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Amber Heard and Johnny Depp‘s narration has been thing abbreviated of tumultuous. Throughout their 4 years together, the brace went done it all, from the infamous canine smuggling incidental to Amber’s daze divorcement filing. Of course, since the brace called it quits determination person besides been allegations of abuse, aggregate defamation lawsuits, and countless tribunal appearances for the 2 actors, with the 2022 defamation trial, which Johnny won.
Johnny and Amber’s ineligible conflict captured nationalist involvement arsenic millions watched on with the livestreams of the trial. Over a twelvemonth aft the verdict came in, their defamation proceedings is the taxable of a caller documentary connected Netflix Depp V. Heard, which premiered connected August 16, 20203. Read connected for everything you request to cognize astir the erstwhile couple, however it each went truthful wrong, and the caller documentary astir them.
Who Is Amber Heard?
Amber Heard and Johnny Depp. Image: Shutterstock
Actress Amber Heard is surely nary alien to the spotlight. While she got her commencement successful Hollywood with tiny roles connected shows like The O.C., and made her movie debut in Friday Night Lights, her high-profile relationships person been successful the headlines conscionable arsenic overmuch arsenic her vocation triumphs. The Zombieland and Pineapple Express actress’ tumultuous narration with Johnny Depp is among her astir infamous, nevertheless she besides dated the likes of Cara Delevingne aft coming retired arsenic bisexual successful 2010.
At GLAAD’s 25th day lawsuit successful 2010, she said, “I don’t statement myself 1 mode oregon another—I person had palmy relationships with men and present a woman. I emotion who I love; it’s the idiosyncratic that matters.” When asked wherefore she decided to officially travel out, Amber said she wanted to usage her level and fame to beryllium a bully relation exemplary for different young people. “I deliberation erstwhile I became alert of my relation successful the media, I had to inquire myself an important question ‘Am I portion of the problem?’ And I deliberation that erstwhile millions and millions of hard-working, taxpaying Americans are denied their rights and denied their equality you person to inquire yourself what are the factors that are an epidemic occupation and that’s what this is.”
Johnny Depp & Amber Heard Relationship Timeline
Amber and Johnny. Image: Shutterstock
Amber and Johnny archetypal met successful 2009, connected the acceptable of the movie The Rum Diary. At the time, Amber was dating creator and photographer Tasya Van Ree, portion Johnny was with his ex, French histrion Vanessa Paradis. After the Pirates of the Caribbean star confirmed his divided from his spouse of 14 years, helium began dating Amber. The couple got engaged successful January 2014, announcing that they, “Couldn’t beryllium happier to beryllium engaged and excited to stock the remainder of their lives together.” The brace yet tied the knot connected February 3, 2015 successful a backstage ceremonial astatine the Johnny’s Los Angeles mansion.
What began arsenic evident marital bliss rapidly descended into chaos months aboriginal erstwhile the incidental dubbed “Terriergate” occurred. In July 2015, the histrion failed to state the couple’s Yorkies “Pistol” and “Boo” erstwhile visiting Johnny connected the Australian acceptable of Pirates of the Caribbean 5. That infuriated the nation’s agriculture curate who charged her with 2 counts of illegally importing the dogs and 1 number of producing a mendacious document. Many would apt callback the ace awkward apology video Amber and Johnny filmed successful April 2016, erstwhile she pleaded blameworthy to the second number aft smuggling the pooches successful to the country.
After 2 abbreviated years of marriage, the histrion filed for divorce, but that was conscionable the opening of what would go a years-long ineligible saga. Amber obtained a impermanent restraining bid against her ex successful 2016, aft alleging helium had been physically and verbally abusive during their relationship. After their divorcement was finalized, they issued a associated connection saying, their “relationship was intensely passionate and astatine times volatile, but ever bound by love. Neither enactment has made mendacious accusations for fiscal gain. There was ne'er immoderate intent of carnal oregon affectional harm.” Then, successful 2019, Johnny sued Amber for defamation aft she wrote an op-ed successful The Washington Post successful 2018 astir leaving an abusive relationship.
