DEPP’S CAREER IN TATTERS
Wife- beater faces ruin
JOHNNY Depp’s career was in tatters last night after a judge ruled he was a wife- beating monster.
The Pirates Of The Caribbean star, 57, lost his libel battle against a UK publisher who claimed he had repeatedly assaulted his ex Amber Heard, 34, during their explosive fouryear relationship.
The judge Mr Justice Nicol tossed out Depp’s claim for damages saying the article – which branded the star a wife- beater – was “substantially true”.
He said the actor, who played Captain Jack Sparrow in the blockbusting Pirates movies, had a sinister alter- ego he himself called “The Monster” which emerged when Depp was high on booze and drugs.
The judge ruled while in that dark state the actor assaulted Ms Heard 12 times.
Depp launched his legal action against News Group Newspapers after an article appeared asking why author JK Rowling was allowing a “wife- beater” to appear in her Fantastic Beasts films.
PR guru Mark Borkowski said: “This is like an indelible stain on his character.’’
And lawyer Mark Stephens said it was immensely damaging to Depp’s career.
But he said he thought the actor’s decision to sue was ill- advised.
Mr Stephens added: “This is something which could have been dealt with quietly out of the public spotlight.
“It is something he could have chalked up to his bad- boy image and moved on.
“I think the only way he recovers is by admitting the problems that he obviously has and getting treatment. Then I think
Hollywood and the public will forgive him.
“But it’s difficult to see how companies like Disney can continue to promote somebody who is a wife- beating drug addict.”
Movie giants Warner Bros refused to say if the actor would appear in the third instalment of Rowling’s Harry Potter spin- off Fantastic Beasts, due for release next year.
Ms Heard, who gave evidence on behalf of the publishers and story author Dan Wootton, claimed Depp – who has no criminal convictions – was a serial abuser.
In his ruling the judge said: “The great majority of alleged assaults… have been proved to the civil standard’’.
He rejected two of Ms Heard’s allegations but dismissed Depp’s claim she was the abuser and had invented the assault claims as an “insurance policy”.
Mr Justice Nicol said that she had donated her divorce settlement to charity was “hardly the act one would expect of a gold- digger.”
A spokesman for News Group Newspapers said: “Domestic abuse victims must never be silenced and we thank the judge for his careful consideration and thank Amber Heard for her courage in giving evidence.”
Depp’s solicitor Jenny Afia said: “This decision is as perverse as it is bewildering.
“It would be ridiculous for Mr Depp not to appeal this decision.’’