“There’s more behind the star.” Yeah, domestic violence and bro-gaslighting!!! As you can see above, Benicio del Toro is the current face of Heineken beer. He’s doing print ads and commercials for the brand, and I’m sure he’s contractually obligated to attend a certain number of Heineken-sponsored events throughout the year. One of those events was this week, Tuesday night. And because Heineken wanted lots of press coverage of their event, they of course invited reporters and media outlets to the event. That was a bad idea, because the New York Daily News asked Benicio point-blank about his friend Johnny Depp and the accusations of domestic abuse lodged against Depp by Amber Heard. As we covered yesterday, Benicio’s answers were not good, especially when he called Amber “manipulative” and “a little twisted.”

In yesterday’s story, I even noted that Heineken probably wasn’t happy that Benicio used their event to discuss the Depp-Heard stuff. I wrote: “I bet the Heineken people were really glad that Benicio used their event to speak about this. ‘Heineken does not endorse the misogyny of their spokesperson,’ is probably what some beer publicist is writing now.” Well guess what? A glorious follow-up from the NYDN:

While Dos Equis is searching to replace their “Most Interesting Man in the World,” Heineken is distancing themselves from the most embarrassing spokesman in the beer business. On Tuesday, Heineken sponsored a promotional event hosted by Benicio Del Toro, who took the opportunity to defend his “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” co-star Johnny Depp against domestic abuse charges. Del Toro argued that Amber Heard, Depp’s wife, seemed “manipulative” and “twisted.”

Apparently that wasn’t the kind of press that Heineken had in mind. After the Daily News story ran, a staffer for the Edelman public relations firm, which represents Heineken, called and emailed, asking that we disassociate their client from that damning Del Toro article.

“Can you please remove the mention of the Heineken event in the quote?” read the request from Edelman P.R. “That was not the intent of the press day and would appreciate if you could do so.”

It gets better. That rep then asked if, after sanitizing the story we have online, we might be doing another article about their beer, where Del Toro doesn’t come across as an advocate for spousal abuse.

“Will there be another piece focused on BDT + his relationship with the brand?” we were asked.

Voila! Here it is. Once again, we’re assuming this isn’t what they had in mind. Del Toro is involved in a two-year campaign with Heineken, which is billing the partnership as the actor’s “first-ever brand deal of this scale.”

Edelman calls itself “the world’s largest P.R. firm” and has done damage control for both the Saudi monarchy and Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. during its phone hacking scandal. But there isn’t much that can be done to spin the fact that Del Toro plays for Team Depp when it comes to his ongoing domestic abuse controversy. Heineken USA spokeswoman Tara Rush stands by Del Toro.

“Heineken does not intend to distance itself from Benicio del Toro,” according to Rush. “Benecio’s (sic) comments on a friend’s personal matter are strictly his own views and opinion, and do not reflect those of Heineken.”

[From The NYDN]

This is so funny. Props to the NYDN for publishing this. I doubt the PR firm knew they were making comments on the record. Heineken really, really does not want you to associate their brand with domestic violence or apologists for abusers or gaslighting abuse victims. I wonder if Benicio is getting a call right now too.

Photos courtesy of WENN, Heineken.