Amber Heard has spoken candidly about the lasting impact of the highly publicized defamation trial between herself and her ex-husband, Johnny Depp. The 2022 court case placed Heard under intense public scrutiny and subjected her to widespread online harassment
The trial ultimately concluded with the court ordering Heard to pay Depp $10 million in compensatory damages and $350,000 in punitive damages. Meanwhile, Depp was ordered to pay Heard $2 million in compensatory damages following her countersuit.
Following the trial, the Aquaman actress relocated to Spain, where she is now raising her family. Now 39, Heard has spoken openly about the emotional toll of the court case and the intense public and social media reaction it sparked.
Her reflections appear in a new documentary titled Silenced, which premiered on Saturday at the Sundance Film Festival. In an interview with Variety tied to the film, Heard described the period as profoundly difficult, sharing a deeply emotional statement about the experience.
Amber Heard pictured during the 2022 court case (EVELYN HOCKSTEIN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
The legal dispute between Amber Heard and Johnny Depp reached a settlement in December 2022, after which Heard posted a statement on her Facebook page.
At the time, she wrote: “After much reflection, I have made the very difficult decision to resolve the defamation case brought against me by my ex-husband in Virginia.”
She continued: “I want to be clear that this was never my choice. I stood up for my truth and, as a result, the life I once knew was shattered.”
Heard also said: “The public shaming I have endured on social media is a magnified example of how women are often targeted and retraumatized when they speak out.”
In closing, she wrote: “I now finally have the chance to free myself from something I tried to walk away from more than six years ago, and to do so on terms I can accept.
“I have not admitted anything. This is not me giving in. There are no limitations or gag orders on my ability to speak going forward.”
If you are experiencing domestic violence, you are not alone. You can speak confidentially, 24 hours a day, with the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1.800.799.SAFE (7233). A directory of local resources is also available here.
Featured Image Credit: Drew Angerer/Getty Images/JIM WATSON/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
Topics: News, US News, Celebrity, Johnny Depp, Amber Heard
Leave a Reply