In a powerful moment that left fans buzzing, Johnny Depp made a surprise appearance at Alice Cooper’s sold-out concert at London’s O2 Arena on July 25, just days after the passing of rock icon Ozzy Osbourne.
The emotional tribute unfolded during a performance of Black Sabbath’s 1970 classic “Paranoid,” and was part of a larger celebration of Osbourne’s legacy.
Depp’s Surprise Appearance and a Fitting Farewell to Ozzy
Alice Cooper, 77, stunned fans as he honored Osbourne, who died at 76, with a heartfelt performance. Depp, 62 — his longtime bandmate in the supergroup Hollywood Vampires — appeared mid-song, guitar in hand, joining Cooper onstage to roaring applause.
Cooper, wearing an Ozzy Osbourne T-shirt, raised his fist triumphantly at the song’s end, a gesture of respect to the rock legend.
“At the end of the show, I just said, ‘Everybody, let’s say goodnight to Ozzy,’” Cooper later recalled. “And everybody just [chanted], ‘Ozzy, Ozzy.’”
Depp remained onstage for an encore of “School’s Out,” joined by original Alice Cooper band members Dennis Dunaway, Neal Smith, and Michael Bruce. The concert coincided with Cooper’s upcoming album The Revenge of Alice Cooper, the band’s first new LP in over 50 years since Muscle of Love (1973).
Alice Cooper Remembers Osbourne as a ‘Lifer’ in Rock
In interviews following the concert, Cooper reflected on Osbourne’s passing, calling it a “shock to the system,” even though it had been anticipated. Speaking to Planet Rock, he recalled learning the news just before heading on stage.
“I was on my way to the stage when I heard about it,” he said. “And I went, ‘Oh, that’s not right.’”
In a separate interview on The Scott Mills Breakfast Show, Cooper described Osbourne as a “lifer” in rock music, comparing his enduring influence to The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.
“There’s certain guys who are lifers,” he said. “And I think Ozzy was the same thing.”
Osbourne passed away surrounded by family, after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease, which he revealed publicly in 2020 but had lived with since 2003. Following his death, tributes poured in from across the globe, with stars like Yungblud, Elton John, Jason Momoa, and Gene Simmons commemorating the Prince of Darkness.