Johnny Depp's Win Against Amber Heard Has Fans In Disbelief

For close to two months, Johnny Depp and Amber Heard were embroiled in a highly publicized defamation case. The legal proceedings came to fruition after Johnny Depp sued the "Aquaman" star for defamation concerning her 2018 op-ed in The Washington Post. In the extensive piece, Heard opened up about the domestic abuse and sexual violence she faced throughout her life, although she didn't mention Depp by name. Heard also wrote that she "became a public figure representing domestic abuse," which seemingly referred to her divorce from Depp in 2016. In the initial divorce filing, she requested a restraining order from the actor and alleged he physically abused her while under the influence, per CNN.

A year after the article was released, Depp filed his $50 million suit and claimed that Heard was "not a victim of domestic abuse, she is a perpetrator, per Rolling Stone. In response to Depp's filing, Heard countersued the "Pirates of the Caribbean" actor for $100 million in documents obtained by The Hollywood Reporter.

On April 11, the controversial trial began and featured testimonies from Heard, Depp, family members, some of their industry peers, and medical professionals. After a harrowing few weeks that took the internet by storm, the seven-person jury finally reached a verdict on June 1.

After weeks of testimonies and cross-examinations, the jury concluded in favor of Johnny Depp in his defamation suit against Amber Heard, per Deadline. In the verdict, which was announced after a three-day deliberation, the jury awarded Depp $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages. However, Heard was also a winner in her own countersuit after the jury awarded her $2 million in compensatory damages. Shortly after the verdict was announced, Heard released a statement reacting to the result of the case. "The disappointment I feel today is beyond words. 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," she wrote on Twitter.

Heard wasn't the only person that disappointment over the jury's verdict. Across the numerous social media platforms, fans of Heard and advocates against domestic violence slammed the decision. One fan wrote, "The irony of a woman being sued by a rich, abusive, powerful man, for writing about how rich, abusive, powerful men silence women. This case really proved the points in Amber's op-ed." Another user tweeted about potential effects of the verdict, writing, "This is devastating news for abuse victims and for freedom of speech. the wide-reaching implications of this verdict are clear: abuse victims cannot have a voice. they cannot speak of their experiences, EVEN WITHOUT NAMING THEIR ABUSER. disgusting."

For the last few years, Johnny Depp and Amber Heard have made massive waves within the news circuit over claims relating to domestic violence and abuse. Since their high profile divorce, the two actors headed to court on two different occasions — once in 2020 for Depp's libel case against the U.K. publication The Sun, and their most recent appearance, which began in April. The latest legal proceedings stemmed from Heard's 2018 op-ed in The Washington Post, which chronicled her experience with abuse over the years. Even though Depp was not named in the piece, the actor drafted his defamation suit after Heard seemingly addressed their 2016 divorce (per Us Weekly). After weeks of intense testimonies detailing their turbulent relationship, the jury ruled in favor of Depp and awarded him $15 million in damages (via CNN). Heard was also awarded $2 million related to her own $100 million countersuit.

Shortly after the verdict was revealed, both actors released statements about the decision. While Heard expressed disappointment over the jury's decision, Depp said the group gave him "[his] life back." In a statement posted to his Instagram, Depp said, "From the very beginning, the goal of bringing this case was to reveal the truth, regardless of the outcome. Speaking the truth was something that I owed to my children and to all those who have remained steadfast in their support of me." With the whirlwind case at its end, the verdict has received mixed responses from fans and the industry peers of the two high-profile actors.

Since the jury announced the verdict of the Johnny Depp and Amber Heard defamation case, fans and advocates for both actors have been in a frenzy on social media. From some praising the verdict to others slamming the decision, platforms like Twitter and TikTok have become a battleground for Heard and Depp supporters. However, fans haven't been the only ones to share their opinion on the polarizing case results. Amongst the array of comments and tweets, some of Depp and Heard's industry peers have also joined the tense conversation.

The former host of "The Talk," Sharon Osbourne, revealed that she was shocked by the verdict during an appearance on Piers Morgan's talk show. "Wow, it wasn't what I was expecting," she said. "I mean, I wanted Johnny to win but I didn't expect him to," per Page Six. In a statement on Instagram, comedian Amy Schumer seemingly sent support to Heard by posting a quote by Gloria Steinem. "Any woman who chooses to behave like a full human being should be warned that the armies of the status quo will treat her as something of a dirty joke... she will need her sisterhood," she posted. Time will determine how the dust truly settles.