It was like watching a terrible trainwreck, or in this case, a pirate shipwreck. I’m talking about the Johnny Depp and Amber Heard court fiasco, obviously.
June 1 marks the first anniversary of the verdict in the Depp vs. Heard civil trial, which reminded us all why defense attorneys often advise their clients not to take the stand. Both parties were problematic, and it was difficult to muster sympathy for either star.
With testimony of his out-of-control spending, overindulgence, unapologetic and totally characteristic swagger and bloated ego, screaming hissy fits, and teenage rock star-style partying, Depp came across as a petulant Peter Pan-style character throughout the trial.
Meanwhile, Heard appeared cold and calculating. That definitely wasn’t helped by her seemingly callous decision to file for divorce just three days after Depp’s mom died. (I mean, really? She couldn’t wait another week, at least?) Heard peppered her stoicism with timely and sudden spells of tearful outbursts, which had Depp’s attorneys accusing her of utilizing her acting skills. Whether they were right or wrong, there was no denying the theatrics of the case.
There were so many moments in the Depp and Heard trial nobody will ever forget. The alleged bed pooping and other memories are permanently inked into our brains one year later like a yellow curry stain on white linen dress. But, even though I can’t stand Johnny Depp or Amber Heard, his year post-verdict has clearly been unfair.
Only Johnny Depp and Amber Heard will ever know what really went down between them, and even that’s debatable. As an outsider looking in, they were clearly involved in a toxic relationship with what could be argued as domestic abuse on both sides. However, despite neither Heard nor Depp being capable of self-reflection or taking responsibility for their actions, one of them was still handed a golden pass.
Undoubtedly, Depp’s star power and celebrity currency played massively in his favor both in the court of public opinion, and in the legal one, too. Depp had Kate Moss and Paul Bettany in his corner, the latter of which Depp jovially texted about drowning and burning Heard, then having sex with her corpse. Meanwhile, Heard had Elon Musk. Enough said.
Bad jokes aside, Depp has a hugely successful Hollywood career under his belt, spanning back decades. He has a verifiable record of delivering box office smash hits and a legion of die-hard fans. Heard? Not so much. That power imbalance was evident in Depp’s immediate comeback, despite some pundits claiming he was done for. Okay, so he was dropped by Disney — that’ll be 10,000 crates of Château Calon-Ségur and a private jet he’ll have to go without. But the seven-minute long standing ovation Depp received at the Cannes film festival last week speaks volumes to his future career prospects. Meanwhile, Heard has seemingly vanished in a puff of smoke.
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.
