Amber Heard settles defamation suit against Johnny Depp

The saga of Johnny Depp and Amber Heard is reaching its conclusion, as Heard announced that she is settling the defamation case with her former husband. The news comes after Johnny Depp announced he would be appealing Amber Heard’s $2 million reward in their much-publicized trial, in addition to Heard herself filing a motion of appeal.

Amber Heard took to social media to announce the decision, writing, in part: “After a great deal of deliberation I have made a very difficult decision to settle the defamation case brought against me by my ex-husband in Virginia.”

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She continued, explaining her position in the case. “It’s important for me to say that I never chose this. I defended my truth and in doing so my life as I knew it was destroyed. The vilification I have faced on social media is an amplified version of the ways in which women are re-victimised when they come forward. Now I finally have an opportunity to emancipate myself from something I attempted to leave over six years ago and on terms I can agree to. I have made no admission. This is not an act of concession.”

Heard also expressed, regretfully, that, “I make this decision having lost faith in the American legal system, where my unprotected testimony served as entertainment and social media fodder.” She further noted that, through the trial, she has been “exposed to a type of humiliation that I simply cannot re-live.” She added that she plans to focus on her career. “In settling this case I am also choosing the freedom to dedicate my time to the work that helped me heal after my divorce; work that exists in realms in which I feel seen, heard and believed, and in which I know I can effect change.” One upcoming work is Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, due out on December 25th, 2023.

The trial between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard should have been a serious one, but that doesn’t mean it was treated with respect by the media. There was even a movie released on Tubi, Hot Take, which gave a rather insulting and over-the-top look at the events.

Meanwhile, Johnny Depp pledged to donate the money he received to charity, telling Deadline,

“We are pleased to formally close the door on this painful chapter for Mr. Depp, who made clear throughout this process that his priority was about bringing the truth to light. The jury’s unanimous decision and the resulting judgement in Mr. Depp’s favor against Ms. Heard remain fully in place. The payment of $1M – which Mr. Depp is pledging and will (actually) donate to charities – reinforces Ms. Heard’s acknowledgement of the conclusion of the legal system’s rigorous pursuit for justice.“

What do you think about the whole situation? Will either Depp or Heard have a full recovery from the trial? Let us know your thoughts below.