What's Really Going On With Johnny Depp And His High-Profile Lawyer, Camille Vasquez?

An unexpected celebrity to arise in Johnny Depp and Amber Heard's defamation trial has been Depp's lawyer, Camille Vasquez. Tasked with cross-examining Heard over the span of two days, Vasquez was praised by Depp supporters for her relentlessness. "She looks so sweet but she is a beast that made Amber tremble," one fan tweeted of Vasquez, who is an associate at Brown Rudnick in Orange County, California. The Daily Beast likened Vasquez's sudden fanbase to a "cult following," noting that female lawyers defending men accused of abuse are usually maligned. According to the New York Post, a "prominent" attorney even labeled Vasquez the "unrivaled star" of the trial. 

Additionally, rumors that Vasquez and Depp were more than simply attorney-and-client began to spread. Depp fans relished in moments of the two hugging in court, some even wondering if their mutual fondness signaled romance. One TikToker, for example, posted a video of Depp looking and smiling at Vasquez in court, with the text "The way he looks at her" written across the screen (via ET). 

So are they or aren't they? Finally, it seems we have an answer to one of the biggest and most unexpected questions coming out of this trial.  

Johnny Depp isn't mixing business with pleasure when it comes to Camille Vasquez. According to an ET insider, the gossip of Depp dating his lawyer is "entirely, 100 percent, unequivocally untrue." Clearly, however, the attorney and her client are on platonically affectionate terms. As May 17 court footage shows, the two celebrated the end of Vasquez's two-day cross-examination of Amber Heard with a long embrace. Given all the dating speculation, TMZ even directly asked Vasquez if she and her client were linked ... to no avail. Vasquez only smiled and laughed off the question in return, continuing to greet fans (like the famous two alpacas one fan had in tow). Moreover, TMZ reported, Vasquez is apparently taken already. 

Not all Depp fans were aboard the rumor train, as many thought the very notion outdated. As one tweeted, "It's inappropriate/highly sexist to assume that a beautiful/talented lawyer has to be involved with her client! Are there rumors about one of the male lawyers dating Amber Heard? Didn't think so!" Another pleaded, "Can we respect her for her skills and not her looks please?"

Thankfully, Vasquez is indeed being praised for a job well done as well, with many considering her inspirational. One such Twitter user wrote, "Camille Vasquez is a role model for anyone wanting to become a professional. She's assertive, calm, collected, and understands the rules. She will no doubt be very successful after this is over."