How Johnny Depp developed an ‘epic bromance’ with Saudi Crown Prince MBS

nypost.com:

to Vanity Fair, the unlikely friendship – which has “alarmed” Depps’ friends in London – started in July of 2022, when Depp, 60, was filming the French period piece “Jeanne du Barry.”While on set, the “Pirates of the Caribbean” star was told that MBS’s cousin, ​​Prince Badr bin Farhan Al Saud, wanted to meet him. “No way,” Depp said, per the outlet. “I didn’t sign up for this.”However, Prince Badr had invested millions in the film via Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Fund, so Depp agreed, which eventually led to meeting MBS.

According to the outlet, in 2023, Depp spent over seven weeks in Saudi Arabia, staying in royal palaces and traveling in yachts and helicopters.

In May 2023, he flew to London and back on MBS’s plane to attend the Jeff Beck Memorial Concert at the Royal Albert Hall. “They made a genuine connection,” an unnamed friend of Depp’s said. “It’s a shock to many of the people who know [Depp], but it’s what happened.” A source told The Post, “There is a friendship there based on an appreciation of film, culture and regional progress.

They do not discuss or align on global politics.”Insiders claim that Depp is considering a seven-figure annual contract to promote Saudi Arabia’s cultural renaissance.“Though I admit I was somewhat naive at first to what was transpiring in the region, I’ve since experienced firsthand the cultural revolution that is happening there—from emerging young storytellers radiating fresh ideas and works of art to a blossoming film infrastructure and a newfound curiosity for innovation,” Depp told the outlet in a statement.