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During Amber Heard's cross-questioning by Johnny Depp's attorney Camille Vasquez, the actress admitted to having written the 2018 op-ed about the Pirates of the Caribbean star. 58-year-old Depp sued his ex-wife Heard because of her op-ed in The Washington Post in which she claimed to be a survivor of domestic abuse.
While she was being cross-questioned, Heard, who previously stated that the op-ed was not about Depp, disclosed that she wrote the op-ed as a way to prove how people supported him against all odds. Heard iterated how people stood up for Depp despite the allegations, without verifying their veracity.
In her testimony as a rebuttal witness, the 36-year-old actress also spoke about how she received 'thousands' of death threats since the trial had started. She also alleged that Depp did not do anything to prevent his fans from targeting Heard online or outside the Virginia courtroom.
What did Camille Vasquez say that caused Amber Heard to seemingly admit that her op-ed was about Johnny Depp?
Pursuing a round of heated cross-questioning, Vasquez asked Heard whether she expected so many people to testify on behalf of Depp. The lawyer further questioned the Aquaman star if she expected witnesses like Depp's former partner Kate Moss or Hicksville Trailer Palace owner Morgan Night to speak in favor of Depp and refute Heard's prior claims.
Amber Heard replied:
"Incorrect, I've already been through trial with this man. I know how many people will come out in support of him."
Later, she further explained:
"I know how many people will come out and say whatever for him. That's his power. That's why I wrote the op-ed. I was speaking to that phenomenon, (about) how many people will come out in support of him and will fall to his power. He is a very powerful man and people love currying favor with powerful men."
Why do Johnny Depp supporters think that Amber Heard's admission is a big deal?
The 2018 op-ed has been the crux of Johnny Depp's defamation lawsuit against Amber Heard, since his legal team claimed that the allegations in the article had affected the actor's career. Earlier in the month, forensic accountant Michael Spindler claimed that Depp had lost around $40 million of potential earnings since the op-ed was published in 2018.
Meanwhile, entertainment attorney Richard Marks claimed that the op-ed, which did not name Johnny Depp explicitly, caused the star to be 'canceled' and dropped from projects. Depp's talent manager Jack Whigham also insinuated how negotiations for Disney's Pirates and the Caribbean 6 and WB's Fantastic Beasts 3 fell through following Heard's op-ed.
However, Heard's admission to writing the article about Depp is not necessarily the winning factor here. Depp's legal team has to prove to the jury that Heard's insinuated domestic abuse allegations were false, which would then establish that the op-ed was defamatory in nature.
Fans react to Camille Vasquez's cross-questioning of Amber Heard, and the latter's admission
Camille Vasquez was praised by Depp's supporters for her prompts and questions to Heard during the cross-questioning. However, some supporters believe that Heard's admission means that Depp has won the case, which is not true. Many Depp fans also expressed the opinion that Vasquez was promoting "girl power" by being successful in her profession.
Forensic psychologist Dr. Shannon Curry was also praised during her rebuttal to Heard's expert witness psychologist Dr. Dawn Hughes' testimony.
The trial is set to come to an end on Friday, May 27. All closing arguments are scheduled for that day, but it is unclear when the verdict will be delivered.
