Johnny Depp has claimed his ex-business managers are to blame for his financial woes – not his lavish lifestyle.\u201cI\u2019ve worked very, very hard for a lot of years and trusted a lot of people, some who\u2019ve clearly let me down,\u201d the actor told the Wall Street Journal.\nThe Alice in Wonderland star sued The Management Group in January for $25m (\u00a319.5m) alleging fraud and negligence. The Management Group responded with a countersuit, attributing his financial troubles to a $2m-a-month lifestyle. In his first public comments on the matter, Depp denied that his debts were down to profligate spending. \u201cWhy didn\u2019t they drop me as a client if I was so out of control?\u201d he said.
\nBut he did give some insight into his shopping habits. \u201cIt\u2019s my money,\u201d the actor was quoted as saying. \u201cIf I want to buy 15,000 cotton balls a day, it\u2019s my thing.\u201d Depp, 53, alleges that The Management Group\u2019s handling of his affairs led to him being more than $40m (\u00a331m) in debt.
\nHe also accuses the LA firm, run by brothers Joel and Rob Mandel, of failing to file his taxes on time and taking out high-interest loans on his behalf.
\nIn their own legal action, The Management Group said their former client had \u201crefused to live within his means, despite… repeated warnings about his financial condition\u201d.
\nThey claimed the actor\u2019s outgoings included $3m (\u00a32.3m) to blast the ashes of author Hunter S Thompson out of a cannon – a send-off Depp said had actually cost him $5m (\u00a33.9m).
\nThe Oscar-nominated actor is best-known for his role as Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean series, the fifth instalment of which arrives this summer.
\nDisney have announced that Dead Men Tell No Tales will have its world premiere at the Shanghai Disney resort on 11 May – the first Hollywood premiere to be held in mainland China.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"