China News Entertainment, Beijing, June 2 (Reporter Ren Siyu) On June 1, local time, well-known actor Johnny Depp sued his ex-wife Amber Heard for defamation. The defamation charge was established, and Depp was ruled in favor.

　　This century-long battle in the entertainment industry, which has been delayed for several years and sparked global onlookers, has come to an end briefly.

Depp and Heard in The Rum Diary.

Source: Movie stills.

1 year of marriage, 6 years of divorce battle

　　"Six years ago, my life was forever changed," Johnny Depp wrote after the lawsuit.

　　Johnny Depp is a well-known Hollywood movie star. He has appeared in many global hit films such as "Edward Scissorhands" and "Pirates of the Caribbean" series. The two got married in 2015.

　　But just a year later, in 2016, Heard announced that he was divorcing Depp and accused Depp of "domestic violence" himself.

File photo: Johnny Depp.

Photo by Luo Yunfei

　　In 2017, Depp and Heard officially divorced, but their scolding war on domestic violence and slander did not stop. Not only did it involve many celebrities speaking out, but the storyline also experienced reversal and reversal.

　　The just-concluded lawsuit dates back to 2018, when Heard published an article in the Washington Post calling for attention to domestic violence against women, saying that she was a "victim of domestic violence", even though she did not. The ex-husband's name was clearly written, but the description was soon contacted by readers to Depp, which caused a storm.

　　Subsequently, Depp claimed that the domestic violence claims caused him to defame him and claimed $50 million, and Heard countersued Depp for $100 million.

　　Before that, Depp had commissioned a lawyer to take the British "Sun", which said he "beat his wife" to court.

But in 2020, a British court ruled in favor of The Sun.

Domestic Violence and Defamation

　　In April 2022, Depp sued Heard for defamation in the US state of Virginia.

　　During the one-and-a-half-month trial, the teams of lawyers from both sides fought fiercely. Witnesses from both teams, friends and relatives were summoned. Depp and Heard also testified in person.

At the same time, due to their movie star status, many celebrities have also been involved, including Depp's ex-girlfriend supermodel Kate Moss, etc., which has attracted global attention.

Amber Heard in Aquaman.

Source: Movie stills.

　　During the trial, Depp and Heard accused each other of domestic violence and slander. The two not only exposed their scars, but also shared chat records, and even mentioned to each other private incidents such as shitting on the bed and urinating in the hallway. Netizens edited them into funny clips, and the whole lawsuit was comparable to a large-scale online reality show.

　　In the end, the jury affirmed Depp’s three claims, and the court ruled that Depp received $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages. Due to local regulations, punitive damages are capped at $350,000. Eventually, he will Received compensation of $10.35 million.

　　At the same time, one of Heard's three counterclaims was affirmed and was awarded $2 million in compensatory damages.

one calm, one dissatisfied

　　After the verdict was announced, both Depp and Heard released statements.

　　Depp said the ruling brought his life back. He said he had been under a lot of pressure over the past six years because of domestic violence allegations. "From the beginning, the purpose of this lawsuit was to recklessly expose the truth...now , I feel at peace knowing that I did it."

　　He expressed the hope that this experience will help those in similar situations and that they will never give up. "A new chapter has finally begun, and the truth will never disappear."

Johnny Depp posted on social platforms.

　　Heard expressed his disappointment in a statement: "The mountain of evidence still cannot stand against the enormous power, influence and influence of my ex-husband."

　　She said the verdict was a "regression". "It throws back the time to a time when women's voices could be publicly shamed, and it throws back the notion that 'violence against women is taken seriously'."

Amber Heard posted on social platforms.

　　Looking back on this protracted emotional battle, it has left endless discussions for the people who eat melons, but for the parties, I am afraid that it will only bring about a haggard image visible to the naked eye and a loss in career.

　　Affected by the "domestic violence incident" and the loss of the previous lawsuit, Depp's reputation has plummeted, and he has announced his withdrawal from the "Fantastic Beasts 3" and "Pirates of the Caribbean" series. Said that his role in "Aquaman 2" was greatly deleted, and he managed to keep it, and his career suffered a great blow.

　　On the other hand, the story of the couple was also made into a documentary. According to foreign media reports, Discovery+ UK recently announced that the documentary "Johnny vs Amber" (Johnny vs Amber) announced that it will have a sequel, continuing to focus on Depp and Hill. Germany's lawsuit, the last episode was broadcast at the end of last year.

　　After this lawsuit, can Depp, who is about to turn 59 years old, make a strong comeback, and can Hield's acting career turn around?

It's still an unknown.

(Finish)