8 h 22 ago 2021 ano - POST MILLENNIAL Johnny Depp is still winning awards — and he should

Descrição:

FROM POST MILLENNIAL:

Johnny Depp is still winning awards —and he should

The idea that those who speak up as victims must automatically be believed is damaging. Especially when it can possibly cost somebody not only their career but make a great impact on their mental health.

by Fiona Dodwell

International headlines were made recently when actor and legend Johnny Depp was told he would receive two major European film awards—the San Sebastian Film Festival's Premio Donostia honourary prize, and the Czech Republic's Karlovy Vary Film Festival honorary award. In response, several women spoke up criticising the decision to honour the lifelong career of Depp. "It's not the right time to give him an award before we really know what happened," said Cristina Andreu, the president of the Spanish Association of Women in Cinema and Audiovisual. However, I would argue it is the perfect time to honour Depp—and here is why.

Where it began

It was back in May of 2016 when the world first heard the shattering accounts and allegations from actress Amber Heard about her ex-husband Johnny Depp. "During the entirety of our relationship," Heard had told the Associated Press, "Johnny has been verbally and physically abusive to me. I endured excessive emotional, verbal and physical abuse from Johnny, which has included angry and threatening assaults to me whenever I questioned his authority or disagreed with him."

Their marriage, which had lasted 15 months, ended with Heard applying for a restraining order against Depp, and with her revealing a by-now famous photograph depicting bruises on her face (something, she alleges, Depp was responsible for). It wasn't long, with the drama unfolding in the public eye, that the media began swarming over the details, with Depp's name being dragged through the headlines with various negative stories in tow. Rumours abounded that Depp had possibly lost his beloved Pirates of the Caribbean role due to the bad press and allegations, and many social media users were quick to condemn Depp and were almost seen to "relish" the discovery of this alleged dark side of the veteran actor.

[...]

What happened to innocent until proven guilty?
The idea that those who speak up as victims must automatically be believed is damaging. Especially when it can possibly cost somebody not only their career but make a great impact on their mental health.

Anybody can lie (or be motivated to lie—for example for press, attention, money or revenge) and this is why it is important for the press to be unbiased in regards to reporting such allegations, and why we, as a public, must wait for a court of law to make the right determinations.

To be accused is a scary place to be in—if you are innocent. In this age of mainstream media and online reporting, it seems that now more than ever it is vital that the media take more responsibility in their reporting (with efforts towards impartiality) and that they should be made accountable when they fail.

Equally important are the users of social media themselves, like us, who can have a name/allegation trending within minutes on various sites, spreading like a virus and shaping public opinion before the accused even has a chance to defend themselves.

At this point in time, Johnny Depp still deserves to be offered work, and he still deserves to be honoured for his accomplishments. To suggest otherwise hints at something altogether darker about our world—that a person must be punished even if they have not yet been found guilty of any crime.

[Long Article - selected paragraphs only due to space - for full article use the links below.]

Adicionado na linha do tempo:

Data:

Imagens:

YouTube: