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On Monday, May 2, Richard Marks became the third person to be deposed at the Johnny Depp vs Amber Heard defamation trial. The entertainment lawyer was the first person to appear at the courtroom in person this week.
Marks was called to the court to assess the damage that Heard’s 2018 op-ed and its allegations might have had on Depp’s career.
In the deposition, the Los Angeles-based attorney implied that a studio would not hire an actor with bad publicity because it may harm the movie and the brand.
Marks also discussed the cancelation of certain Hollywood stars after misconduct allegations were made against them amid the #MeToo movement.
What did Richard Marks say about the impact of Amber Heard’s op-ed on Johnny Depp’s career?
In his deposition on Monday, Richard Marks said:
“The Op-Ed damaged Mr. Depp, created a "cancel situation," if you will. Harmed his reputation and ability to get work in the Hollywood industry.”
Marks' claim promoted a swift objection by Amber Heard’s lawyers. He further added:
“(Movie studios would) want anyone removed so that they can get a return on their investment in our society, so they are not seen as being an old generation where women were not given the benefit of the doubt.”
According to Marks, the fact that the op-ed was published in an established publication like the Washington Post sent a message to the industry. He claims Heard practically called out Hollywood and accused the industry of supporting her alleged abuser, Johnny Depp.
Upon cross-examination by Heard’s attorney, Marks spoke about the absence of a binding contract in Depp’s negotiations with Disney about Pirates of the Caribbean 6.
He insinuated that The Walt Disney Studios would have done whatever possible to get Depp back, but not amid this kind of controversy.
While speaking about the actor’s contribution to the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Marks said:
“You might say Pirates of the Caribbean is Johnny Depp and vice versa. That's the impact of a star.”
What is known about Richard Marks, who was deposed at Johnny Depp vs Amber Heard’s trial?
Richard Marks is an entertainment lawyer from the Richard Marks & Associates (RMA) firm. He reportedly specializes in transactional deals.
According to his website, Marks has represented stars like Eva Longoria, George Foreman, George Lucas, and Barry Weiss. The lawyer had previously also been hired by studios like Disney, Paramount, and Universal.
As an entertainment lawyer, Marks has helped negotiate deals for leading streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime.
Following his graduation from the University of California, Los Angeles, with a Juris Doctor degree in 1973, Marks had decades of experience as an entertainment lawyer.
According to his website, Marks had served as an “expert witness” in multiple Hollywood cases, which resulted in favorable settlements.
Since founding RMA in 2020, Marks has been serving as the principal and the head of the law firm.
