Image source: Deadline

Johnny Depp became a household name worldwide with his movie Pirates of the Caribbean and has maintained a great career. Known for being one of the most versatile and talented actors in Hollywood, he has starred in films like Rango, Charlie, the Chocolate Factory, Edward Scissorhands, and more. 

But his years of fame resulted in naught when his ex-wife filed for divorce along with claims of physical abuse. Amber Heard claimed that she was subject to trauma and domestic violence, and now the former couple is also in the middle of a defamation case. 

Hitting a major low in his career after years of beaming success, Depp has resorted to saying that he would "play pirate even in kids' birthday parties." The problem hit the Rango actor again when he was attending the San Sebastian Film Festival. The actor addressed the recently became popular cancel culture at the festival and also nostalgically spoke about his days as Jack Sparrow, the famous character from Pirates of the Caribbean. He said that he will always be open to playing a pirate anywhere, "even at kids' birthday parties."

However, apart from the actor wishing for his good days in Hollywood to come back, another tragedy befell Johnny Depp at the film festival. Johnny Depp was an esteemed guest at the event, ready to accept his Donostia Award. But as soon as he stood up to receive the title, an unknown source played a recording of his ex-wife, Amber Heard, apparently interrupting the whole event. The person who played the recording is still being treated as an unknown source. The recording played was Heard's official statement during her divorce as she stood out of the London High Court in July 2020, claiming Depp to be an abuser. 

The statements had media outlets running in a frenzy and labeled Depp as a "wife-beater" following Amber Heard's announcement. The announcement was particularly printed by a UK newspaper, The Sun, and claimed that the claims of Depp being a "wife-beater" to be "substantially true." The statement by Amber Heard went as, "It has been incredibly painful to relive the break-up of my relationship, to have my motives, my truth questioned, and the most traumatic and intimate details of my life with Johnny shared in court and broadcast to the entire world." This was the highlighted part featured in the recording played during the film festival. 

The case of Hollywood's former 'it' couple is getting more and more complicated each day now that Depp himself has sued Amber Heard in a $50 million defamation suit. Depp is also being asked to resign from roles that he has already acted for, the claims come at a time that can be very influential for his career. Following the defamation case against her, Amber Heard has filed a subpoena against the Los Angeles Police Department. 

Here is a relationship timeline following Amber Heard and Jonny Depp's relationship over the years:-

From the first meeting to engagement

Image source: Wio News

Depp and Heard starred against each other in The Rum Diary, and that is where they became acquainted. Heard was positively smitten with Depp and told Vogue in 2011, "Working with Johnny was torture. It was better than I ever imagined, which is really saying something."

Just "around the end of 2011 or the start of 2012," Depp and Heard began dating amidst Depp leaving Paradis, his partner of 14 years. He also had two children with Paradis. 

The new couple then got engaged sometime after, and Depp confirmed the news by telling Daily Mail that he was wearing "a chick's ring." He then added, "It's probably a dead giveaway. Not very subtle."

The hush-hush wedding and abuse

The couple married after dating for four years in 2015 in a private ceremony held at the couple's home in LA. Soon the couple ran into trouble with the Australian laws by not declaring their dogs prior to entering the country.

Just a year into marital bliss, or not, Amber filed for a restraining order against Johnny Depp and claimed that he physically abused her under the influence of alcohol. Upon investigation by police, they stated that the said crime hadn't occurred. Depp resorted to calling this a stunt by Amber for "attempting to secure a premature financial resolution by alleging abuse."

In August 2016, the couple shared a joint statement that went: "Our relationship was intensely passionate and at times volatile, but always bound by love. Neither party has made false accusations for financial gain. There was never any intent of physical or emotional harm."

Heard supposedly donated the $7 million that she got out of the divorce to a charity. 

Image source: Koimoi

Divorce and ensuing scandals

The divorce was finalized in 2017, where Amber retained possession of their dogs, while Depp became the sole owner of all his property, a private island, cars, and motorbikes. The couple also entered a non-disparagement clause so as to restrain either party from defaming each other publicly. 

However, Amber released her story again with a UK newspaper, The Sun claiming that she was abused and also another for The Washington Post. She said, "I became a public figure representing domestic abuse, and I felt the full force of our culture's wrath for women who speak out."

Depp's lawyer responded that Amber "is not a victim of domestic abuse, she is a perpetrator," and the "elaborate hoax to generate positive publicity." Later last year, the couple's phone recordings were leaked where both Amber and Depp admit to abusing each other physically.

This was then followed by a three-week libel trial where Depp sued The News Group and the editor of The Sun. However, the court ruled against him, claiming that Depp is actually a 'wife-beater' and the newspaper didn't lie. The ruling was followed by Depp revealing that he has lost his lead role in The Fantastic Beasts. 

He chose to say, "Finally, I wish to say this. The surreal judgment of the court in the UK will not change my fight to tell the truth, and I confirm that I plan to appeal. My resolve remains strong, and I intend to prove that the allegations against me are false. My life and career will not be defined by this moment in time."

Warner Bros. chose Mads Mikkelson to take over the role of Johnny Depp for the film The Fantastic Beasts. Nevertheless, Johnny is eligible for full compensation due to his "pay-or-play" contract that demands he be paid the full amount even if the role is recast or even if the film is not made. 

The current ruling

Depp has been denied his appeal twice now as the court claims that the previous hearing was "full and fair." The court added that the judge "gave thorough reasons for his conclusions which have not been shown even arguably to be vitiated by any error of approach or mistake of law."

Now Depp's lawyers are filing on the grounds that Amber did not donate her full $7 million divorce settlement.