Johnny Depp joins Jeff Beck onstage in Sheffield, UK for Jimi Hendrix, John Lennon and Marvin Gaye covers

Up until very recently, Johnny Depp has been in the midst of a widely publicized defamation trial against his former wife Amber Heard, so he was perhaps the last person fans expected to see at a recent Jeff Beck gig in Sheffield, England.

But the Hollywood Vampires guitarist and Hollywood A-lister did indeed appear, donning a Fender Telecaster to help Beck play a trio of classic covers.

In new fan-shot footage, Depp can be seen aiding the electric guitar legend during his set at Sheffield City Hall on Sunday (May 29) for renditions of John Lennon's Isolation – of which the pair released a studio version in 2020 – as well as Jimi Hendrix's Little Wing and Marvin Gaye's What's Going On, and an original track named Hedy Lamarr.

The Pirates of the Caribbean star's appearance was even more surprising to those in attendance considering the trial only heard its closing arguments on Friday (May 27).

During the performance, Depp assumes vocal and rhythm guitar duties – wielding a 12-string acoustic guitar for Hedy Lamarr – accompanying Beck's ever-soulful leads.

Johnny Depp is currently suing Amber Heard for $50 million over an op-ed she wrote for the The Washington Post in 2018 in which she documented her experience of being a domestic abuse survivor, without mentioning Depp by name. Heard is countersuing him for $100 million.

While best known for his acting career, Depp is also a prominent musician. With his current band, Hollywood Vampires – which also features Alice Cooper and Aerosmith's Joe Perry – he has released two albums: their self-titled debut in 2015 and 2019's Rise.

Elsewhere, he has collaborated with the likes of Oasis and Aerosmith, while in the '90s he was a member of a band called P, who once performed with Red Hot Chili Peppers' Flea and John Frusciante at LA's The Viper Room, then part-owned by Depp.