Critics were upset by the appearance from Depp, who has faced allegations of abuse from his ex-partner, actress Amber Heard.
Depp’s short cameo occurred in the middle of the event, and he donned silk pajamas from Savage and several necklaces, per The Daily Mail. OutKast’s 2001 single, “So Fresh, So Clean,” served as the backdrop for the 59-year-old actor’s catwalk.
Many fans who stood by Depp throughout his legal battles were cheering on his Savage X Fenty appearance from the social-media sidelines. But critics were quick to bring up the claims of abuse leveled against Depp.
“Video of court proven abuser Johnny Depp walking on the Fenty fashion show. #AbuserxFenty,” Twitter user @liliandaisies wrote.
“This is what #Rihanna put her company’s integrity on the line for? THIS??” user @DaniMet1 tweeted. “I know people have been saying not to go hard on her cause it may not have been her decision but I disagree. If she had reservations, she’d have publicly hinted it. #AbuserxFenty #SavageXFenty.”
“#AbuserxFenty #AbuserxFenty #AbuserxFenty,” user @nataliaameriexo tweeted. “@rihanna doesn’t give af about her young fans.”
“All I can think about is how much hotter Amber Heard would have been in this shot,” @MansonInfoWars commented on Twitter.
Depp and Heard accused each other of abuse throughout their tumultuous marriage. During the summer, Depp won his defamation case against his former spouse.
The Pirates of the Caribbean star has since attempted to make a comeback, attracting the support of die-hard fans and also certain Hollywood A-listers.
Many have pointed out that Rihanna is a victim of domestic violence. In 2009, her then-boyfriend, R&B singer Chris Brown, assaulted the Umbrella songstress.
Fans were divided last week after TMZ broke the news of Depp and Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty collab. He was reportedly the first man in the brand’s history to appear as the focus of the “star” moment, with past participants including supermodel Cindy Crawford and musician Erykah Badu.
Blowback aside, Rihanna has a lot to look forward to. The pop icon recently announced that she’s set to headline the 2023 Super Bowl Halftime Show.
Newsweek reached out to representatives for Rihanna and Depp for comment.
Updated 11/9/22, 11:36 a.m. ET: This story has been updated with additional information and background.