Early viewers of Ryan Gosling’s upcoming film The Fall Guy are expressing concerns about a particular joke in the movie that references the tumultuous relationship between Amber Heard and Johnny Depp.
Set to hit cinemas next month, The Fall Guy features Gosling in the role of Colt Seavers, a struggling stuntman on a mission to locate the missing lead actor from his ex-girlfriend's director’s blockbuster film. Alongside Gosling, the action-comedy boasts a star-studded cast including Emily Blunt, Teresa Palmer, Hannah Waddingham, Winston Duke, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who has been rumoured as the next James Bond.
Despite the film's release being a few weeks away, select critics and journalists who attended preview screenings have taken to Twitter to share their reactions. One scene, in particular, has garnered criticism for its reference to Amber Heard and Johnny Depp's highly publicised marriage and subsequent legal battles.
The controversial joke is delivered by Hannah Waddingham’s character as she enters a trailer post-fight, remarking, “It’s like Amber and Johnny were just in here,” alluding to the tumultuous nature of their relationship.
Some viewers found the joke distasteful, with one journalist expressing disappointment over the inclusion of domestic violence themes in a 2024 action-comedy. Another viewer remarked that the joke was unnecessary and disrupted their immersion in the film.
Fans of the actors and the film expressed similar sentiments, with some feeling let down by the choice to include the joke.
The relationship between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard has been the subject of intense media scrutiny and legal battles in recent years. Depp lost a libel case against The Sun in 2020, where the court ruled in favor of the newspaper's characterisation of him as a "wife-beater." Depp later sued Heard for defamation in 2022, winning the case and being awarded significant damages.
The Fall Guy is scheduled for release in cinemas on May 2, 2024.
