The Depp v. Heard defamation case brought by actor Johnny Depp against his ex-wife, Amber Heard is the talk of the town right now. Invested fans of both stars are eager to have their icon emerge out of this battle victorious. This is quite imperative for both the litigants. Especially Johnny Depp, who has seemingly lost more from this fiasco than his estranged wife.
Their future careers and reputation are at stake. The ongoing battle is as much, if not more, in the court of public opinion than it is in the court of law. Big corporations and production houses are all sensitive to the public perception of celebrities. This is why the estranged couple is fighting tooth and nail in this bitter contest. We take a closer look at the broader aspects of this case in this article. What do you think of this dispute? Who has your support? Let us know your opinion in the comments section below.
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The Antecedents of This Case
Depp and Heard had a short-lived marriage that ended in a very public and bitter divorce. There were allegations of abuse and violence from both sides. These allegations harmed their careers and brought a lot of bad press for them. Amidst all this, Depp unsuccessfully sued a British newspaper in the UK for defamation. After his loss, he was dropped from some major roles.
Following that, he filed a fresh lawsuit claiming 50 million dollars in the US against Amber Heard for an op-ed that she penned for the Washington Post. This piece was about abusive relationships in 2018 and was titled: “Amber Heard: I spoke up against sexual violence — and faced our culture’s wrath. That has to change“ Though the article did not name Depp directly, the actor claimed that it hurt his career. The trial for the said lawsuit started in April 2022.
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What Does Johnny Depp Need To Prove?
Depp, frankly, seems to have an uphill battle ahead of him, so far as winning the case is concerned. This is for two reasons. One, the 2018 Washington Post op-ed penned by Heard, over which the case is being fought, does not mention Johnny Depp by name or provide any details of the alleged abuse. It is vague. For this reason, Depp would find it hard to prove that the said article defamed him. Second, Depp needs to further establish that his career took a hit as a result of the defamatory piece of Heard and not because of other reasons like substance abuse for instance. For these reasons, Depp may not succeed in his lawsuit against Amber Heard.
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Could Depp Still “Win” Even if He Losses This Case?
In the overall scheme of things, Depp may not care about winning the 50 Million Dollars he sued Heard for. He gets to tell his side of the story and salvage his reputation and career. If he wins the public opinion battle, his job may be done, whether or not the jury votes in his favor.
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