“The jury gave me my life back” — When Johnny Depp celebrated his defamation lawsuit victory against Amber Heard

In 2022, Johnny Depp's defamation trial against his ex-wife Amber Heard ended in a victory for Depp. The legal dispute began in December 2018 after Heard wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post and alluded to Depp's alleged se*ual abuse of her.

On June 1, 2022, the seven-person jury ruled that Depp had been defamed by Heard. The jury also noted that both parties had been defamed, but awarded a higher compensation to Depp.

Following the verdict, Depp released a statement, saying he was “humbled” by the verdict and looking ahead to the next chapter of his life. His statement read in part:

"Six years ago, my life, the life of my children, the lives of those closest to me, and also, the lives of the people who for many, many years have supported and believed in me were forever changed. And six years later, the jury gave me my life back. I am truly humbled."

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Everything to know about the Johnny Depp vs Amber Heard trial

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard seen at the premiere of A Danish Girl at the 72nd Venice Film Festival (Image via Getty)

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard met on the sets of their 2011 comedy-thriller, The Rum Diary and began dating in early 2012. The couple tied the knot on February 3, 2015, and Heard filed for divorce 15 months later in May 2016. They reached a divorce settlement worth $7 million in August 2016 and their divorce was finalized in January 2017.

In Heard's op-ed, she described herself as a "victim of domestic and se*ual violence", without directly naming Depp in the article. However, Depp's reputation suffered a massive hit, with the tabloids calling him a "wife beater." Moreover, he also reportedly lost out on multi-million dollar projects due to the negative press coverage.

Thus, he sued Heard for $50 million in damages in March 2019. In return, Heard countersued him for $100 million in damages.

The case went to trial in Virginia on April 11, 2022, and lasted for six weeks until June 1, 2022. Both stars testified against each other and recounted instances of physical, mental, and emotional abuse in shocking detail. The highly-publicized trial was televised and millions of people worldwide watched as their tumultuous relationship played out in court.

The defamation trial aimed to determine if Heard's allegations harmed Depp's film career. The jury found Heard guilty of defaming Depp on all three counts, awarding him $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages. They also found Depp, via his lawyer Adam Waldman, guilty of defaming Heard on one count, awarding her $2 million in compensatory damages with no punitive damages.

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Johnny Depp turned director for his latest film project

Johnny Depp seen with the cast of Modì – Three Days On The Wing Of Madness (Image via Getty)

Johnny Depp stepped into the director's role for Modì, Three Days on the Wing of Madness. He chose to tell the story of the 20th-century Italian painter, Amedeo Modigliani in his second directorial venture. The film is set in 1916 and follows the artist over a period of 3 chaotic days in war-torn Paris.

Riccardo Scamarcio plays the titular role of Amedeo Modigliani, while Al Pacino stars as the American collector Maurice Gangnat. Antonia Desplat, Bruno Gouery, Ryan McParland, Luisa Ranieri, Sally Phillips, Benjamin Lavernhe, and Stephen Graham round out the film's supporting cast.

The movie premiered in Italy at the Rome Film Festival on October 26, 2024, and was released in theaters in Italy on November 21, 2024.

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