Schitt's Creek Star Emily Hampshire Apologizes for Johnny Depp and Amber Heard Halloween Costume

Schitt's Creek alum Emily Hampshire issued an apology for poking fun at Johnny Depp and Amber Heard's defamation trial with her Halloween costume: "I am deeply sorry and ashamed."

By Gabrielle Chung Nov 01, 2023 11:59 PMTags

Controversy Johnny Depp Halloween Amber Heard Celebrities

Watch: Emily Hampshire Apologizes for "Insensitive" Johnny Depp Costume

Emily Hampshire has found herself in hot water over her Halloween costume.

The Schitt's Creek alum issued a public apology after she and a friend dressed up as Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, respectively, for the spooky holiday.

As seen in photos previously posted to her Instagram, Hampshire donned a striped suit with her brown hair slicked back to resemble what the Pirates of the Caribbean star wore to his 2022 defamation trial against his ex-wife, while another Halloween partygoer was clad in a frilly blouse similar to one of Heard's courtroom looks. Their costume was complete with a wine bottle and fake poop as references to highly publicized parts of the former couple's legal saga.

"I want to address what is one of the most thoughtless, insensitive, and ignorant things I've ever done," Hampshire wrote on Nov. 1, after deleting images of the costume from her account. "For Halloween, I stupidly thought it would be funny to dress as Johnny Depp and Amber Heard. I am deeply sorry and ashamed for putting something that awful out in the universe."

photos

25 Secrets of Schitt's Creek Revealed

Writing that domestic abuse allegations are "never, ever funny," the Canadian actress continued, "These are real issues with real people and I REALLY regret my actions. In the future I will do better. I'm so sorry."

Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images

The controversial getup came more than a year after Depp, 60, took Heard, 37, to court over an essay she penned for the Washington Post in which she described herself as a "public figure representing domestic abuse." During the weekslong trial, both Depp and Heard testified that they were abused by the other over the course of their marriage.

A jury in Virginia ultimately sided with Depp, awarding him $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages, which was later reduced to $350,000 per the state's limit. Meanwhile, Heard was awarded the actress $2 million in compensatory damages as part of her countersuit against Depp.

Though Heard—who wed Depp in 2015 and finalized their divorce 2017—initially filed an appeal, she announced her decision to settle the defamation case in December. "I make this decision having lost faith in the American legal system, where my unprotected testimony served as entertainment and social media fodder," the Aquaman star said in a statement at the time. "In settling this case, I am choosing the freedom to dedicate my time to the work that helped me heal after my divorce; work that exists in realms in which I feel seen, heard and believed, and which I know I can effect change."

Getty Images

After Hampshire posted photos of her Halloween costume, some social media users took issue with how she was rehashing the legal ordeal. "It really is a special kind of depraved to keep the costumes going a full year and a half later," one person wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. "@emilyhampshire clearly felt the need to rise to the task."

Another X user wrote, "This is so beyond disappointing to see from @emilyhampshire. Words can't articulate how let down and disgusted I feel."

For other costumes celebs wore this Halloween, keep reading.

John Nacion/WWD via Getty Images

Heidi Klum

There was no fowl play at Heidi Klum's annual Halloween blowout, where she transformed into a peacock with a group of nine acrobats.

John Nacion/WWD via Getty Images

Heidi Klum & Tom Kaulitz

Her husband, Tom Kaulitz, was right by her side in his egg-celent outfit.