The Depp v. Heard defamation suit remains one of the most widely discussed events of 2022. While Johnny Depp had been on the receiving end of most of the hate initially, the tide turned against Amber Heard, and support for Depp surged from various quarters. One prominent celebrity who spoke up for the Pirates of the Caribbean actor was Courtney Love, the widow of Kurt Cobain.
The lead singer of Hole had nothing bad to say about Depp and even revealed a personal experience where he once administered CPR, saving her life during a drug overdose. However, she also expressed understanding of the position Amber Heard was in, as she herself was at the receiving end of such hate.
Courtney Love Empathized With Amber Heard Despite Supporting Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp filed a defamation suit against his ex-wife Amber Heard over a 2018 op-ed article in The Washington Post addressing her survival of domestic violence. In a series of Instagram videos, Courtney Love openly supported Depp in the trial, for which she later apologized. Love had a lot of positive things to share about Depp, even sharing some personal anecdotes.
View this post on Instagram
Kurt Cobain’s former wife once overdosed at the Viper Room, a club co-owned by Johnny Depp, and was administered CPR by the Edward Scissorhands actor. Love opened up about this incident in her Instagram video, while also mentioning a compassionate gesture from Depp, who wrote a four-page letter to her daughter Frances Bean Cobain during Love’s struggles with addiction. The 200 Cigarettes actress shared:
“I don’t really wanna make judgments publicly. I just wanna tell you that Johnny gave me CPR in 1995 when I overdosed outside the Viper Room. Johnny, when I was on crack and Frances was having to suffer through that with all these social workers, wrote her a four-page letter that she’s never showed me, on her 13th birthday.”
However, she also demonstrated empathy for the Aquaman actress, who faced immense bullying from the public and media. Love shared her own experiences as a controversial figure, calling herself “the most hated woman in the world before TikTok”. However, she disapproved of Heard’s actions and called out her use of the feminist movement for personal gains. The Straight to Hell actress shared:
“I’ve been the most hated woman in America. I’ve been the most hated woman in the world before TikTok, and it’s really a lot of empathy for what that must feel like for Amber. Fuck man. Can you imagine how that feels? Jesus. But if you use a movement for your own personal gain, and you inhabit queer feminist intersectional spaces, and you abuse that moment, then I hope justice gets served whatever it is.”
Courtney Love, having led a controversial life under intense public and media scrutiny, understood the challenges of being vilified. This bullying against Heard was the reason why she apologized for publicly supporting Depp.
Courtney Love’s Own Controversial Life Is Why She Could Empathize With Amber Heard
Courtney Love’s self-description as the most hated woman barely captured the challenges she had to face. Despite her contributions to grunge music, Love was a victim of harsh judgments and was labeled as a chronic substance abuser and a neglectful mother. She was even accused of influencing Kurt Cobain’s drug use, which ultimately led to the singer’s suicide.
She was involved in several controversies, including alleged attacks on a fan and a reporter who wrote about her alleged heroin use. Her publicity stunts like crashing Madonna’s interview, flashing David Letterman on his show, and accusing fashion designer Dawn Simorangkir of drug pushing drew criticisms from several corners. Her revelation of using heroin during pregnancy and her strained relationship with her daughter also contributed to the negative public perception.
Love recognized how her mistakes were amplified by the public and media, and she didn’t want the same to happen to Amber Heard.
