Johnny Depp Attacked Crew Member, Report Claims — But Director Defends Him as 'Professional'

Johnny Depp reportedly tried to punch a location manager and then dared the crew member to punch him back while on-set in downtown Los Angeles

Johnny Depp attacked a crew member on the set his upcoming movie, a new report claims, but his director is standing by the actor’s side.

While filming LAbyrinth, a movie about the deaths of Tupac Shakur and Notorious BIG, the 54-year-old actor allegedly got into a physical altercation with a location manager, according a new report by Page Six.

Director Brad Furman responded to Page Six with a statement, calling the alleged incident “exaggerated” and Depp “a consummate professional, great collaborator and a supporter of other artists”

“He always treats the crew and people around him with the utmost respect,” Furman continued. “Movies can be stressful, and nonevents often become exaggerated. We all love stories — there isn’t one here.”

Depp’s reps have not provided comment to PEOPLE.

According to Page Six, its sources say Depp tried to punch the crew member in the ribs after being told he had to stop filming. One source allegedly claims the actor had been “smoking and drinking all day on set.”

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Last week, two of the actor’s former bodyguards — Eugene Arreola, a retired police detective, and Miguel Sanchez — sued the Oscar nominee for unpaid wages and forcing them to work in dangerous conditions, which they said included exposure to “illegal substances” and loaded weapons, according to a complaint they filed on May 1.

Once Arreola and Sanchez started working for Depp directly in 2016, they claim they noticed their paychecks were missing “overtime and rest pay.” They also claim that from 2016 to 2018, they did not receive overtime pay or “meal and rest breaks as mandated by law” and were “misclassified as independent contractors when they were clearly hired as employees.”

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They went on to claim they were made to work as de facto babysitters for Depp’s minor child and were also “forced to protect [Depp] from himself.”

The actor is also currently embroiled in a $25 million lawsuit with his former business managers, whom he claims mismanaged the $650 million he’s made in the last two decades to the point of depletion. His former managers claim in response that the actor’s allegedly extravagant spending is to blame for his financial woes.