Johnny Depp Honoured by Serbia’s Autocratic Leader for Some Reason

Johnny Depp has been granted a state honour in Serbia, apparently for his role as an animated puffin for a Serbian series called Puffins Impossible.

He was given the Gold Medal of Merit by Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić on Tuesday for “outstanding merits in public and cultural activities, especially in the field of film art and the promotion of the Republic of Serbia in the world”. 

Other state honours were granted to Bosnian and Montenegrin politicians. 

In his speech, Depp implied he would be spending significantly more time in the Balkan nation. 

The Pirates of the Caribbean actor said: “I’m on the verge of a new life, um, and I like it, I like… a re-beginning and I would love for that… beginning to start here in Serbia, if you’ll have me.”

He added: “And, I’m scared. Just kidding.”

Depp’s career has taken a hit after he was accused of domestic violence by his ex-wife Amber Heard, and lost a high-profile case at the High Court in London after he sued UK newspaper the Sun for calling him a “wife beater”. Last year he won the right to proceed with a $50 million defamation suit against Heard in the US. 

Depp was previously greeted by Vučić in October as he promoted Puffins Impossible, a cartoon made by Serbian studio Archangel Digital Studios, in which he voices the character of Johnny Puff.

“Johnny Depp’s leading role and active participation in the promotion of Puffins Impossible helped leverage Serbia’s artistic strengths among the global filmmaking industry,” the press release announcing his award said. 

President Vučić is an autocratic leader and has become notorious for his crackdowns on local media and protesters. 

Depp also spent time in Serbia in 2019 when he was shooting the film Minamata in which he played an American photographer who documented the effects of mercury poisoning on the citizens of Minamata, Japan. Vučić visited the set at the time, and said: “Thanks to Johnny Depp for believing in us and for coming to Serbia to make part of his movie.”

The actor follows in the footsteps of Steven Seagal, who was granted Serbian citizenship in 2016. He had promised to set up a martial arts school in the country, and had already trained Serbian special police forces during one of his visits in Aikido, a Japanese martial art Seagal has performed in his movies. 

Seagal has also been a Russian citizen since 2016, enjoys watching judo matches with Vladimir Putin and in 2021 joined a pro-Kremlin party.