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#JusticeForJohnnyDepp Blows Up After New Amber Heard Information Comes to Light

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Posted on by Thomas Hitchen 82 Comments
Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow

Credit: Disney

The high-profile nature of Johnny Depp and Amber Heard has seen Depp supporters flock to social media, reigniting #JusticeForJohnnyDepp, as new information about Heard has come to light.

Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow looking inside a treasure chest in the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' franchise
Credit: Disney

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s court case last summer was one of the most highly-publicized trials to date. After Heard published an Op-Ed in The Washington Post in 2018 describing her victimhood of domestic violence, her ex-husband Depp sued the actress in a $50 million defamation suit.

Heard countersued her former partner for $100 million. After months of both parties trying to sway Judge Penney Azcarate with newly founded evidence, the defamation case went to a jury trial in Fairfax County, Virginia, last year. From reports of Elon Musk and James Franco attending to Depp’s lawyers Camille Vasquez and Benjamin Chew to Kate Moss, the trial was high-profile and attracted millions of viewers online.

After an intense six-week trial, the jury found both parties guilty of defamation but handed out a larger penalty to Heard, with her Post essay now containing a disclaimer of the counts Heard was found guilty of arising from said opinion piece. Depp was found to have defamed the Hollywood actress through his then-lawyer, Adam Waldman.

Johnny Depp wearing glasses
Credit: ABC

The defamation trial came almost two years after Depp’s libel trial in the United Kingdom, where the Pirates of the Caribbean actor sued The Sun, executive editor Dan Wootton, and News Group Newspapers LTD for calling him a “wife-beater.” At the London High Court, Justice Andrew Nicol found many of the abuse allegations and claims of domestic violence “substantially true,” which saw him cast out of both the Harry Potter spinoff series, Fantastic Beasts, and from his role as Captain Jack Sparrow in The Walt Disney Company’s Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.

Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow in the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' franchise
Credit: Disney

Mads Mikkelsen went on to play dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald in the latest installment from J.K. Rowling and David Yates, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022). As for Pirates of the Caribbean, Depp was reported to have been replaced by Margot Robbie in a female-driven sixth Pirates movie, but that project has seemingly come to an end. As it stands, producer Jerry Bruckheimer seemingly has a door open for Depp to return, but no party has spoken on the issue. Depp is currently making a home for himself outside of Hollywood in Somerset, England. He will next appear as King Louis XV in Jeanne du Barry (2023).

Johnny Depp as King Louis XV in Maiwenn's 'Jeanne Du Barry'
Credit: Why Not Productions

During the defamation trial, lots of time was spent on Depp’s exile from Hollywood, while Heard has retained some presence in the industry despite counter-abuse claims from her ex-husband. Heard’s most commercial role to date was in the surprise billion-dollar hit Aquaman (2018) from director James Wan. Starring Jason Momoa as the titular marine superhero Arthur Curry/Aquaman, the DC Extended Universe movie sees Heard star as Mera.

Wan will bring DC fans back to the deep this year, but for a long time, it was a question mark over just how much Heard’s Mera would be present in the movie and if there would be any at all. During the trial, it was said that Heard’s screentime had doubled, had been cut severely, and had been removed altogether. Now, we know which of those is not true.

Amber Heard as Mera
Credit: Warner Bros.

In footage shown at this year’s CinemaCon, it was confirmed that Heard would be returning for this year’s Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023), as the character of Mera could be seen briefly in a fight scene during a teaser trailer shown to the convention audiences.

Of course, the internet ignited with the long-time trend #JusticeForJohnnyDepp blowing up online.

In response to the news, @wonkamatters wrote:

The comments restore faith in humanity. Nobody wants to watch a proven abuser on screen, especially not one who made false allegations and lied about donating millions to dying children and abused women.
#AmberHeardIsAnAbuser #BoycottAquaman2 #JusticeforJohnnyDepp

Related: Disney Is Being Forced to Bring Back Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow

The comment here goes back to the reported $7 million Heard received during the divorce, all of which she vowed to donate to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). The receipts for the latter have always remained in contention.

@b_evexo echoed the above sentiments. They wrote:

ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING. they fire Johnny Depp from fantastic beast for being innocent and yet keep this abusive lowlife on in a [s***] film anyway. disgusting. If she was a man his career would’ve been ended.

#BoycottAquaman2 #AmberHeardIsAnAbuser #justiceforjohnnydepp!!!!!

Another comment from @kittenkatsangel said:

I’m sorry excuse me ?? After what she has done ? And Johny [sic: Johnny] can’t keep his role ??

#justiceforjohnnydepp

@Sherylynn_R expressed their views, saying:

Hell no. The double standard in Hollywood is disgusting.

#AmberHeardIsAnAbuser
#BoycottAquaman2
#justiceforjohnnydepp

However, it wasn’t all in favor of Depp. After the announcement of Heard’s confirmed role in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, support for The Rum Diary (2011) actress also made its way online.

@Targ_Nation wrote their opinion to the casting news:

while johnny depp remains unemployed and decomposing EXACTLY

Related: Timothée Chalamet Officially Replaces Johnny Depp In Iconic Role

Another tweet from @tinycharlll referenced a major part of the Johnny Depp and Amber Heard defamation trial — the text messages between Depp and friend Paul Bettany (Avengers: Infinity War):

johnny depp said he wanted to r*pe and burn amber heard’s body yet he managed to convince all you dense swines that he’s not an abusive man lmao, look at those texts and see the way he speaks about women

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is slated to release on December 20, 2023 exclusively in movie theaters.

Will you be heading out to see Aquaman 2? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!

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Thomas Hitchen

When he’s not thinking about the Magic Kingdom, Thomas is usually reading a book, becoming desperately obsessed with fictional characters, or baking something delicious (his favorite is chocolate cake -- to bake and to eat). He's a dreamer and grew up on Mulan saving the world, Jim Hawkins soaring through the stars, and Padmé Amidala fighting a Nexu. At the Parks, he loves to ride Everest, stroll down Main Street with an overstuffed pin lanyard around his neck, and eat as many Mickey-shaped ice creams as possible. His favorite character is Han Solo (yes, he did shoot first), and his favorite TV show is Buffy the Vampire Slayer except when it's One Tree Hill. He loves sandy beach walks, forest hikes, and foodie days out in the Big City. Thomas lives in England, UK, with his fiancée, baby, and their dog, a Border Collie called Luna.

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