By Alisha Pälmke
In a TV interview, Amber Heard speaks publicly about the Johnny Depp trial for the first time.
Amber Heard (36) and Johnny Depp (58) fought a bitter, six-week mud fight in court. SHE had accused him of domestic violence, HE her slander. In the end, Depp emerged from the process as a big winner.
The jury ruled: Depp was falsely and maliciously accused of domestic violence by Heard. She now has to pay him 9.67 million euros in damages.
In an interview with the US broadcaster “NBC”, Amber Heard now speaks publicly for the first time.
The conversation, which was recorded on Thursday, was broadcast on Monday morning, with further excerpts to follow Tuesday and Wednesday from 7 a.m. local time on the “Today Show”. The full hour-long interview will be available on Dateline at 8 p.m. local time on Friday.
Who the actress blames
She doesn’t blame the jury, but the social media, according to Heard.
“Even someone who is sure that I deserve all this hate and criticism, even if you think I’m lying, you still can’t tell me and look me in the eye that it’s a fair portrayal on social media gave,” said Heard in an interview with moderator Savannah Guthrie (50).
What exactly does she mean by that? During the trial, hashtags such as #justiceforjohnnydepp and #amberheardisguilty were circulating online.
With almost 20 billion hashtag views on TikTok, it quickly became clear: social media is behind the “Pirates of the Caribbean” star, which, according to Heard, also influenced the jury.
“How could they have judged differently? How could they not have come to that conclusion?” Heard said. While the jury was instructed to stay away from social media, Heard’s legal team says that’s unlikely.
“There’s no way they weren’t affected by it, and it was horrible,” Heard’s attorney, Elaine Charlson Bredehoft, told NBC. It was online “a really, really one-sided representation”.
That’s why Amber Heard “doesn’t blame the jury.” Why do people celebrate their ex-husband like this? Heard: “He’s a popular character and people feel like they know him. He’s an outstanding actor.”
What Amber Heard is planning now
The actress has already announced that she intends to appeal. Why? Because there are professional judges in an appeals process who are supposed to be less influenced.
The renowned specialist lawyer Dr. Jürgen Rodegra explains to BILD that there is “no lay jury that often decides on gut feeling, even when it comes to the amount.”
So the fight is far from over for Amber Heard. What consequences would that have for Johnny Depp? Rodegra: “For Depp, such an appeal could mean that the sum would be corrected downwards.”
