An Unexpected Star Is Coming To Amber Heard's Defense
It goes without saying that Amber Heard has had a tough year. Regardless of your thoughts about her defamation trial with ex-husband Johnny Depp, public opinion is overwhelmingly in Depp's favor and Heard has barely had any mainstream support. She's now facing career effects not unlike Depp's circa 2016, who was fired from his roles in the "Fantastic Beasts" and "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchises. While it's too late to fully remove Heard from "Aquaman 2," Warner Bros. has reduced her role as Mera in the upcoming film as much as possible. The move comes amid a Change.org petition with nearly 4.5 million signatures, one of the most signed campaigns on the site.
Only a handful of fellow celebrities have publicly supported Heard — some of whom have undergone similar public backlashes in the past. Kathy Griffin sent Heard well wishes on Twitter, writing "Oh Doll, I'm thinking about you and sending all the love." Given the uproar Griffin received in 2017 for her graphic anti-Trump photo shoot, the comedian knows more than a little about Heard's current position. And, while her comments veered more neutral, Monica Lewinsky wrote an essay for Vanity Fair about the misogyny displayed throughout the trial.
Fewer men have defended Heard, but an action movie legend now is sticking up for her amid the media circus.
Amber Heard's Aquaman co-star calls her terrific
Despite the backlash, Swedish actor Dolph Lundgren only had glowing praise for Amber Heard. Despite her reduced role in the sequel, they worked together on both "Aquaman" films. "She's terrific. I had a great experience with her," Lundgren told TMZ over Memorial Day weekend. "She was very kind and nice to the crew, nice to everybody, just down to Earth."
The "Rocky IV" star refrained from commenting on Heard's trial with Depp, only speaking about his own experience with her on set. He also mentioned getting to meet Heard's infant daughter Oonagh, calling her "cute." While Lundgren's account of Heard might not change much about her public perception, he doesn't seem to mind sticking up for her when she currently has such a negative association.
Lundgren continued praising the cast and crew of "Aquaman" to TMZ, giving shoutouts to Nicole Kidman, Jason Momoa, and director James Wan. While Momoa reportedly lobbied for Heard to remain in the sequel, he hasn't publicly supported her throughout the trial. Interestingly, DC Films president Walter Hamada said during the trial (per The Hollywood Reporter) that the pair "didn't have a lot of chemistry together" in the first film and the editing team had to work their magic to make their scenes seem natural. Lundgren's kind words might be a small victory for Heard, but her future as Mera still seems in serious jeopardy.