Johnny Depp vs Amber Heard: Celebrities Take Their Side; Petition To Drop Actress from Aquaman 2 Reaches 4 Million Support

As her blockbuster defamation trial with her ex-husband Johnny Depp continues next week, a petition urging DC Warner Bros., to withdraw Amber Heard from the character of Queen Mera in Aquaman 2 has surpassed four million signatures.

Jeanne Larson started the Change.org petition in late 2020, after Johnny Depp, 58, was asked by Warner Bros. to leave his role as Gellert Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts trilogy.

Petition To Remove Amber Heard From 'Aquaman' Sequel

The petition garnered 4,004,160 signatures as of Friday morning, with a target of 4,500,000 to become the most signed pledge on the network of online petition supporters. During their continuing multimillion-dollar legal battle, the petition claims that Amber Heard, 36, has been "exposed as a domestic abuser by Johnny Depp," Daily Mail reported.

The trial will resume next week, with actress Ellen Barkin appearing as a video witness for Amber Heard. Whitney Henriquez, Heard's sister, will also testify on her sister's side.

Henriquez and Barkin both testified for Heart in the libel case against The Sun in the United Kingdom. Johnny Depp is suing Heard for $50 million, claiming that her claims of domestic violence cost him "everything."

Johnny Depp was replaced in the 'Fantastic Beasts' film trilogy, a 'Harry Potter' spinoff, and a new 'Pirates' feature was put on hold. Amber Heard has filed a countersuit for $100 million, alleging that Johnny Depp slandered her by branding her a liar.

During four days of sworn testimony, Depp claimed that 'Aquaman' star Heard was the abuser in the relationship and that he once tossed a vodka bottle at the top of his right middle finger, causing it to be severed.

Celebrities Take Side on Johnny Depp vs Amber Heard

The majority of celebrities are remaining silent over Johnny Depp and Amber Heard's ongoing defamation trial, but some have taken sides. Perhaps the majority are too afraid of public backlash, as Drew Barrymore discovered when she "made jokes" about the charges on her talk show and then had to backtrack, according to Page Six.

Now that both actors have testified in a Fairfax County, Virginia courthouse, several celebrities are voicing their opinions, only weeks before the jury makes their judgment. Chris Rock allegedly discussed Depp's accusations that Heard dropped excrement on his bed on May 12 during the UK leg of his Ego Death world tour. "Believe all women, except Amber Heard," the comic urged the crowd, as per News.au.

During the trial, Ireland Baldwin labeled Amber Heard a "terrible person" on Instagram. Meanwhile, Joe Rogan called Amber Heard a "crazy lady" and said her charges were "not true" on his renowned podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience. Furthermore, Bill Burr said in early May that he hasn't seen the Depp-Heard trial because he's "too big a Johnny Depp fan" to watch it, but believes that if Amber Heard loses, people should apologize to the Edward Scissorhands star.

Jennifer Aniston has been more subtly supportive of Johnny Depp than others, resorting to social media to silently support him. The Friends actress, 53, began following Johnny Depp after the trial had already begun, and the Black Mass star is said to have reciprocated the gesture recently.

On the other hand, while there haven't been as many celebrities to defend Amber Heard, Howard Stern did not hold back in criticizing Johnny Depp for "overacting" throughout the trial. Ellen Barkin is also planning to show her support for Heard in the courtroom. The 68-year-old actor will testify on behalf of Amber Heard, who previously claimed that Johnny Depp was violent to her throughout their relationship. In Johnny Depp's trial against The Sun in 2020, Barkin testified that the actor allegedly threw a bottle of wine across a hotel room after becoming envious and enraged.