Amber Heard issued a statement via social media after the jury reached the verdict in the defamation trial between her and ex-husband Johnny Depp.
Amber Heard issued a statement in reaction to the verdict of her defamation trial with ex-husband Johnny Depp. Heard has been involved in the defamation trial since it began in April 2022, which Depp filed against his ex-wife. The couple were married in 2015, with Heard filing for divorce a year later, citing domestic abuse in an op-ed for The Washington Post a short time later. Although Depp was not explicitly named in the op-ed, it was commonly known that it was Depp. In response, Depp filed a defamation suit against the Aquaman actress, saying that she had cost his reputation, causing the loss of multiple roles.
The Depp/Heard defamation trial has been highly-publicized as it was streamed live throughout, painting a portrait of their tumultuous relationship. While Depp lost a former lawsuit against The Sun for calling him a “wife-beater” in their publication, much of that same testimony was used for the defamation trial, resulting in a win for Depp, although not a total loss for Heard. The final verdict ruled in favor of more than $10 million to Depp for defamation by Heard, while it also ruled in favor of $2 million in damages to Heard for defamation by one of Depp’s lawyers.
In a statement released on Twitter, Heard said she was “disappointed” by the verdict, stating that she believes it to be a “setback” for women. Heard relayed that she felt Depp’s attorneys had convinced the jury to “overlook” Heard’s Freedom of Speech while “ignoring” evidence that was “so conclusive” in the UK libel trial that Depp lost. She concludes by saying that she’s “sad” that she lost the case, which she believes took away her right to free speech. Read her complete statement below:
Throughout the trial, much has been revealed about the couple’s turbulent relationship and the negative results they’ve experienced as a result of it, including the loss of major film roles. Heard’s agent Jessica Kovacevic testified that she believed the actress’s career should’ve taken off in a big way and that her legal woes may have impacted her career, including a scaled-back role in Aquaman 2. However, DC Films president Walter Hamada testified that it was more about Heard’s chemistry with star Jason Momoa than anything else and that the actress was still brought back to the film in a reduced role, as the plan had always been for it to be a buddy film between Momoa and co-star Patrick Wilson.
Now that the trial is over, it’s unclear how much of an effect it will have on the careers of either Heard or Depp. Both actors have been noticeably absent from big-name projects in the last few years, with Depp doing voice work on an obscure animated series and Heard appearing in The Stand mini-series and a very brief appearance in Zack Snyder’s Justice League. Whether or not the verdict puts either actor back on the right path remains to be seen. Still, it’s always possible that the publicity of the trial, however ugly or revealing it may have been, could amplify their status and get them back to work sooner than later.
Source: Amber Heard
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