In the article, which ne'er named Johnny, she wrote, “I became a nationalist fig representing home abuse, and I felt the afloat unit of our culture’s wrath for women who talk out.” The actor’s suit claimed that his ex-wife “is not a unfortunate of home abuse, she is simply a perpetrator,” and denied that helium ever abused her. Instead, the suit said that Amber’s allegations were portion of an “elaborate hoax to make affirmative publicity” for the actress. The lawsuit volition spell to proceedings successful 2022.
Naturally, the brace headed to tribunal yet again, this clip successful 2020 aft Johnny sued The Sun and its genitor institution for libel. The British outlet published a communicative successful 2018 that called him a “wife beater” which Johnny vehemently denied. Amber took the basal during the trial, and claimed that her ex would often impeach her of cheating connected him with her co-stars. “He accused maine of having affairs with each of my co-stars, movie aft movie: Eddie Redmayne, James Franco, Jim Sturgess, Kevin Costner, Liam Hemsworth, Billy Bob Thornton, Channing Tatum; adjacent women co-stars like Kelli Garner,” the Aquaman star revealed.
Moving Forward From ‘The Sun’ Trial
Amber and Johnny. Image: Shutterstock
After the fallout of the 2020 defamation suit against The Sun, Johnny and Amber don’t look to beryllium connected affable terms, by immoderate means. On the nonrecreational front, Johnny was forced to measurement backmost from his relation arsenic the dark wizard Grindelwald successful the upcoming Fantastic Beasts movie — which is portion of the the Harry Potter universe. In a connection posted to his Instagram connected November 6, 2020, 4 days aft the decision to his libel case, helium wrote, “I privation to fto you cognize that I person been asked to resign by Warner Bros. from my relation arsenic Grindelwald successful ‘Fantastic Beasts’ and I person respected and agreed to that petition … Finally, I privation to accidental this. The surreal judgement of the tribunal successful the UK volition not alteration my combat to archer the information and I corroborate that I program to appeal. My resoluteness remains beardown and I mean to beryllium that the allegations against maine are false.
Meanwhile, successful Amber’s life, she announced successful July 2021 that she had welcomed a babe girl, named Oonagh Paige Heard. In a saccharine pic, Amber held Oonagh tight, arsenic the newborn bub rested connected a room counter, surrounded by each sorts of fruits and vegetables. She archetypal revealed that Oonagh had been born connected July 1 by surrogate. “She’s the opening of the remainder of my life,” Amber wrote successful an IG caption. “I wanted to [have a child] connected my ain terms. I present admit however extremist it is for america arsenic women to deliberation astir 1 of the astir cardinal parts of our destinies successful this way. I anticipation we get astatine a constituent successful which it’s normalized to not privation a ringing successful bid to person a crib.”
Although the erstwhile mates are evidently starring precise abstracted lives, the brace met again successful tribunal for Johnny’s defamation lawsuit against Amber for her 2018 op-ed successful The Washington Post. The proceedings began successful Fairfax, Virginia connected April 11, 2022.
Ahead of the trial, Amber had shared that she was taking a social media hiatus portion it unfolded, and she shared that she was looking to determination past it. “I proceed to wage that terms [for speaking out], but hopefully erstwhile this lawsuit concludes, I tin determination connected and truthful tin Johnny,” she wrote. “I person ever maintained a emotion for Johnny and it brings maine large symptom to person to unrecorded retired the details of our past beingness unneurotic successful beforehand of the world.”
The 2022 Defamation Trial
Johnny arrives successful tribunal for the 2022 defamation trial. (JIM LO SCALZO/POOL/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)
The trial pursuing Johnny’s defamation suit began successful 2022, with his ineligible squad arguing that Amber’s op-ed damaged his estimation and outgo him lucrative movie deals, including Pirates of Caribbean 6. Johnny sued Amber for $50 million, and she countersued him for $100 million, besides citing defamation, citing statements made by Johnny’s erstwhile lawyer Adam Waldman. The proceedings was livestreamed successful its entirety connected the internet. While Amber’s attorneys fought against proceedings being aired, Johnny’s lawyer Camille Vasquez also admitted that the proceedings was an accidental for the Ed Wood star to stock his story. “These are horrific allegations that were made against him. He needed to beryllium capable to archer his story. So, it was important,” she told CBS Mornings in June 2022.
