After the heartbreaking news of his best friend Shane MacGowan’s passing at the age of 65 was announced earlier in the day, Johnny Depp still managed to fulfill his work commitments on Wednesday evening. Shane MacGowan, the legendary Irish musician responsible for the iconic Christmas song “Fairytale of New York,” passed away peacefully at 3am surrounded by his wife Victoria Mary Clarke and family. Johnny Depp and Shane MacGowan shared a close friendship for over thirty years, with Johnny even admitting to falling in love with the star when they first met. Despite the tragic news, Johnny attended the Opening Night screening of HWJN at the Red Sea International Film Festival 2023 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The 60-year-old actor looked dashing in his all-black suit as he posed for the red carpet.
On Wednesday, Johnny Depp, who is 60 years old, attended the Red Sea International Film Festival in Saudi Arabia. He looked sharp and stylish despite the recent passing of his best friend, Shane MacGowan.
The famous singer and Johnny had been close friends for over thirty years, as the actor had previously admitted to falling in love with the star when they first met. In a recent event, Johnny looked dapper in a complete outfit complemented by black brogues with thick soles. He styled his long hair back in a neat ponytail and wore pale blue lensed glasses, paired with his signature chunky rings and silver earrings. Despite his impressive array of tattoos, they were mostly concealed, with some peeking out on his chest and fingers. The film festival will start with the world premiere of HJWN, a Saudi fantasy feature based on the best-selling Young Adult novel by Ibraheem Abbas. The story follows the journey of Jinn, a kind-hearted creature who discovers the truth about his royal lineage and embarks on an adventure to reclaim his birthright. Along the way, he finds himself falling in love with a young medical student. It is reported that Johnny will attend the festival to present the MENA premiere of Jeanne du Barry, a Cannes 2023 title directed by Maiwenn.
The celebrity, who is currently 60 years old, opted for an elegant all-black suit as they made their way down the red carpet at the event.
With his hair slicked back into a tidy ponytail and sporting a set of glasses with light blue lenses, he had an effortlessly cool vibe.
Johnny struck a series of poses on the red carpet with a serious expression.
Most of the celebrity’s tattoos were hidden from view, except for the ones on his chest and fingers which were noticeable.
Johnny styled his hair by slicking back his long locks for the night.
The commencement of the film festival will begin with the global debut of a Saudi Arabian fantasy film called HJWN.
In this snapshot, we can see Johnny standing alongside the CEO of the Red Sea International Film Festival, Mohammed Al Turki, and the Chairwoman of the festival, Jomana Alrashid. The image captures a moment in time during what was perhaps an exciting event or gathering. It’s always interesting to see how different individuals from various backgrounds and industries come together to celebrate art and culture.
Johnny appeared to be fully concentrated after receiving the heartbreaking news of his friend’s passing earlier today. Shane MacGowan had been struggling with viral encephalitis, a dangerous condition that causes brain swelling, and had been hospitalized on multiple occasions at St Vincent’s Hospital in Dublin for several months. He was released last week in anticipation of his upcoming birthday on Christmas Day.
Shane, notorious for his partying, slurred speech, missing teeth, and onstage meltdowns in the 80s, is best known for his global hit “Fairytale of New York,” which has sold millions of copies and become a Christmas classic. The Irish icon, who had turned to a wheelchair in recent years, needed assistance from his wife and carer at home due to his health issues, which were linked to years of alcohol and substance abuse.
Today, his devastated wife announced the rockstar’s death, which came just days after she shared a touching photo of them together to celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary. Johnny and Shane were close friends, with the actor even playing guitar at Shane and Victoria’s intimate wedding at Copenhagen City Hall in November 2018.
To commemorate Shane’s 60th birthday, Bono, Nick Cave, Sinead O’Connor, Glen Matlock of Sex Pistols, and Johnny Depp joined him on stage for a performance in 2018. Additionally, Johnny produced a biopic about Shane’s life, titled “Crock of Gold: A Few Rounds with Shane MacGowan,” which delved into The Pogues frontman’s rise to fame and challenges with substance addiction in 2020.
Shane MacGowan, the lead singer of The Pogues, has passed away at the age of 65.
