Johnny Depp Makes First Red Carpet Appearance Following Amber Heard Split

Actor helps raise $9.5 million for the Starkey Foundation

By Kendall Fisher Jul 18, 2016 4:30 PMTags
Johnny Depp, Alice CooperAdam Bettcher/Getty Images

Johnny Depp hit the red carpet on Sunday night for the first time since his rocky divorce from Amber Heard.

The actor joined his Hollywood Vampires bandmates for the annual Starkey Hearing Foundation Awards Gala in St. Paul, Minn., a star-studded event that included honorees Jennifer Garner, Buzz Aldrin and Jay Leno.

Depp walked the carpet and took photos alongside Alice Cooper and his wife, Sheryl Goddard. He dressed to the role of a rock star, wearing a black-on-black ensemble with an embroidered jacket that he accessorized with black boots and a colorful assortment of necklaces and jewelry. 

A source inside the event tells E! News that he seemed "coherent" and "very passionate" about the Starkey Foundation (which abides by the mission statement, "So the World May Hear"), even getting choked up at one point while talking about it. 

photos
Johnny Depp's Best Roles

Before the Hollywood Vampires took to the stage to perform at the event, Depp and Cooper discussed the importance of the foundation and why it has such a special place in their hearts.

"I've been lucky enough to play characters like Edward Scissorhands, Captain Jack Sparrow," Depp said. "My only sort of goal is of making someday a positive change."

He then recalled an experience in Lisbon, Portugal, during which the band fitted people with hearing aids just hours before taking the stage at the Rock in Rio festival. "It was an emotional experience, the instant change in a person's face when they've only known silence," Depp said. "It's a gift, an incredible moment you never forget."

After the Hollywood Vampires' performance, Depp and Cooper auctioned off two guitars that they autographed from the stage, both for $60,000. They also auctioned off a large, signed collage of Mohammed Ali to professional boxer Andre Berto for $50,0000.

All in all, Depp, Cooper and their team ended up breaking records by raising over $9.5 million for the Starkey Foundation.

Lester Cohen/Amanda Edwards/WireImage

Meanwhile, Heard filed for divorce from Depp in May, and less than a week later, she filed a domestic violence restraining order against him, which was subsequently granted.

The following day, photos were released of the actress with bruises on her face and a cut on her lip. According to a source close to Amber, the injuries occurred last December when Johnny allegedly attempted to injure his wife with a pillow.

In the court documents for the restraining order, Heard said that her estranged husband has "been on a downward spiral for a few months" and has "battled with substance abuse for quite some time."

Now, Heard is waiting to take the stand—her deposition was delayed last month—and testify against Depp in order to obtain a permanent restraining order.

While Depp has not directly addressed the accusations made by Heard, his rep released a statement shortly after the couple filed for divorce.

"Given the brevity of this marriage and the most recent and tragic loss of his mother, Johnny will not respond to any of the salacious false stories, gossip, misinformation and lies about his personal life," his rep shared with E! News. "Hopefully the dissolution of this short marriage will be resolved quickly."

photos
Johnny Depp & Amber Heard: Romance Rewind