It has been two years since Amber Heard faced her ex-husband, Johnny Depp, in their explosive court case which ruled on allegations of defamation between the formerly married American actors. During that trial, the world bore witness to every tawdry detail of Depp and Heard's volatile relationship - including abuse, substance use and a testimonial from Depp’s ex-girlfriend Kate Moss.
The case was sparked when Depp – who has this week been romantically linked to a new woman – sued his ex-wife for defamation over an opinion article she wrote for The Washington Post. In the piece, Amber, 38, alleged she was a domestic abuse victim, though it did not mention him by name. Heard counter-sued. After the almost two-months long trial, jurors awarded Depp - who denied abusing Heard - $15m (£12m) in compensatory and punitive damages.
A Channel 4 documentary, recently trending on Netflix, has delved into the now infamous case, and has sparked yet more social media interrogations of the various allegations made within it. When the trial was airing, and, in fact, almost ever since, Heard has found herself the subject of tremendous trolling on Twitter, now known as X, and other social media platforms. Earlier this year, a fascinating new podcast, Who Trolled Amber, alleged after months of investigation, that at least 50 per cent of the conversation around Heard had been ‘inauthentically generated’, meaning that they were devised by Depp supporters, using automated bots, to create ‘mass online manipulation’.
And yet the support for Depp, 61, hasn’t just been seen online. It’s very much apparent in the real world too. On the 9th July, Depp was swarmed by adoring fans in London (where he is currently living). The Pirates of the Caribbean actor asked his security to step aside so he could greet the waiting crowds, even kissing one woman’s hand. It’s clear that, despite shocking allegations of abuse which have mired his last few years, Depp’s rehabilitation could not be going better. He's even been linked to a new woman, and is said to be 'casually dating' Russian model and beautician Yulia Vlasova. According to reports, Vlasova has been full of praise for Depp, calling the actor 'incredibly talented and inspiring' in one post that has since been deleted.
So, what of Amber Heard? Whilst there is an awful lot of content being made about the Aquaman actress, we have heard very little from the 38-year-old herself. She did give an interview to US morning show Today once the trial had concluded, in which she addressed the hate she had received online since her split from Depp. ‘I don't care what one thinks about me, or what judgement you want to make about what happened in the privacy of my own home in my marriage, behind closed doors,’ Heard told interviewer Savannah Guthrie. ‘I don't presume the average person should know these things, so I don't take it personally.’
‘But,’ she continued, ‘Even somebody who is sure I am deserving of all this hate and vitriol, even if you think that I am lying, you still couldn't look me in the eye and tell me that you think on social media there's been a fair representation.’
Now, Heard is living a totally new life in Spain, where she relocated immediately after the trial, first to Mallorca, then to Madrid where she lives with her three-year-old daughter, Oonagh, born via surrogate in 2021. It was reported at the time that she ‘just had to get out of the U.S.’ after the polarising defamation trial. There was ‘too much chaos’ after the June 2022 verdict, which fell mostly in favour of Depp, one source said. It was an outcome Heard called a ‘setback’ for other women at the time, but has since agreed to pay Depp $1 million in a settlement. In a paparazzi video last July, Heard told a reporter, in Spanish, ‘I love Spain so much.’ When asked if she plans to stay, she replied, ‘Yes, I hope so. Yes, I love living here.’
Having starred in big budget blockbusters such as Aquaman, its sequel, and the Justice League movies, as well as indie hits like The Rum Diary and The Danish Girl, Heard had established a hugely successful acting career. And yet she has shot just one film in the past two years since the trial, starring in the indie thriller In the Fire, attending the Taormina Film Festival in Sicily in June 2023 to promote it.
Sources close to Heard tell Grazia that living in Spain, away from the US and, more importantly Hollywood, is significant. ‘Her isolation from the world in which she used to inhabit is quite jarring when you consider she’s taken that step back because of the trauma and distress her marriage, the divorce and the ensuing legal drama has caused her. Amber was once an A-list star, and this has all taken a lot out of her, to the point where she has lost passion for living that Hollywood life,’ says one source.
Another adds that having one of the most influential men in Hollywood as your enemy, and ex, makes life rather difficult for Heard, who has been described as something of an ‘exile’ from the industry in recent years. ‘Depp has a lot of loyal friends and is hugely popular and powerful,’ the source says. ‘Amber knows that there are certain franchises and studios where she won’t be welcome.’ Indeed Depp’s career is still very much in its prime. He was the star of last year's Cannes Film Festival thanks to his role in the French-language biopic Jeanne du Barry, in which he played King Louis XV. Depp is also directing his first movie in 25 years, working with Al Pacino on a biopic of Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani. A return to the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise cannot be ruled out, either, with screenwriter and producer of the highly successful films, Terry Rossio saying he 'wouldn't even hesitate' to have Depp back on set. Javier Bardem, Winona Ryder, Penelope Cruz, singer Sia and musicians Rod Stewart and Eric Clapton have all publicly supported the actor, as well as his ex-wife Vanessa Paradis.
Whilst he also has his share of critics, Depp’s influence and popularity has shown him to be almost un-cancellable; if his ex-Kate Moss is often referred to as ‘Teflon Moss’, he should be ‘Teflon Depp’ considering how little has stuck to him when it comes to the court of public opinion. And no matter where you stand on Amber Heard, it should be undeniable that a woman in a relationship should never be made to suffer not just at the hands of her husband in any way, but as a result of public bullying. For now, she will continue to live her quieter life with her daughter, but this is almost certainly not the last we hear of Amber Heard.