merchandise. They made all of those studios rich, but they forgot that a long time ago. I certainly haven’t.

‘I’m proud of these people, because of what they are trying to say, which is the truth. The truth they’re trying to get out since it doesn’t in more mainstream publications. It’s a long road that sometimes gets clunky. Sometimes just plain stupid. But they stayed on the ride with me and it’s for them I will fight. Always, to the end. Whatever it may be,’ he added.

While Johnny Depp has a sizable internet following, seeing his followers in person is a completely different story. It’s apparent that the popular actor was ecstatic to witness so much affection, and fans have been sharing the images and videos on social media as a result. Given that Depp has said that Hollywood has “boycotted” him, fan support is even more crucial for him. While much depends on how these lawsuits play out, it appears like events like KVIFF might serve as stepping stones for Johnny Depp to regain his image and career.

Depp won a rare court win earlier this month in his quest to learn if Heard followed through on her promise to give the earnings of her $7 million (£5 million) divorce settlement to charity.