Johnny Depp sends holiday Instagram message wishing for 'a better time ahead' after 'hard' 2020

Johnny Depp took a step away from his ongoing legal battles to send a holiday message to fans the day after Christmas.

Depp's black-and-white Dec. 26 Instagram post was the embodiment of holiday celebrating, with the 57-year-old actor laughing at a bar with legendary Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan (famed for the rowdy Christmas classic "Fairytale of New York").

The moment was captured from the set of the documentary about the rocker, "Crock of Gold: A Few Rounds with Shane MacGowan," which Depp produced.

"This year has been so hard for so many. Here’s to a better time ahead," Depp wrote in the Instagram caption. "Happy Holidays, everyone! My love and respect to you all. Eternally, JD."

Johnny Depp exits 'Fantastic Beasts' franchise: 'I have been asked to resign by Warner Bros.'

The post had nearly 2 million likes by Sunday and included comments from rocker Patti Smith, who wrote, "We are yours eternally."

Stray Cats drummer Slim Jim Phantom wrote, "Love you, buddy. Any year, anytime."

Depp's difficulties in 2020 have been high profile and are ongoing, as his official Instagram account makes clear.

Saturday's well-wishing post is just two spots over from Depp's Nov. 6 Instagram post announcing he would no longer star as Grindelwald in the "Fantastic Beasts" film series. In that post, Depp wrote that Warner Bros., the studio behind the film, asked him to resign "in light of recent events."

Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen ("Casino Royale," "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story") has been cast as the primary antagonist in the upcoming third installment of J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" prequel series, currently in production.

Depp had sued News Group Newspapers (NGN), owner of British tabloid The Sun, over a 2018 article that described him as a "wife beater" to then-wife Amber Heard. After a contentious, sordid legal battle played out over three weeks this summer, a British judge ruled on Nov. 2 that the article was not libelous, saying it had been proven to be "substantially true."

In the November Instagram post, a typewritten and signed Depp statement, he wrote: "The surreal judgement of the court in the UK will not change my fight to tell the truth and I confirm that I plan to appeal."

"My resolve remains strong and I intend to prove that the allegations against me are false," he wrote. "My life and career will not be defined by this moment in time."

Last week, Depp’s legal counsel filed new documents in appeals court asking for a new trial.