The New York Post tweeted photos of Johnny Depp with the actor looking like you might not even recognize him if you saw him on the street.

By Michileen Martin | Published 1 year ago

It is, we swear, actor Johnny Depp in the photos above which the New York Post tweeted yesterday. The paper reports that the shots were taken outside the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY this past Saturday before his performance there with 78 year old rocker Jeff Beck. How fans were able to recognize the Pirates of the Caribbean star is a mystery to us, but the pictures were supposedly taken while he stopped for fans who somehow didn’t mistake him for Michael Madsen.

The most obvious change is that Johnny Depp has said goodbye to the facial hair he’s sported for years, including all throughout his televised defamation case against ex-wife Amber Heard. Among some of the more apt comparisons respondents made to Depp’s new look–including the previously mentioned Michael Madsen of Reservoir Dogs fame–included to AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson, The Lost Boys and The Goonies alum Corey Feldman, heavy metal singer and reality tv star Ozzy Osbourne, and the recurring Dan Akroyd/Steve Martin “Two Wild & Crazy Guys” from the heyday of Saturday Night Live.

Considering he’s being friendly with fans in the photos above–as well as currently on a rock tour which finds him on stage in front of thousands–Johnny Depp’s new look probably has nothing to do with an attempt at anonymity. It would seem more likely that either it’s just a new look for a new look’s sake, or perhaps it’s meant to signify new beginnings. While the still hoped for (as far as his fans are concerned at least) returns to franchises like Pirates of the Caribbean and Fantastic Beasts have yet to officially materialize, Depp’s court win over his ex-wife did come with an uptick in his career.

Along with starring in the lead role of the upcoming drama Jeanne du Barry, Johnny Depp will be returning to the director’s chair on a feature for the first time since 2009’s Unloveable. With August came the news that Depp will be directing the upcoming Modigliani adapted from the Dennis McIntyre stage play of the same name. Production on the film is scheduled to begin in Europe next Spring.

While nothing’s been confirmed, Mads Mikkelsen–who replaced Johnny Depp as the villain Grtindelwald in this year’s Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore–has publicly speculated that with his trial win against Heard, Depp could be coming back to reclaim his role. Of course, at the same time, the franchise has more to contend with than Depp’s controversies; including the underwhelming performance of the most recent entry, the association with alleged transphobe J.K. Rowling, and the inclusion of the extremely problematic Ezra Miller. It could be there will be no more Fantastic Beasts films for Depp or anyone else to rejoin.

Along with acting as triage to his career, Johnny Depp’s trial victory against Amber Heard has done the opposite for her. Heard continues to challenge the $10 million-plus judgement against her, and recently sold her home in Yucca Valley, California to help deal with her mounting debt.

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