Depp fights on to clear name in US libel case
JOHNNY DEPP is to pursue Amber Heard for libel in the US despite a High Court judge ruling that a newspaper description of him as a “wife beater” was “substantially true”.
The actor has made it clear he will continue to sue his former wife over an article she wrote for The Washington Post in 2018, in which she called herself the survivor of domestic abuse.
The Pirates of the Caribbean star’s US lawyer, Benjamin Chew, told The Daily Telegraph: “Mr Depp absolutely plans to move forward with the case in the Circuit Court of Fairfax County.”
The move raises the prospect of another bruising court battle for the 57-yearold as he tries to restore his shattered reputation.
Depp decided to sue The Sun newspaper in the British courts – ahead of his case against Ms Heard in the US – over allegations he was violent towards her.
On Monday Mr Justice Nicol threw out the defamation claim against The Sun’s publisher NGN, ruling that the newspaper had proved that what was in the article was “substantially true”. He concluded Ms Heard had suffered “terrifying” domestic violence, physical fights and drug abuse that left her “in fear of her life”.
But Depp has apparently decided it is worth gambling on another court case in an attempt to salvage his career and public image.
There are now calls for film studios and advertisers to cut their ties with Depp following the finding that he had assaulted Ms Heard on a number of occasions.
But JK Rowling, t he author and producer of the Warner Bros Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them film franchise, was yesterday refusing to comment on whether Depp should continue to appear in the Harry Potter spin-offs.
Nicki Norman of Women’s Aid, said: “The Depp verdict is likely to have an impact on his future employability, because film companies may not want to be associated with an abusive man.
“Abusers need to understand the implications of their behaviour.”
Depp, who is f acing a £5 million bill over his UK court proceedings, is seeking $50 million (£38 million) in damages from Heard, 34, over her 2018 article.