Johnny Depp Bit Foliage at Park MGM Festival
The actor posed with leaves between his teeth during the DRINK Las Vegas event this week.
Updated on Sept. 26, 2026 in Food and Drink
Johnny Depp was spotted pulling leaves from an artificial hedge with his teeth while posing for photographers at the DRINK Las Vegas festival. The event took place at Park MGM, drawing various celebrity guests for its opening ceremony.
Why it matters
The appearance brings further focus to the actor's public conduct, which has been the subject of past legal and media scrutiny. Residents may note the high-profile attendance at resort-corridor events, which often alter traffic and activity around the Strip.
The actor previously acknowledged spending $30,000 monthly on wine in 2017, a figure far exceeding the $10,000 he paid for damages to a New York hotel in 1994. It remains unclear how recent changes in his reported habits, such as those noted in 2025, compare to these historical totals.
The players
Johnny Depp
An actor who attended the festival and was photographed biting leaves from a display.
Shaquille O'Neal
A former professional athlete who attended the festival opening ceremony.
Sammy Hagar
A musician who attended the festival opening ceremony on Thursday.
The details
Depp bit into an artificial hedge and held the greenery in his lips during a photo session at the Park MGM event. Shaquille O'Neal and Sammy Hagar were also in attendance for the festival opening. This behavior occurred amidst long-standing public interest in the actor's personal history, including a 2022 defamation trial and subsequent settlement payments.
Timeline
1994: Depp paid $10,000 in damages following a hotel room incident in New York.
2017: Depp acknowledged spending $30,000 a month on wine.
June 2025: Depp consumed alcohol during a Times of London interview.
September 2026: Depp attended the DRINK Las Vegas festival at Park MGM.
Beyond the Strip
This incident follows a documented history of public conduct issues, such as the 1994 New York hotel room incident that resulted in $10,000 in damages. It repeats a long-standing pattern of scrutiny surrounding the actor's behavior in professional and public settings.
Large-scale events at Park MGM continue to draw significant foot traffic and celebrity attendance to the center of the resort corridor. Locals should anticipate typical Strip congestion and heightened security presence during marquee festival weekends.
The takeaway
The event highlights the unpredictable nature of celebrity appearances at high-profile resort gatherings. Residents should note that such festivals often result in increased traffic and crowds throughout the Las Vegas resort corridor.
Further reading
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