Johnny began his grounds connected April 19, and helium shared his acquisition with galore of the incidents wherever Amber claimed that Johnny had been abusive towards her. Johnny admitted to feeling “ashamed” and “embarrassed” by immoderate of the texts helium sent wherever helium called his ex-wife obscene names. The Black Mass actor besides admitted to abusing alcohol implicit the people of their relationship. He denied allegations of abuse from Amber, and helium elaborate different episodes successful their relationship, including 1 wherever helium alleged that Amber threw a vodka vessel astatine him, and it severed a portion of his finger.
As portion of Johnny’s broadside presenting their case, his lawyers called assorted members of his information squad to attest to incidents that they saw betwixt the erstwhile couple. At slightest 1 information defender testified to seeing Amber punch Johnny, and different said that Amber had admitted to defecating successful Johnny’s furniture arsenic a “joke.” The histrion denied this assertion during her testimony. Besides information teams recounting alleged incidences of abuse, Johnny’s cause and different advisors testified that they believed that Amber’s op-ed had cost the histrion movie deals.
As the defence presented their case, Amber began her grounds connected May 4. During her testimony, the histrion besides made claims of times that Johnny had been physically abusive to her, including a clip she alleged that he kicked her due to the fact that helium was jealous of James Franco, whom she was filming a movie with. Other than carnal abuse, Amber besides gave graphic accounts of alleged instances of intersexual abuse. She besides elaborate times that Johnny had supposedly threatened her.
Amber testifies successful the defamation trial. (Jim Lo Scalzo/AP/Shutterstock)
Before the proceedings took a week-long break, Johnny’s lawyers issued a statement reacting to Amber’s grounds arsenic the hiatus began. His attorneys seemed anxious to statesman their cross-examination erstwhile tribunal resumes. “While Ms. Heard’s stories person continued to turn caller and convenient details, Mr. Depp’s recollections person remained precisely the aforesaid passim the six achy years since her archetypal allegations were made,” Johnny’s ineligible squad said successful a statement. “His information — the information — is the aforesaid nary substance the situation successful which it is has been presented. The upcoming cross-examination from Mr. Depp’s squad will beryllium astir telling, and volition surely item the galore fallacies Ms. Heard has present attempted to walk disconnected arsenic information passim her convoluted testimony.”
After a week-long break, Amber was cross-examined and fixed a redirect. During those lines of questioning, she explained that she didn’t question aesculapian attention aft alleged maltreatment from Johnny. She besides explained that James Franco had offered her friendship during the hard times with her ex-husband.
Other than Amber’s testimony, assorted radical adjacent to her were called to attest arsenic portion of the defense’s case, including her sister Whitney Henriquez and a erstwhile constitution artist, who said that she helped Amber cover bruises. Johnny’s ex Ellen Barkin was besides called, and she said that the histrion was “jealous” and “controlling” during their narration successful the 90s. Another woman that Johnny had a romanticist narration was called to the basal during the rebuttal: Kate Moss. During her little testimony, she denied Johnny had pushed her down the stairs aft Amber said she heard a rumor that helium had.
During last rebuttals, some Johnny and Amber spoke astir what going done the proceedings had been similar for them. Johnny continued to deny the allegations made by Amber, but helium explained that helium was gladsome to stock his side. “No substance what happens: I did get here, and I did archer the truth, and I person spoken up for what I’ve been carrying connected my backmost reluctantly for six years,” helium said. When Amber took the basal erstwhile more, she got affectional portion speaking astir the decease threats she’s received implicit the people of the trial.
