Famous actress Amber Heard has publicly spoken for the first time in a long while about the high-profile legal battles with her ex-husband Johnny Depp. Heard shared her perspective in the documentary “Silenced”, which premiered on January 24.
This is reported by Finway
Documentary “Silenced”: Key Points and Heard’s Involvement
The film “Silenced” addresses the issue of using defamation laws against individuals who report violence. In an interview with director Selina Miles, Amber Heard shared her own experiences from the court cases with Johnny Depp and discussed the impact these events have had on her life and career. Heard noted that during the high-profile trials, she lost the ability to speak openly about her own story.
“This is not about me. I lost the ability to speak. I’m not here to tell my story. I don’t want to tell my story. In fact, I no longer want to use my voice. That’s the problem,” Heard said in the film.
The film also features international human rights lawyer Jennifer Robinson, who represented Heard in the lawsuit against the British publication The Sun, initiated by Johnny Depp.
Consequences of the Trials and Amber Heard’s Personal Experience
Reflecting on the conclusion of the court case in the UK, Heard mentioned that she considered the possibility of speaking to the press. She was not fully aware of how this could affect her future, especially as a woman publicly discussing violence.
The documentary highlights not only Heard’s story but also the struggle of Colombian journalist Catalina Ruiz-Navarro for freedom of speech, as well as the case of Brittany Higgins in the context of Australia’s political system. The film emphasizes that when women openly share their experiences of violence, powerful forces attempt to discredit and punish them.
Amber Heard emphasized that the experiences of other women inspire her not to give up:
“It helps me to see how others are taking on this fight. Women who have the courage to speak about the imbalance of power. When I look at the face of my daughter, who is growing up and gradually entering this world, I believe it can become a better place,” the actress shared.
Amber Heard is raising three children: her daughter Una Paige and twins Ocean and Agnes.
Heard and Depp officially divorced in 2016. The actress cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for the divorce and sought a temporary restraining order, accusing Depp of domestic violence. That summer, the parties reached a settlement of $7 million.
In March 2019, Johnny Depp sued Heard for defamation following her publication in The Washington Post in 2018. In November 2020, Depp lost the case against The Sun, which labeled him a “wife-beater.” The court found these claims to be substantially true, and Heard testified in the case. An attempt to appeal the decision was unsuccessful in March 2021.
In April 2022, another trial began in the US with Depp suing Heard. After six weeks of hearings, the court found the actress guilty on three counts of defamation and ordered her to pay $10.35 million in damages. At the same time, Depp was ordered to pay Heard $2 million for one of the counts in her countersuit.
Ultimately, the parties reached a settlement: Heard paid Depp $1 million, which he promised to donate to charity.