What do we know about the upcoming Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard defamation trial?
by Ana Walia | Wed, 23 Mar 2022 20:31:25 GMT
Amber Heard and Johnny Depp. Image Source: Vanity Fair.

The legal battle between Amber Heard and Johnny Depp has taken a yet serious turn. 

According to the news reports, the trial for actor Johnny Depp’s defamation lawsuit against ex-wife Amber Heard, which was filed in 2019, is set to start on April 11th, 2022 in Fairfax County, Virginia courtroom. The ex-couple are now gearing up to face each other once again in court over a $100 million defamation lawsuit.

The reports have suggested that during the proceedings, the communication between Johnny and various celebrities and between Amber and various celebrities will be showcased. Amber Heard’s exhibit list for the trial includes text and email exchanges between her and Aquaman co-star Jason Momoa and director James Wan, whereas Johnny Depp’s exhibit list includes the email exchange between the actor and the author J.K. Rowling.

Several high-profile celebrities, including Ellen Barkin, Laura Wasser, James Franco, Paul Bettany, Zack Snyder, Bryan Lourd, Jack White, and Elon Musk, are set to give testimony in the courtroom on behalf of Johnny Depp and Amber Heard. According to various reports, there are going to be representatives of Disney, Warner Bros and the Los Angeles Police Department at the trial as well. The text exchange between Paul Bettany and Johnny Depp was previously read during Johnny Depp’s trial against The U.K. Sun as they described him as a "wife beater," which was dismissed in November 2020. According to reports, both Amber Heard and Johnny Depp are going to take a stand in the courtroom in person.

Both Johnny and Amber have claimed that they are the victims of domestic abuse. Image Source: Filmfare 

The exhibit list of Amber Heard includes several articles published by the publications, years of tax returns and movie contracts, hours of security footage, photographs of Amber Heard’s bruised and battered face, and Johnny Depp’s drugs. There is no information about Johnny Depp’s exhibit list as of now.

The Pirates of the Caribbean actor had stated in the documents that Amber Heard and Elon Musk started seeing each other just one month after Amber and he got married in 2015, but a representative for Musk has clarified that the duo did not start seeing each other until May 2016 and their relationship did not become romantic until some time later. 

Johnny Depp filed a $100 million defamation lawsuit against ex-wife Amber Heard after she wrote an essay for the Washington Post in December 2018 describing herself as the victim of domestic abuse. Although she never mentioned Johnny Depp’s name in her essay, she publicly accused him, so it was fair to say that the essay was about him. Johnny Depp denied the allegations and said in court that Amber Heard is not a victim of domestic abuse but a perpetrator. Amber Heard filed a $100 countersuit against the actor in September 2020 after she failed to move the lawsuit to California and get it dismissed. 

The former couple settled their divorce in 2016. Image Source: Glamour

Johnny Depp, who attended the San Sebastian International Film Festival in Spain last fall, mentioned that he has been the victim of "cancel culture" and has been judged instantly by the industry. This comes after the actor had to let go of a couple of big projects after Amber Heard accused him of domestic violence in 2016. She also obtained a restraining order against Johnny Depp after the accusation.

The actor was recently awarded the Gold Medal of Merit by the nation of Serbia for his outstanding merits in public and cultural activities, especially in the field of art and the promotion of the Republic of Serbia. According to sources, Johnny Depp is looking to start his new life and this award comes at the right time, as he believes that this will mark his new beginning or re-beginning.

In a recent update, John Waters, who worked with the actor in the 1990s’ "Cry Baby," spoke to the New York Times about the canceling culture that Johnny Depp mentioned. He mentioned that he had never witnessed the actor treating or acting negatively towards a woman in his entire life and added that he did drugs and got drunk with him.

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