Johnny Wins The Defamation Trial
After a agelong and tiresome 6-week trial, it was announced connected June 1 that Johnny Depp won the defamation suit against his ex-wife Amber Heard after the assemblage came to a verdict, pursuing 3 days of deliberation. Johnny was awarded $5 cardinal successful punitive damages, arsenic good arsenic $10 cardinal successful compensatory damages. The justice capped his punitive damages astatine $350,000. Amber was awarded $2 cardinal aft the tribunal ruled that a connection made by Adam Waldman was defamatory.
What Have Johnny & Amber Said After The Defamation Trial?
Following the verdict, Amber took to her Twitter to merchandise a statement, saying she was disquieted astir the implications of the verdict. “The disappointment I consciousness contiguous is beyond words. I’m heartbroken that the upland of grounds inactive was not capable to basal up to the disproportionate power, influence, and sway of my ex-husband,” she tweeted.
Amber continued by saying she was disquieted what the nonaccomplishment would mean for victims of home abuse. “It sets backmost the timepiece to a clip erstwhile a pistillate who spoke up and spoke retired could be publicly shamed and humiliated. It sets backmost the thought that unit against women is to beryllium taken seriously,” she said. “I’m bittersweet I mislaid this case. But I americium sadder inactive that I look to person mislaid a close I thought I had arsenic an American — to talk freely and openly.”
After the verdict came in, Amber’s lawyer Elaine Bredehoft revealed that the actress cannot afford to wage the implicit $10 cardinal awarded to Johnny, and she said that she plans to entreaty the decision.
After the verdict came in, Johnny besides released a lengthy statement, some saying wherefore helium pursued the lawsuit and thanking those who supported him. He concluded by showing that he’s looking to the future. “The champion is yet to travel and a caller section has yet begun,” helium wrote. “Truth ne'er perishes.”
Netflix Documentary
In the aftermath of the trial, determination person been a assortment of documentaries that person focused successful connected the couple’s ineligible battle. Tubi besides released a movie mentation of the trial, titled Hot Take: The Depp/Heard Trial in September 2022. Over a twelvemonth aft the proceedings came to an end, Netflix announced that it would nutrient a three-part docuseries astir the trial, via Tudum. The streaming work announced that the Emma Cooper-directed docuseries would besides analyse the nationalist absorption to the trial. “Ultimately, Depp v. Heard interrogates the relation societal media played successful the trial, raising provocative, uncomfortable questions astir however the conversations happening extracurricular the courtroom whitethorn person influenced the outcome,” they said successful an announcement.
The archetypal trailer was released connected July 26, 2023, and it featured clips of grounds from Johnny and Amber, arsenic good arsenic clips of quality coverage, podcasters, and TikTokers speaking astir the trial. The docuseries was released connected August 16, 2023. The abbreviated bid was composed of antithetic clips from the trial, arsenic good arsenic quality footage and online videos reacting to the trial.
While precise small caller accusation was released arsenic a portion of the documentary, it did see immoderate archived interviews from aft the proceedings that shed airy connected immoderate details that whitethorn person gone under-the-radar for radical who tuned retired soon aft the trial. It besides included immoderate accusation showing however immoderate TikTokers doctored antithetic clips to framework Amber successful a antagonistic light. It besides elaborate however determination was grounds that was near retired of the proceedings that was lone unsealed aft the fact, including a substance from Johnny’s assistant Stephen Deuters, where helium referenced an alleged battle during the “plane incident.”
One of the points that the documentary makes is that portion the assemblage was instructed not to presumption immoderate contented relating to the proceedings extracurricular of the courtroom, they were not sequestered. While there’s nary grounds arsenic to whether oregon not members of the assemblage viewed extracurricular materials oregon fto it sway their judgment, the documentary does amusement however hard it is to debar learning astir the trial. Amber’s lawyer said that they went location spoke to household members who are “on societal media,” contempt being instructed not to sermon extracurricular the court. “They had a ten-day interruption successful the mediate due to the fact that of the judicial conference. There’s nary mode they couldn’t person been influenced by it and it was horrible,” she said successful a post-trial interview, per ET Canada.
The documentary besides focused connected how Kate Moss’ testimony, arsenic good arsenic Amber’s pledges for foundation donations were cardinal factors that seemed to power the assemblage successful Johnny’s favor.
