“I have always admired Rihanna for how effortlessly she exudes that timeless I don’t give a f*** category of cool that never goes out of fashion. But upon learning she is going to feature Johnny Depp in the November fashion show for her Savage X Fenty lingerie brand, I am thinking maybe she should give more of a f**,” writes Maya Oppenheim.

Both Rihanna and the official Savage x Fenty social media accounts have continued to post amid the ongoing backlash, with the lingerie company sharing photos taken on the red carpet at the premiere of the fashion show in Simi Valley, California.

Rihanna has focused on her music, with the singer sharing a TikTok reaction to her new song “Lift Me Up” on Twitter.

On Instagram, the 34 year old shared photos taken of her on a beach while filming the song’s music video.

While the majority of comments under the Instagram post have been from fans praising the singer, others have focused on the Depp cameo in the upcoming show.

“Johnny Depp? Really?” one comment reads, while another says: “Why is Johnny Depp in your show?

Rihanna was also forced to apologise after the 2020 Savage x Fenty show, after many took issue with the use of an Islamic song during the lingerie show.

The song in question, called Doom by artist Coucou Chloe, includes a Muslim text known as a Hadith. The Hadith is part of a collection of texts believed to be the spoken words of the Prophet Muhammad and is one of the most sacred and important religious texts to Muslims.

Following criticism over the use of the song, Rihanna issued a statement on her Instagram, where she apologised for the “honest, yet careless mistake”.

You can read her apology in full below.

This is not the first time that Rihanna and Savage x Fenty have been embroiled in controversy.

In 2021, Rihanna was accused of cultural appropriation after models wore braids while walking in the fashion show.

The third annual show featured big names such as Gigi Hadid, Adriana Lima, Vanessa Hudgens and Emily Ratajkowski.

However, shortly after the fashion show aired, viewers expressed concerns over the hairstyles chosen for some of the models, as Ratajkowski and Hudgens both wore their hair in braids during the event, sparking a conversation about the appropriation of Black culture.

A significant portion of the backlash surrounding Depp’s casting has focused on Rihanna’s own history with domestic violence, as the singer was assaulted by then-boyfriend Chris Brown in 2009.

The rapper was arrested and accused of physically assaulting the singer, and sentenced to five years of probation.

In 2015, Rihanna opened up about the assault during an interview withVanity Fair, where she revealed that she felt she was “punished over and over” each time she was asked to relive the incident by the media.

“Well, I just never understood that, like how the victim gets punished over and over. It’s in the past, and I don’t want to say:‘Get over it,’ because it’s a very serious thing that is still relevant; it’s still real,” she said. “A lot of women, a lot of young girls, are still going through it. A lot of young boys too. It’s not a subject to sweep under the rug, so I can’t just dismiss it like it wasn’t anything, or I don’t take it seriously.

“But, for me, and anyone who’s been a victim of domestic abuse, nobody wants to even remember it. Nobody even wants to admit it. So to talk about it and say it once, much less 200 times, is like… I have to be punished for it? It didn’t sit well with me.”

As for the role Depp will play in the upcoming fashion show, the Pirates of the Caribbean actor is not expected to walk the runway with the other models. Rather, Depp is featured in a “spotlight moment,” according to the Los Angeles Times.

The moment, which NBC News reports occurs 20 minutes into the 40-minute runway show, sees Depp walk toward the camera as Outkast’s “So Fresh, So Clean” plays in the background. 

In photos that have circulated on social media ahead of the 9 November release of the runway show on Prime Video, Depp can be seen wearing an olive green ensemble and multiple necklaces.

As of now, neither Rihanna nor Savage x Fenty have addressed the backlash.

However, on Instagram, the comments under the lingerie company’s posts have continued to reference the controversial casting decision, with some condemning Depp’s cameo while others have said they are looking forward to seeing the actor in the show.

“Why is Johnny Depp in the show?” one follower asked, while another said: “So excited for this show. Glad to hear Johnny is part of it.”

Depp’s cameo in the upcoming show marks the latest in a number of public appearances he’s made post-trial. The first took place during the 2022 VMAs in August, when he made a surprise appearance dressed as the award show’s Moonperson.

At the time, the actor joked that he’d “needed the work”.

The stunt divided viewers, with some calling the actor’s appearance at the awards show “out of touch”.

As the criticism directed at Rihanna for working with Depp continues, fans have also noticed that Heard’s Twitter account appears to have disappeared. As of Thursday, Heard’s handle @realAmberHeard was no longer active.

It is not currently clear whether the Aquaman star removed the account herself or if it deactivated, however, its disappearance comes just days after Heard’s ex-boyfriend Elon Musk took over the social media platform.

Heard last used her account to tweet in June, when she shared a statement regarding the outcome of the defamation trial brought against her by Depp.

You can find more details about Depp’s last tweet below.

As fans continue to criticise the singer, some have argued that, if Rihanna had wanted to make a “powerful statement,” she could have cast Depp’s ex-wife Amber Heard in the show.

“It really sucks because imagine what a powerful statement Rihanna could have made by inviting Amber to be a part of her show,” one tweet reads.

The suggestion prompted a debate of its own, as some claimed that Rihanna should not have extended the platform to either one. “How about don’t invite either one of them… it should’ve never happened,” one individual said in response, while another said: “I’d prefer if she invited neither of them.”