Aussie deputy PM hits back at Johnny Depp after being called a "tomato" on live TV

The well-publicized furor between Australia's Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce and Hollywood actor Johnny Depp has reignited on Wednesday, after Joyce hit back at the actor who said Joyce looked to be "inbred with a tomato".

Joyce laughed off the insult when talking to the press on Wednesday, but said he was "inside (Depp's) head", after the actor fielded questions about his now-infamous"dog smuggling" stunt on a U.S. talk show overnight.

Last year, Depp, along with wife Amber Heard, attempted to bring their two dogs into Australia without declaring them. Not declaring animals brought into Australia poses a risk to the nation's biosecurity laws, and is punishable by jail time.

After bargaining with Joyce and the Australian government last month, Heard and Depp issued a public apology which went viral for all the wrong reasons; the actor's ironic lack of acting was noted, while the sincerity of the apology was questioned.

While speaking with talk show host Jimmy Kimmel overnight (Australian time), Depp took a shot at the appearance of Australia's Deputy PM.

"He looks somehow, like, inbred with a tomato," Depp said of Joyce.

"It's not a criticism. I was a little worried he might explode."

Following the talk show stunt, Joyce said he had "long forgotten" Depp and was focusing on politics, while the actor was still obsessed with talking about the incident.

"I think I'm turning into Johnny Depp's Hannibal Lecter, aren't I?" Joyce told the press on Wednesday.

"I'm inside his head, I'm pulling little strings and pulling little levers. Long after I've forgotten about Mr Depp, he's remembering me."

Joyce also took the opportunity to tell the press he would prefer to be likened to a "sleek and sensitive" vegetable in the future. Endit