Johnny Depp has revealed that he is “proud” of his daughter Lily-Rose Depp following the release of her controversial series The Idol.
The Pirates of the Caribbean actor has spoken out in support of his daughter’s scandalous role on the screen and even believes that the worldwide uproar surrounding the film, which shows Lily-Rose Depp topless and features an explicit masturbation scene, is a sign that the young actress is “doing something right”.
The show follows “rising pop idol” Jocelyn, played by Depp, as she begins a “complicated relationship” with Tedros, played by The Weekend, who is the manager of a nightclub and “a leader of a modern-day cult”, according to the film’s synopsis.
The sex-fuelled series, which has been criticised with labels such as “torture porn” and “rape fantasy”, contains scenes that feature masturbation, throttling and uncensored selfies of Depp.
As a result, the show has been a site of much controversy and has seen the film’s creator Sam Levinson furiously slammed online.
However, despite the backlash the show has received, a source close to Johnny Depp has revealed that the actor is not bothered and “believes she must be doing something right to have gained so much attention”, according to Daily Mail.
The insider told Daily Mail, “Johnny loves that Lily is carving out a career of her own and challenging herself to take on roles that interest her and test her.
“He loves that she is her own person and becoming her own actress. She isn’t resting her career on his success. He loves that she is such a strong person, especially now that she has gotten some extra attention with her recent role in The Idol.
“He is proud of her and does not lend anything to the extra chatter and drama that the role brings. He believes that she must be doing something right since the role is getting so much attention, and he is proud of her success.’
Johnny Depp’s spokesperson has declined to comment.
The series includes several explicit scenes, with one particularly disturbing sexual encounter involving a knife and Tedros almost throttling Jocelyn.
Levinson is best known for writing the hyper-explicit teen series Euphoria.
When the filmmaker was questioned whether the portrayal of female sexuality had crossed a line in The Idol, he replied: “We live in a very sexualised world, especially in the States – porn’s influence is strong and in the psyche of young people.”
Lily-Rose Depp has previously defended the show and its creator, telling E! News: “Sam is, for so many reasons, the best director I have ever worked with. Never have I felt more supported or respected in a creative space, my input and opinions more valued.
“Working with Sam is a true collaboration in every way – it matters to him, more than anything, not only what his actors think about the work, but how we feel performing it. He hires people whose work he esteems and has always created an environment in which I felt seen, heard, and appreciated.”
