After seven weeks, we have a winner.
The legal battle between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard sparked a media frenzy since the case opened on April 11. While invested fans (who didn’t spend thousands to witness it live in Virginia) stayed updated through the trial’s live streams, watching TikToks on the topic and reading coverage by almost every news outlet—the jury has finally reached a verdict.
According to CNN, the jury found both Heard and Depp liable for defamation in their lawsuits against each other. However, Depp is awarded “significantly more damages,” making it a win for the actor.
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The case roots in a 2018 op-ed Heard wrote for The Washington Post, in which she described herself as a “public figure representing domestic abuse.” Although Depp was not named in the piece, it was speculated that the Oscar-nominee was Heard’s perpetrator, given their failed marriage two years prior.
As a result, the speculation cost Depp lucrative acting roles, including being fired from his award-winning role as Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean saga and Warner Bros’ Harry Potter, spin-off film series Fantastic Beasts.
How much Depp is awarded
Depp then sued Heard for defamation and sought $50 million in damages. After making a verdict, the jury awarded Depp $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages in his defamation suit.
Since Virginia’s punitive damages have a legal limit of $350,000, his damages total $10.4 million.
“From the very beginning, the goal of bringing this case was to reveal the truth, regardless of the outcome,” Depp said in a statement Wednesday.
“Speaking the truth was something that I owed to my children and to all those who have remained steadfast in their support of me. I feel at peace knowing I have finally accomplished that.”
Meanwhile, Heard said she was “heartbroken” over the verdict. “The disappointment I feel today is beyond words,” The 36-year-old said in a statement. “I’m heartbroken that the mountain of evidence still was not enough to stand up to the disproportionate power, influence, and sway of my ex-husband.”
Banner photo from @celebritynewswire on Instagram.
