Amber Heard has made news for her highly publicized defamation trial against ex-husband Johnny Depp.
The 'Aquaman' actress, who plays Mera in the DC film franchise, alleges she lost multiple movie gigs and endorsement agreements when one of Johnny Depp's attorneys termed her abuse accusations a "hoax." Johnny Depp is suing her for $50 million, while Amber Heard is countersuing for $100 million.
Can Amber Heard Pay Johnny Depp?
Amber Heard's lawyer said Thursday that she could not pay Johnny Depp the $10.4 million she owes him, as insiders informed The Post the actress is "poor" due to costly legal bills involved with the bombshell defamation trial. According to insiders, the 36-year-old actress is in financial trouble as a result of her high-profile legal fight with her ex-husband, including one who blamed Heard's previous excessive spending on travel, clothes, presents, and alcohol.
According to many reports, the 'Aquaman' star was forced to change legal counsel and is now depending on her home's insurance coverage to fund the expense of her current attorneys in the lawsuit. The Travelers Companies has paid most of Heard's legal cost under the actress's insurance coverage provisions. Pamela Johnson, a vice president at the insurance company, was seen in the Fairfax, Virginia, courtroom with Heard several times throughout her trial. Johnson and Travelers did not respond to phone calls from The Post.
In accordance with legal experts, employing house insurance plans in defamation claims is widespread. While the insurance company then hires and pays for the attorney, Virginia lawyer Jeremiah Denton noted that most plans include a language that states that judgment expenses are not covered.
Amber Heard was paid $1 million for the 2018 film 'Aquaman,' and another $2 million for the sequel, which is set to be released next year. Her part in the film has been drastically reduced. Witnesses said that when Depp's lawyer initiated a smear campaign against her, Heard lost many commercial sponsorships, including one with L'Oreal.
Amber Heard reportedly failed to follow through on her commitment to contribute $7 million from Depp's 2016 divorce settlement to the American Civil Liberties Union and the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, as per the New York Post.
Amber Heard Net Worth in 2022
According to CelebrityNetWorth.com, Heard is only worth $2.5 million, a far cry from the $150 million that the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' actor is said to be earning. The public defamation trial against her ex-husband revealed how much money she earned. Between 2013 and 2019, Heard earned just $10 million in pre-tax income from movie roles and endorsement deals, according to evidence. Her highest-paid year was 2019 when she earned $3 million.
Heard allegedly had a four-picture agreement with Warner Bros. She was paid $450,000 dollars for her debut appearance in a film, DC's 'Justice League,' and $1 million dollars for her work on the first "Aquaman" film. She was then paid $2 million dollars for its sequel and would have received between $3 and $4 million dollars if she had been hired in a third 'Aquaman' film.
Further evidence indicated that Heard was paid $200,000 each episode to star in 'The Stand,' which was based on Stephen King's horror novel. She earned $1.8 million from the nine-episode series.
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Johnny Depp-Amber Heard Defamation Trial
For six weeks, the defamation lawsuit launched by actor Johnny Depp against his ex-wife Amber Heard captivated the nation, providing a rare example of high-profile #MeToo claims and countercharges, including horrific allegations of physical abuse being fought out in the public spotlight of a courtroom.
Throughout the trial, Depp vehemently disputed Heard's claims that he subjected her to continuous physical violence, including punching and headbutting, as well as multiple instances of sexual assault. Depp praised the jurors in a statement following the judgment, saying it "given me my life back."
Amber Heard, who was in the courtroom when the judgment was given, said afterward that she was "beyond words" devastated by their decision. Heard did not appear encouraged by the jury's decision of $2 million in damages, accepting that she had been defamed on one occasion by a lawyer for Depp. Alafair Hall, Heard's spokesperson, said she planned to appeal.
Such issues are frequently settled outside of court, partly to minimize public scrutiny. The caustic allegations and embarrassing facts, in this case, were aired not only in open court but also in front of cameras that broadcast every accusation on television and live streams, where they became memes and were debated on social media.
Heard's 2018 op-ed never referenced Depp by name, but he said it linked to their marriage, which began in 2015 and ended a little over a year later, and that it was incorrect. The jury agreed, concluding that it contained multiple false assertions made with genuine malice. Several legal analysts were surprised by the judgment, noting that a British judge had determined two years ago that there was proof that Depp had frequently abused Heard.
This decision came in a libel suit launched by Depp after The Sun, a British tabloid daily, referred to him as a wife abuser in a headline. In that case, the judge decided that the defendants had demonstrated that what they published was substantially truthful, New York Times reported.
