Johnny Depp made a surprise appearance at the MTV VMAs on Sunday night – his first major public outing since his highly-publicized defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard.
SEE: All the show-stopping red carpet looks from the 2022 MTV VMAs
The 59-year-old made a very brief appearance dressed as a Moon Person – the VMAs coveted awards trophy – while floating high above the stage at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, with only his face visible.
WATCH: Johnny Depp makes surprise appearance at MTV VMAs
While Johnny wasn't actually in the spacesuit, he did lend his voice to the ceremony and appeared to make a subtle reference to his recent court battle.
"I just want you guys to know that I’m available for birthdays, Bar Mitzvahs, Bat Mitzvahs, weddings, wakes, any old thing you need," he said before cheekily adding: "And you know what? I needed the work."
READ: Johnny Depp celebrates huge career news as Amber Heard legal battle continues
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Johnny also shared the clip on his Instagram alongside the caption: "Guess who? #VMAs," and his loyal followers went wild over his 'big comeback'.
"That's amazing! Good to see you, Johnny," replied one. A second said: "I'm honestly a bit choked up. This is beautiful. He's going to get so much LOVE!"
A third added: "The BEST of the BEST," and a fourth wrote: "Everything JD does is legendary. King JD is back."
© Photo: InstagramJohnny's face appeared in the helmet of a Moon Person
Johnny's appearance comes after he won all three defamation claims in his $50 million lawsuit against Amber, which stemmed from a 2018 op-ed article she wrote for The Washington Post in which she said she was a "public figure representing domestic abuse".
While the piece did not identify Johnny by name, his attorneys said it "incalculably" damaged his career, costing him acting roles. She then countersued him for $100m.
The jury found that Amber defamed Johnny in her accusations, saying that the Aquaman star acted with "actual malice" with her claims. The jury also awarded Amber $2 million after finding that Johnny had defamed her through his attorney.
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