The Johnny Depp v Amber Heard trial had built and destroyed the careers and reputations of many. People were pulled in toward the case like moths to a light. The social media streams flooded with memes and mockery, mostly on the defendant, Amber Heard’s part. Whereas Johnny Depp, the plaintiff, who barely had anything left after the decimating abuse allegations against him, rose yet again to public sympathy and deification.
As stated by the entertainment lawyer/journalist, Matthew Belloni, “Both of them will work again, but I think it will be a while before a major studio will consider them ‘safe’ enough to bet on. The personal baggage that was revealed in this trial was just too icky for a studio to want to deal with.”
Related article: ‘Nobody Wants Season 2’: Johnny Depp Fans Implore Amber Heard To Not Go For Second Trial, Claim ‘He Can’t Go Through That Trauma Again’
Professionals’ Opinions On The Disruption Caused By Trial
Several advocates, family law practitioners, psychologists, divorce attorneys, professional crisis management experts, and behavioral analysts have come forth during and after the trial to share their opinions on whatever platform was available to them at the time. On news channels, radio stations, and social media — their expert analogies would be heard, interviewers would counter-question them and it all added up to the mass opinion on the celebrity defamation trial.
Among the various experts, Brett Ward who practices family law was a bit more severe than others when it came to opinionating on Johnny Depp: “He says he did this for his children. Having watched the whole trial, I don’t think that he did any service to his children by airing all of this dirty laundry.”
According to him, if Depp doesn’t re-establish himself in Hollywood, the trial wouldn’t have been worth it and the public will run the chance of remembering more about his substance abuse claims which he confidently acknowledged on the stand rather than his very illustrious career contributions in Hollywood. Ironically, this very factor provided grounds for mass sympathy and shined a negative light on Heard’s nonchalance toward accepting or taking accountability for any of her actions.
Johnny Depp Career Prospects After Victorious Trial Verdict
Lined up with European music tour dates, Johnny Depp is inclined to leave the confines of Hollywood and focus on a career in music with his band, Hollywood Vampires. If this drastic shift in a career choice is born out of spite against Hollywood’s shunning of him or if it truly is the direction he now wants to go in remains unanswered.
Eric Rose, a crisis management and communications expert dubbed the trial a “classic murder-suicide” and said:
“From a reputation-management perspective, there can be no winners. They’ve bloodied each other up. It becomes more difficult now for studios to hire either actor because you’re potentially alienating a large segment of your audience who may not like the fact that you have retained either Johnny or Amber for a specific project because feelings are so strong now.”
In a Guardian article, it becomes clear after testimonies from former agents and Hollywood producers revealed that although Depp and Heard claim that the allegations of one put the other’s career and reputation at stake, their status and earnings in the industry were already erring and at a low.
However, Depp’s quintessential peculiarity may prove prospective for him in the future with roles specifically designed for him on the way. Heard, however, having been associated with only one big-budget production, might not find any favors within the film industry. Her career now inclines more toward activism rather than acting.
Related article: ‘Spitting on US Constitution’: Internet Calls Amber Heards Attempts To Challenge Appeal An Insult To American Courts
