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Credit: DisneyIt’s been a year since the Amber Heard and Johnny Depp defamation lawsuit, but that doesn’t mean all is said and done. No, not at all.
Last year, in a courtroom presided over by Judge Penney Azcarate, actor Johnny Depp and his legal team, including Camille Vasquez and Benjamin Chew, faced actress Amber Heard and her team of Elaine Bredehoft and Benjamin Rottenborn in a six-week defamation trial.
The $150 million suit, launched by Depp’s initial $50 million and countersued by Heard’s $100 million, came as a result of the latter’s infamous (and now heavily disregarded) opinion essay that she published in The Washington Post in December 2018.
While never naming her former husband in the Op-Ed, Heard heavily implied that she had been a victim of domestic abuse during their relationship. The pair met on the set of The Rum Diary (2011) and later married in 2015 following the end of Depp’s relationship with French model and singer Vanessa Paradis. In May 2016, Heard filed for divorce and also took out a restraining order on the Pirates of the Caribbean actor, citing verbal and physical abuse during their time together.
Related: Johnny Depp Stars in Amber Heard’s Movie Despite Domestic Violence Controversy
Both would continue working, with Depp appearing as his most beloved character to date, Captain Jack Sparrow, in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017) and a year later in the sophomore movie of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter spinoff series, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018). Heard would star as oceanic Xebel princess Mera in DC Studios’ $1 billion hit, Aquaman (2018), alongside Jason Momoa (Arthur Curry/Aquaman).
April 2018 saw the first of Depp’s large-scale cases with the libel trial at the London High Court of Justice ending with a loss for the actor.
Justice Andrew Nicol found many of the domestic abuse allegations “substantially true” after testimonies were made in support of and against the claim British tabloid The Sun and parent group News Group Newspapers LTD made regarding Depp being a “wife-beater.”
Depp subsequently lost his appeal request. The libel case outcome saw Depp removed from the Fantastic Beasts franchise, losing his role as dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald to Mads Mikkelsen (Hannibal) and as his beloved Captain Jack Sparrow — a role he played since Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) 20 years ago.
The Amber Heard and Johnny Depp defamation lawsuit captured viewers all over the world. With support from both camps, although the #JusticeForJohnnyDepp crowd always seemed to be louder, the trial in Fairfax County, Virginia, ran for six weeks.
At the end of the court case, which saw testimonies from both Depp and Heard, as well as other high-profile individuals like British model and Depp’s former partner Kate Moss, the Virginia jury sided largely with Depp. The jury awarded Depp $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages (lowered to $350,000 per Virginia state law). Conversely, they awarded Heard $2 million based on defamatory comments made by Depp’s then-lawyer Adam Waldman.
That said, by December 2022, the pair would reach a settlement, ending with Heard paying $1 million to her ex-husband.
And that fee has just been paid, with Depp pledging the entire amount to five charities. Make-A-Film Foundation, The Painted Turtle, Red Feather, Marlon Brando’s Tetiaroa Society charity, and the Amazonia Fund Alliance will all receive a reported $200,000 from the settlement.
Over a year on, the defamation lawsuit has finally come to a close, but a new announcement has reignited the controversy regarding both stars.
On June 24, 2023, Heard — who now lives in Spain — will make her first public appearance since the trial at the Taormina Film Festival in Italy. The Aquaman actress will be there to celebrate the release of her new film, In the Fire (2023), from director Conor Allyn.
The return of Heard to promote a new movie has sparked uproar on social media, with #JohnnyDeppIsASurvivor frequenting many comments that are being made online. The latest news of Heard’s return to the public eye following the defamation case has created polemic from many diehard Depp fans that are questioning the film industry’s and, by extension, Hollywood’s decision to let Heard promote her new movie despite being found guilty of defamation.
The following content may contain language offensive to some readers.
