How Johnny Depp blew up $650 million fortune on wine and an island with a beach named after Heath Ledger
The ongoing Amber Heard and Johnny Depp trial has revealed too many details of the couple's relationship, which seemed hostile and painful in most parts. As Depp continuously denies the allegations that he abused his ex-wife Heard, the trial seems to uncover stories of the actor's life in the past. Recently, it was reported by Daily Mail that Depp told the courts that he had lost $650 million in 2016 because his management had not filed his taxes for 17 years. In 2018, the actor had also revealed in the Rolling Stone magazine that he was "on the brink of bankruptcy."
It seems that financial follies weren't always a friend of the actor, whether through his own fault or that of his management. The publication revealed that the actor had spent over $75 million (£60 million) on houses, a private island with a section named after late actor Heath Ledger and over $31,000 (£25,000) on wine every month. Did Depp have a compulsive spending disorder?
In 1995 the actor had purchased a property for his mother, Betty Sue Palmer. It was a farm that spread across 41-acres and was located in Kentucky. According to documents that were part of the 2017 legalities with the actor's advisers, Depp had spent $75 million (£60million) on properties including his apartment that he had purchased in Los Angeles. The documents further reveal that the actor's name is tied to five different houses in Hollywood Hills and five penthouses in LA. Even though the actor has sold two of those properties, he also has a compound in France that spreads at 37 acres, which he ended up selling to "pay debts" in 2015.
When it comes to money, the actor had made more than enough as fan-favorite Captain Jack Sparrow in the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' franchise. In the year 2012, Depp was listed by Guinness World Records as the highest-paid actor. Not to mention, in 2004 the actor also bought an over 45-acre island in the Bahamas worth $3.5 million (£2.8 million). The island had six beaches, which according to the publication, Depp named after "his daughter Lily-Rose, son Jack, ex-partner Vanessa Paradis and his mentors Marlon Brando and Hunter S Thompson." Interestingly enough, one of the beaches was also named after late actor Heath Ledger who died in 2008.
If that doesn't speak to the actor's spending habits, this one might. According to Daily Mail, "former advisers" of the actor claimed in 2017 that Depp would spend $2 million (£1.6 million) a month. The contents of that spurge fest included $30,000 (£24,000) a month on wine as an "investment." In fact, in 2018, Depp even stated, "‘It’s insulting to say that I spent $30,000 on wine because it was far more." According to the publication, his other spendings included art by Warhol, Basquiat, and Modigliani, and even a $6,987 (£5,560) sofa for daughter Lily-Rose. While some of these may seem like too much, let's not forget that the actor is also known for his altruistic gestures such as his 2008 donation of $1.2 million (£1 million) to London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), and a $2.9 million (£2.3 million) "153-meter tower" that fired friend Hunter S Thompson's ashes in the sky.
While many may wonder if this was "squandered" riches, Depp certainly has spent quite a lot from his earnings.