Hannah Waddingham’s line in the film didn’t go over as the filmmakers may have hoped.

This post contains mention of abuse.
If you’re hitting the multiplex this weekend, it’s possible you’re heading out to see the new Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt action comedy The Fall Guy. Here’s the trailer:

Along with Ryan and Emily, one of the many other stars who appears in the film is Hannah Waddingham. She plays Gail Meyer, an executive producer.

Woman in striped suit holds award, movie posters in background

So, according to The Hollywood Reporter, there’s a scene in the film in which Hannah’s character walks into a messy trailer and says, “It’s like Amber and Johnny were just in here.”

Two women on a film set, one using a microphone, both wearing hats and casual attire

It seems safe to assume that the joke is a reference to ex-partners Amber Heard and Johnny Depp, who have been involved in numerous legal cases against each other since the dissolution of their marriage in 2016.

Two people posing on the red carpet; person on right in a tan suit with sunglasses, person on left in a black outfit

There was a 2020 UK case where Johnny lost his libel trial after the Sun called him a “wife-beater” and a judge ruled that “the great majority of alleged assaults of Ms Heard by Mr Depp have been proved to the civil standard.” There was also a highly publicized US jury trial in June 2022 that found both Heard and Depp liable for defamation, with Depp winning significantly more in damages.

Amber Heard standing in court, wearing a gray suit with her hair up in a bun

Obviously, it’s not the type of thing you necessarily want to joke about at all, never mind in a blockbuster film.

Man with blond hair in a white tank top, looking intently, indoors

But The Fall Guy did it anyway, and the internet had thoughts:

@ninarivagf / Via Twitter: @ninarivagf

@hachiverse / Universal / Via Twitter: @hachiverse

@lavfeysun / Via Twitter: @lavfeysun

@shxnerusso / Via Twitter: @shxnerusso