Kaaadee (@Kaaadee112) wrote:
Johnny Depp cannot be compared to the abusive and lying woman who took advantage of sick kids and lied about donation..she’s disgusting..They care about the shape rather than the facts
#JohnnyDeppIsASurvivor
#JohnnyDeppWon
#AmberHeardlsALiar
#AmberHeardlsAnAbuser
Johnny Depp cannot be compared to the abusive and lying woman who took advantage of sick kids and lied about donation..she's disgusting..They care about the shape rather than the facts🤮#JohnnyDeppIsASurvivor
#JohnnyDeppWon #AmberHeardlsALiar #AmberHeardlsAnAbuser https://t.co/Sx5LeBVVo6— Kaaadee (@Kaaadee112) June 15, 2023
Another tweet from John C. (@JohnChr42) said:
You know what will help?
Knowing that Johnny Depp has become a public figure representing domestic abuse survivors.
-It’s not a role he sought, but one he earned anyway.
-His return and success inspire everyone who has survived abuse.
#JohnnyDeppIsASurvivor
#JohnnyDeppIsALegend
You know what will help?
Knowing that Johnny Depp has become a public figure representing domestic abuse survivors.
-It's not a role he sought, but one he earned anyway.
-His return and success inspire everyone who has survived abuse.#JohnnyDeppIsASurvivor#JohnnyDeppIsALegend https://t.co/GWowbncdC2— John Chr 🏴☠️ (@JohnChr42) June 15, 2023
@Cesvrr3 commented:
Happy to see #AmberHeardIsALiar trending again, as long as she continues to double down on her lies and not apologise, she will never get any respect. #AmberTurd #AmberHeardIsAnAbuser #JohnnyDeppIsASurvivor
Happy to see #AmberHeardIsALiar trending again, as long as she continues to double down on her lies and not apologise, she will never get any respect.#AmberTurd #AmberHeardIsAnAbuser#JohnnyDeppIsASurvivor
— Hudson Falb (@Cesvrr3) June 15, 2023
A tweet from Lily M. (@LilyMagick2022) captured images from Depp’s current tour with the Hollywood Vampires:
Incredible how Johnny Depp seems to have aged back 10 years in the past year! He looks amazing! #HollywoodVampiresTour2023 #JohnnyDeppIsARockStar #JohnnyDeppIsASurvivor #JohnnyDeppIsALegend #JohnnyDeppRises #JohnnyDeppKeepsWinning
Incredible how Johnny Depp seems to have aged back 10 years in the past year! 😍 He looks amazing! #HollywoodVampiresTour2023 #JohnnyDeppIsARockStar #JohnnyDeppIsASurvivor #JohnnyDeppIsALegend #JohnnyDeppRises #JohnnyDeppKeepsWinning pic.twitter.com/u97WIKinbL
— 🏴☠️🔮Lily Magick🕯🏴☠️ (@LilyMagick2022) June 15, 2023
While Depp arguably has the larger and more vocal following, Amber Heard fans are also making noise, supporting the actress in her new movie venture with the hashtag #AmberIsWorthIt.
@winterfire1999 wrote:
On the red carpet with full-makeup + styled hair to 10 years later on the sidewalk fresh faced + wet hair, Amber Heard always shines #AmberIsWorthIt
On the red carpet with full-makeup + styled hair to 10 years later on the sidewalk fresh faced + wet hair, Amber Heard always ✨shines✨ #AmberIsWorthIt pic.twitter.com/c1nu0cejxy
— winterfire (@winterfire1999) June 15, 2023
And @TSGoggles added:
This is exactly the kind of thing we work for!!! Survivors getting to speak up and still go on with their lives, do what they want and love, and find success. Survivors are worth it, #AmberIsWorthIt and #InTheFire looks so good! It’s time to @hiresurvivors and let abusers go.
This is exactly the kind of thing we work for!!! Survivors getting to speak up and still go on with their lives, do what they want and love, and find success. Survivors are worth it, #AmberIsWorthIt and #InTheFire looks so good! It's time to @hiresurvivors and let abusers go. pic.twitter.com/dIaYVUhyAh
— TS goggles ✨ (@TSGoggles) June 12, 2023
Related: Photo: Emilia Clarke Replaces Amber Heard as Mera In ‘Aquaman 2’
In the Fire will play at the Taormina Film Fest alongside Depp’s comeback movie, Jeanne du Barry (2023) from Maïwenn. The movie where Depp plays the controversial monarch King Louis XV opened this year’s Cannes Film Festival.
What do you think of the opposing trends on Twitter a year after the Amber Heard and Johnny Depp defamation lawsuit? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!