"I truly, sincerely thank you, President Vucic — and this medal of merit, if I am given the honor to walk away with this, I thank you for being kind enough to bestow it upon me," said Depp.

He added: "I’m right now on the verge of a new life and I like it. I like a re-beginning. And I would love for that beginning to start here."

Depp was presented with the medal by Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic, on the occasion of Serbia's Statehood Day. (Photo: Getty Images)

Depp's work in Hollywood has dried up in recent years, in the wake of the high-profile fallout from his relationship with Amber Heard and her allegations of domestic violence against him.

The actor lost a libel action against U.K. tabloid the Sun in November 2020 over an article in which he was described as a "wife-beater."

Judge Mr Justice Nicol, at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, ruled that the paper was able to prove that its claims were "substantially true."

In the wake of the case, Depp was dropped from his role as dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts franchise and replaced by Mads Mikkelsen.

Depp was dropped from Fantastic Beasts after the result of his court case against the Sun. (Photo: Warner Bros)

Speaking to press at the San Sebastian Film Festival last year, Depp described himself as a victim of "cancel culture."

"It's so far out of hand now that I can promise you that no one is safe. Not one of you. No one out that door," said the star.

He added: "It doesn't matter if a judgment, per se, has taken some artistic license. No.

"When there's an injustice, whether it's against you or someone you love, or someone you believe in — stand up, don't sit down."

Depp recently signed on for one of his first major roles since the court case, playing King Louis XV in a French drama set to shoot this summer.