Dior Beauty faces backlash over TikTok promotion featuring Johnny Depp

Fans highlighted the apparent hypocrisy of Dior's decision, referring to Depp as a "wife-beating senior citizen."

Dior recently joined TikTok with its Dior Beauty account, following a trend among brands leveraging the platform for product promotion. However, the brand has faced criticism for featuring Johnny Depp in a promotional video, considering his controversial past.

On May 16th, Dior shared a video on TikTok and X featuring a black-and-white filtered Depp saying, "this is Dior Beauty on TikTok, TikTok, TikTok, TikTok."

@diorbeauty

Follow Dior Beauty on TikTok, Tik…Tok, Tik…Tok, Tik..Tok, TikTok. #DiorBeauty @johnnydepp

♬ original sound - Diorbeauty - Diorbeauty

Fans quickly took to social media to express their discontent, with one user calling out the brand for using Depp, stating, "using this hideous corpse to promote 'beauty' by slapping a filter on him to hide the fact his skin is melting off the bone. Oh Dior, the piece of s*** company you are."

Another post highlighted the apparent hypocrisy of Dior's decision, noting that the company had terminated its contract with French actress Marion Cotillard, allegedly for being "too old," yet continued to work with Depp, whom they referred to as a "wife-beating senior citizen."

Depp has been a controversial figure among fans, particularly due to his highly publicized legal battle with ex-wife Amber Heard.

Johnny Depp vs Amber Heard

The legal proceedings, which began in 2016, involved accusations of domestic violence from Heard, supported by evidence including photos of injuries she claimed were inflicted by Depp.

Videos emerged during the legal battle showing heated confrontations between Depp and Heard. In one instance, Depp is seen slamming cabinet doors and yelling, while Heard attempts to calm him down. Another video shows Depp appearing to slam a wine bottle and glass on a countertop, although the context of the incident remains unclear.

Dior Sauvage

This is not the first time Depp has sparked controversy in an advertising campaign.

In September 2021, a Dior ad featuring Depp playing guitar to "Wild Thing" in a desert surrounded by wolves drew criticism for its alleged appropriation of Native American iconography. Dior seemingly removed the ad and related materials from its social media posts following the backlash.

Despite these controversies, Dior continued to work with Depp, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter in 2023, when the actor reportedly extended his partnership with the brand for its Dior Sauvage fragrance in a new $20M-plus deal.