Johnny Depp And Amber Heard Feud: Complete Timeline
The courtroom trial going on between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard is currently one of the most widely discussed issues. It has brought the private details of Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s relationship to light, while also opening up global conversations about false accusations and men as victims of domestic violence. This trial follows the libel trial that transpired in the U.K. in 2020 where Depp had sued the executive editor and publisher of the Sun regarding a published article. Depp has now filed a case against Heard for $50 million in damages over an article penned by her that directly referred to him as a domestic abuser, a claim that he denies. Heard is countersuing for $100 million accusing him of creating a “smear campaign” while she profusely claims that she only used violence in order to protect herself or her younger sister.
The ongoing court case is taking place in Fairfax County, Virginia and it is expected to last a few more weeks. For anyone curious about the progression of this relationship, here is a breakdown of Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s relationship as well as the trial that followed it.
2009: The Two Meet
The two Hollywood actors first met while filming the movie, “The Rum Diary” which is based on a novel of the same name by Hunter S. Thompson. He plays Paul Kemp, a journalist, and Heard is in the role of an engaged woman, Chenault. During this shoot, both of them were in separate relationships; Depp was married to Vanessa Paradis while Heard was dating Tasya Van ree, a photographer.
2012: Started Dating
According to the court documents, this is the period that the two started dating each other. Johnny Depp separated from his wife, Paradis in the same year after a 14-year relationship.
2014: Got Engaged
It was this year that both Johnny Depp and Amber Heard got engaged. Depp confirmed the engagement, pointing to the ring on his hand after Heard was photographed wearing an engagement ring.
2015: The Marriage
The couple got married in February 2015 on Depp’s private island in the Bahamas. According to his testimony, it was a private ceremony with approximately 20-25 attendees. Lily-Rose, Depp’s daughter was not present at the ceremony as she and Heard were not on great terms with each other for various reasons.
2016: The Divorce
On 23rd May 2016, Amber Heard filed for divorce on the grounds of irreconcilable differences. Later, on May 27, she filed for a restraining order on account of the claim that Depp was abusive. Heard claims that she had a phone thrown at her by Depp in the middle of a fight, which left a bruise. However, the police officers called by her on the same day testified in court that they had only seen signs of crying but none suggesting physical injury.
According to her, he had been physically and verbally abusive towards her throughout the entirety of their relationship. She explained how she lived in constant paranoia that Depp would go to their house and abuse her physically and emotionally. She had also requested mandatory anger management classes for Johnny Depp to attend along with the extension of the restraining order to their shared dogs. However, the judge refused both of these demands.
2017: Divorce Settlement
Their divorce was finalized in 2017. They put out a joint statement announcing the split and clarifying how neither party had the intention of causing any emotional or physical harm.
Heard publicly claimed that she planned to donate the $7 million divorce settlement to the Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles as well as the American Civil Liberties Union.
June 2018: The Sun Sued By Depp
Depp sued “The Sun” for £200,000. This was to be a libel case over a headline that called Depp a “wife beater”.
December 2018: Op-ed By Heard
Heard penned an op-ed to be published in The Washington Post, throwing light on her experience as a domestic abuse survivor without ever directly mentioning Depp’s name. She wrote about the “wrath” faced by her at the hands of the public as a survivor who had the courage to speak out about her troubles. She took note of her personal experience with abuse faced at different stages in her life.
2019: Heard Sued For Defamation
Depp sued Amber Heard on the grounds of defamation through the Washington Post op-ed. He denies any claims of abuse against him and believes that the article was a hoax through which Heard wished to gain positive press. The suit also suggested that Heard was not the victim but rather the perpetrator of domestic abuse.
2020: Lawsuit Against The Sun
In July of 2020, the libel trial against the executive editor, Dan Wootton, and the parent company of the Sun began in the UK. Heard testified that Depp had been abusive towards her on at least 14 occasions, all of which was denied by him.
Vanessa Paradis, Depp’s ex-wife, came up to defend him saying that the actor is anything but a violent person. Depp also believed that during their marriage, Heard got into affairs with Elon Musk and James Franco. Along with that, he also claimed that she had defecated on their bed.
Finally, a high court judge decided in favor of the Sun, claiming that the allegations against Depp were substantially true. In an Instagram post, Depp noted how he had been asked to resign from the Fantastic Beasts franchise. He pledged to fight for the truth and planned to appeal against the judgment.
2021: Appeal For Libel Case Denied
Depp and his legal team collected and brought fresh evidence. This evidence proved that Heard had lied about donating her settlement money. However, Depp was not allowed to appeal the previous ruling.
In the 2022 defamation trial, it was revealed by the Chief Operating Officer of the American Civil liberties Union that Heard had only donated $1.3 million of the total $ 3.5 million. Apparently, $500,000 of the total donation was provided by Elon Musk.
2022: Defamation Trial
The long-awaited defamation trial now began in Fairfax, Virginia and it is due to last six weeks. Depp has shared private details of his brief marriage during the trial, numerous of which paint Heard as the perpetrator of domestic evidence. He revealed how she once struck him with a “roundhouse punch”. An audio recording was also played in court where Heard herself admitted to hitting him. Apparently, Heard had also severed Depp’s middle finger by throwing a vodka bottle at him. He testified that he turned to substance abuse in order to cope with his trauma.
Heard has denied these claims. Text messages between Depp and his friends also provide information about his relationship with Heard. In one of his texts to actor Paul Bettany, he said that he wanted to burn her.
Few Final Words
In one of the biggest proofs supporting his claims, an audio clip was played where Heard mocks him for potentially seeking justice as a domestic abuse survivor. Heard has not yet taken the stand, although she plans to do so in the upcoming weeks of the trial.