Johnny Depp and Amber Heard have been in court for the past six weeks for the Pirates of the Caribbean actor’s $50 million lawsuit against his ex-wife following the publishing of her 2018 op-ed in the Washington Post about sexual violence. Depp claimed that her world was not only false, but damaged his reputation. A verdict for the highly-publicized trial was determined on Wednesday afternoon, with the jury siding with Depp. Following the decision in court, both actors involved have shared their responses.
Johnny Depp took to Instagram to post a note in reaction to the verdict, which will award him a compensatory $10 million dollars and $5 million in punitive damages. Check out the message:
Depp shared that after ”false, very serious and criminal allegations were levied at me via the media” six years ago, “the jury gave me my life back” and he’s “truly humbled” by the decision made in court on Wednesday afternoon. The actor said he feels “at peace” at the accomplishment of revealing “the truth.”
He also thanked the ”overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and the colossal support and kindness from around the world” during the trial and teased that the ”the best is yet to come and a new chapter has finally begun.” Amber Heard’s reaction, on the other hand, is one of frustration, saying this in her official statement after the verdict was read:
The disappointment I feel today is beyond words. I'm heartbroken that the mountain of evidence still was not enough to stand up to the disproportionate power, influence, and sway of my ex-husband. I’m even more disappointed with what this verdict means for other women. It is a setback. It sets back the clock to a time when a woman who spoke up and spoke out could be publicly shamed and humiliated. It sets back the idea that violence against women is to be taken seriously. I believe Johnny’s attorneys succeeded in getting the jury to overlook the key issue of Freedom of Speech and ignore evidence that was so conclusive that we won in the UK. I’m sad I lost this case. But I am sadder still that I seem to have lost a right I thought I had as an American – to speak freely and openly.
Although Johnny Depp overwhelmingly won over the jury, Amber Heard was also awarded $2 million in compensatory damages in her defamation countersuit against her ex husband. Heard was found guilty on three counts, while Depp was found guilty on one.
The trial, which was broadcast on CourtTV from a Fairfax, Virginia courtroom, led to a number of viral moments, with topics ranging from alleged abuse Heard claimed happened during their marriage, Depp’s future with the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise and numerous memorable moments with witnesses, all of which the public became hooked on talking through.
The actors were previously in court in the United Kingdom for a libel lawsuit in late 2020, which Depp lost and led to the actor being asked to step down from the Fantastic Beasts franchise as its villain, Gellert Grindelwald. With a verdict reached, it looks as though Depp feels he may finally get his reputation restored, whilst Heard is disappointed in how the jury handled her defense. We’ll have to wait and see how the verdict effects upcoming movies, including Heard’s role in the next Aquaman movie.
