Johnny Depp backs out as speaker for Reason Rally 2016

Hollywood actor Johnny Depp will no longer be attending the Reason Rally at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. on June 4 amid recent news of divorce with his wife, Amber Heard.

Hemant Mehta shared on The Friendly Atheist blog on Thursday, May 26 that the Hollywood star is no longer going to grace the upcoming event for atheists. Mehta quoted the event's executive director, Lyz Liddell, as saying that she's "disappointed that they're not coming."

An estimated 20,000 atheists or at least nonreligious individuals are expected to attend this year's Reason Rally. Aside from Depp, organizers have named comedian Bill Nye and planetary scientist Carolyn Porco as event speakers.

The blog also dismissed the ongoing speculation that the couple is no longer attending due to social pressure brought on by being associated to an "atheist" rally. Rather, they believe the couple's "personal complications are the more likely culprit here."

The 30-year-old actress filed for divorce last week accusing Depp of verbal, emotional and physical abuse, as reported by Reuters. The couple have been together for 15 months.

Mehta also noted that Depp is scheduled to perform in Europe with his band Hollywood Vampires before and after the scheduled Rally, insinuating that the atheist event is just not part of Depp's top priorities.

Earlier this month, Christian evangelist and co-host of the TV show "The Way of the Master," Ray Comfort, invited followers to join him in an open-air preaching event which he scheduled at the same time and location as the atheist rally.

"We will be at the other end of the Mall, filming open-air preaching — where we're sure that we will get a few colorful hecklers," he said in a video posted on his ministry's official website.

Comfort also announced he'll be giving away $250,000 worth of Subway gift cards along with 5,000 copies of his book, "Why Pigs Will Fly Before America Has an Atheist President."

In a separate blog, Mehta updates his followers that Comfort's original plans during the Reason Rally are no longer going to happen.