Paul Bettany Addresses Johnny Depp Texts Amid ‘VisionQuest’ Boycott Calls
Paul Bettany’s return as Vision should be a moment of celebration. ‘VisionQuest‘ premiered on Disney+ on Oct. 14, concluding the trilogy that began with ‘WandaVision’ in 2021 and continued with ‘Agatha All Along’ in 2024, featuring Terry Matalas as showrunner and James Spader reprising his role as Ultron.
Bettany has described the series as a significant creative endeavor, and he anticipates appearing in ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’. Marvel’s upcoming projects are set, with ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ scheduled for Dec. 18 and ‘Secret Wars’ following on Dec. 17, 2027. At a London premiere, Bettany reflected on how Marvel revitalized his career after a producer once claimed it was over.
However, as the show launches, an old controversy has resurfaced. Social media users are calling for a boycott of the series due to private text messages Bettany exchanged with Johnny Depp over a decade ago, prompting Bettany to revisit that history.
In a recent interview with The Times, Bettany stated that he hadn’t communicated with Depp in years when the messages were made public and has not spoken to him since. He found it strange to be portrayed as a close friend of someone he hadn’t interacted with in years amidst the turmoil surrounding both celebrities.
The messages, which date back to 2013, were read in 2020 during Depp’s unsuccessful libel case against The Sun, which he sued over a 2018 article labeling him a wife beater. The exchange included disturbing comments about Depp’s then-fiancée, Amber Heard, with Depp suggesting burning her and Bettany responding with remarks about drowning her. Depp has consistently denied allegations of abuse against Heard.
Depp explained in court that his friendship with Bettany was based on a shared abstract sense of humor to cope with challenging situations, indicating that the messages reflected that dynamic. Bettany has characterized the situation as uncomfortable rather than something he wished to defend.
This isn’t the first time Bettany has addressed the matter. In a 2021 interview, he expressed embarrassment over the messages being discussed in court, noting that we live in a world lacking context. He clarified that he didn’t know Depp during his marriage to Heard, as they hadn’t spoken for years during that period, so he was not privy to any of it.
He also remarked that few would feel at ease having a team of lawyers comb through their private text messages. In a subsequent interview with The Telegraph, he described the resurfacing of the texts as strange and embarrassing, questioning what it would be like to have lawyers sift through a decade of your emails and texts.
These comments contrast awkwardly with Bettany’s earlier public support for Depp. In 2016, he tweeted that he had known Depp for years and through various relationships, calling him the sweetest, kindest, and gentlest man he had ever known. Critics have pointed to this post as inconsistent with his later claims about their distance.
Bettany and Depp collaborated on several films, including ‘The Tourist’ in 2010 and ‘Mortdecai’ in 2015. They were once close friends, but Bettany now describes that relationship as long gone. He has also mentioned his desire for a quiet life and has been married to actress Jennifer Connelly since 2003.
The renewed scrutiny comes at a sensitive time. ‘VisionQuest’ is one of Marvel’s key fall releases, and Bettany has been engaging in extensive press for it, from podcast interviews to red-carpet events. Questions about his past messages now accompany him in these discussions.
Reviews for ‘VisionQuest’ have been mixed, with some praising its themes and performances while others find it inconsistent. Marvel has not commented on the calls for a boycott, and the show’s episodes continue to be released weekly.
The first trailer for #VisionQuest, premiering October 14 on Disney+. https://t.co/jIcsJ2Iarl
— Rotten Tomatoes 🍅 (@RottenTomatoes) August 15, 2026
For Bettany, the aim is likely to maintain focus on Vision’s narrative and the character he has portrayed for over a decade. Whether the renewed discussion subsides or persists may depend on audience reactions in the weeks to come.
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