Johnny Depp has filed a $50 million defamation lawsuit against Amber Heard, after the actress wrote an op-ed describing herself as a domestic abuse victim.
Heard wrote an op-ed in The Washington Post on December 18, 2018 titled, “Amber Heard: I spoke up against sexual violence — and faced our culture’s wrath. That has to change.”
In the op-ed, Heard writes, “Then two years ago, I became a public figure representing domestic abuse, and I felt the full force of our culture’s warth for women who speak out.”
She would add, “I had the rare vantage point of seeing, in real time, how institutions protect men accused of abuse.”
According to The Blast, the lawsuit claims Heard “purported to write from the perspective of a ‘public figure representing domestic abuse’ and claimed that she ‘felt the full force of our culture’s wrath for women who speak’ when she ‘spoke up against sexual violence.” The lawsuit adds, “The op-ed depended on the central premise that Ms. Heard was a domestic abuse victim and that Mr. Depp perpetrated domestic violence against her.”
The lawsuit goes on to deny the allegations that Johnny Depp abused Amber Heard, “Mr. Depp never abused Ms. Heard. Her allegations against him were false when they were made in 2016. They were part of an elaborate hoax to generate positive publicity for Ms. Heard and advance her career.”
They describe the op-ed’s characterization of Johnny Depp as “categorically and demonstrably false.” The lawsuit also states Heard’s allegations were repudiated by law enforcement, eye witnesses, and surveillance camera footage.
The lawsuit claims Depp lost the role of Jack Sparrow in Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean franchise which influenced Disney’s decision.
It also asserts that Elon Musk, who became romantically involved with Heard, had been given access to Depp’s home and was making “late night” visits. The lawsuit notes Musk and Heard entered a relationship “no later than one month after” Depp and Heard’s wedding.
Depp’s lawsuit wants recompense for compensatory damages following the lawsuit. It also wants punitive damages for the “willfulness and maliciousness that Ms. Heard demonstrated when she knowingly published the op-ed with the false implication that Mr. Depp violently abused her.”
Depp’s lawyer adds:
“Ms. Heard also knew that her elaborate hoax worked: as a result of her false allegations against Mr. Depp, Ms. Heard became a darling of the #MeToo movement, was the first actress named a Human Rights Champion of the United Nations Human Rights Office, was appointed ambassador on women’s rights at the American Civil Liberties Union, and was hired by L’Oreal Paris as its global spokesperson.”
Heard’s representatives issued a response to the lawsuit:
“This frivolous action is just the latest of Johnny Depp’s repeated efforts to silence Amber Heard. She will not be silenced. Mr. Depp’s actions prove he is unable to accept the truth of his ongoing abusive behavior. But while he appears hell-bent on achieving self destruction, we will prevail in defeating this groundless lawsuit and ending the continued vile harassment of my client by Mr. Depp and his legal team.”
Heard’s allegations against Depp began when the two separated from each other in 2016. Heard filed a restraining order claiming Depp domestically abused her. She claims Depp threw a cellphone at her face which bruised her cheek.
The Los Angeles police investigated the claim and found no evidence of a crime.
Depp’s lawyers called those allegations bogus and suggested that Heard was trying to get an increased payout from their pending divorce.
Heard would eventually withdraw her request for a restraining order and reach a settlement with Depp in August 2016. Depp and Heard would then release a joint statement that reads, “Neither party has made false accusations for financial gains. There was never an intent of physical or emotional harm.”
For the record, this was our FULL joint statement.To pick&choose certain lines & quote them out of context, is not right.Women, stay strong. pic.twitter.com/W7Tt6A3ROj
— Amber Heard (@realamberheard) December 8, 2017
What do you make of Depp’s lawsuit against Heard? Do you think he stands a chance at winning or will they settle out of court?