London (AFP)

By attacking the tabloid The Sun, Johnny Depp intended to protect his reputation. But the three weeks of trial, with debauchery of bleak revelations about his private life and his marriage to Amber Heard, may cost the star as much as his ex-wife.

"It doesn't matter who wins this sickening battle, Johnny Depp and Amber Heard will BOTH lose," the Daily Mail headlined at the very start of the trial, which ends Tuesday.

Supposed to determine whether the tabloid was guilty of defamation by portraying the comedian as a violent husband, the daily audiences exposed length, breadth and depth of inglorious details of their relationship.

Johnny Depp's drug addiction, accusations of deception against Amber Heard, and excrement found in the marriage bed were discussed.

- "The damage is done" -

"They have unpacked and washed their dirty laundry so much in public, literally and figuratively" that "the damage is already done", whatever the verdict, believes public relations expert Mark Borkowski, interviewed by AFP .

According to him, "the lawsuit made matters worse" by providing the public with "a wide-ranging narrative" on their private issues. The case shows, "as much for Johnny Depp as for Amber Heard, that fame is toxic."

According to Emily Cox, a lawyer specializing in defamation suits, the actor made the right choice in bringing the case to justice.

"If he had left these serious accusations of domestic violence uncontested, they would have remained forever associated with his name," she explains. "It would undoubtedly have a bigger impact on his career than revealing unflattering details."

The lawyer considers the revelations about his drug use as a lesser evil, because "an actor who suffers from addiction will be considered much better than an actor who hits his wife".

For her, it might even earn her Hollywood "compassion" if he tried to break out of his addiction.

"If Depp wins his case, it could give new impetus to his career and increase his popularity, as a person unjustly accused of domestic violence," even the lawyer judges.

More pessimistic, Mark Borkowski thinks it will be difficult to really "prove" his innocence, and predicts the actor "a Pyrrhic victory". "He made Amber Heard a martyr", he adds, "She has become a totem of current struggles, the emblem of those who suffer from an abusive partner."

- "Brave knight" -

The procedure is not without risk for the 34-year-old actress, however, cited only as a witness.

"The Sun's defense rests entirely on the accusations made by Amber Heard, so much so that her credibility is as much at stake as that of Depp", analyzes Emily Cox.

"If the Sun loses her case, she may well find herself ostracized by Hollywood."

On the other hand, if the newspaper wins, the actress of "The Danish Girl" and "Aquaman" will be "considered the brave knight who has embarked on a crusade against domestic violence," adds the lawyer.

In this case, the consequences for Johnny Depp will however be "catastrophic for his career", his name remaining "forever marred by these accusations".

A decision to this effect "could also have an impact on her defamation complaint against Ms. Heard in the United States, putting an end to her reputation," said Ms. Cox.

"For a major franchise, with a lot of money at stake, it could then be a danger" to recruit the actor, confirms Mark Borkowski.

The latter believes, however, that the career of the actor could recover and find outlets especially on the side of "independent producers" or "large European producers". Before adding: "On these subjects, people tend to suffer from amnesia".

© 2020 AFP