Johnny Depp Scene Takes off on TikTok Amidst Amber Heard Trial

A sound bite from one of Johnny Depp’s most bizarre performances went viral on TikTok this month amid his lawsuit against his ex-wife Amber Heard. Depp has been in the headlines nonstop, so it’s not surprising that fans revisited his 2005 adaptation Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. They have even found some creative uses for one of his first lines in the movie.

Depp played Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and his grand entrance into the narrative was far different from the book or the older film adaption from 1971. In it, Wonka simply appears alongside the children as they watch a spectacle heh as prepared for them. He then gets up in front of them and says: “Good morning starshine! The earth says hello!”

TikTok users have been having a ball applying this strange line with its awkward delivery to all manner of videos. They have posted videos of themselves lip-syncing the line with various expressions on their face, adding captions like: “POV: You’re trying to convince the bouncer you’re sober,” or “My mother coming into my room at 8 a.m. on a Saturday to gaslight me into doing work around the house.” Many have also applied the sound bite to existing mems and videos, adding a sickly sweet twist to an already strange situation.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was adapted into a screenplay by John August and directed by Tim Burton. It was based on Roald Dahl’s 1964 novel by the same name, though fans typically compare it more closely to the 1971 film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, where Wonka was played by Gene Wilder.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory got relatively good reviews with an average rating of 7.2 out of 10 on Rotten Tomatoes. Naturally, much of the critical response focused on Depp’s performance, including his distinct voice and unnerving quirks. Some critics enjoyed seeing Depp push this character further than ever before, while others thought it was just weirdness for weirdness’ sake.

Of course, hordes of fans onTikTok are primed to look back fondly on any of Depp’s old performances right now, and to praise his zaniest moments. His lawsuit against Heard just wrapped up a 6-week trial, and the jury is now going into deliberations. There’s no word yet on how long it might take them to decide whether Heard is guilty of defamation.