Depp’s big victory party in Notting Hill – before he knew he’d won
And court saviour Kate was there
HIS career and reputation were resting on a knife-edge, but as a US jury pondered the lurid accusations of domestic abuse surrounding Johnny Depp, the star was already out celebrating, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.
On Tuesday night, hours before the vicious libel battle with ex-wife Amber Heard drew to a dramatic finale, the Hollywood A-lister threw a lavish party in London that had all the hallmarks of a victory bash.
Revellers at the exclusive members’ club Laylow in trendy Notting Hill – including Depp’s star witness, supermodel Kate Moss – racked up a bill thought to be in the region of £250,000 as drinking and dancing to ‘really hard techno’ continued until 5am. But the bill is dwarfed by the $15million (£12million) 58-year-old Depp was awarded in damages a few hours later when the court in Virginia found in his favour.
‘It was a real celebration and it went on and on,’ said a source. ‘At the time, Johnny didn’t even know he had won the case.
‘A lot of money was spent. The wine, the cocktails and the venue hire didn’t come cheap, but it was the end of the battle with Amber and he clearly wanted to mark that moment in style. Johnny didn’t get there until a bit later, but it was a proper old-school showbiz party.’
Laylow – which boasts a wine list that includes a £595 Tuscan red and £429 Californian cabernet sauvignon – is no stranger to celebrity parties, with David Beckham, Stormzy, Mick Jagger, Poppy Delevingne and Rita Ora all having
‘It didn’t come cheap – a proper showbiz party’
hosted bashes there. Depp turned up on Tuesday night after performing with rock star Jeff Beck at the Royal Albert Hall, where Ms Moss was watching.
The model, who had a four-year relationship with Depp in the 1990s, had proved to be a key witness in the libel trial, rubbishing claims by Ms Heard that she had been a victim of domestic abuse at the hands of Depp, testifying that he ‘never pushed me, kicked me or threw me down any stairs’.
It supported Depp’s case against Ms Heard over an article she wrote calling herself a ‘public figure representing domestic abuse’.
Depp was back alongside Beck on stage in Glasgow on Friday night performing hits including Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On? and The Beatles’ Paperback Writer. During the Royal Concert Hall gig, fans screamed: ‘Innocent! Innocent!’
One Hollywood insider suggested it was ‘not inconceivable’ that Depp could now return to the Pirates Of The Caribbean franchise, possibly in a cameo role. Meanwhile Ms Heard, 36, is facing financial ruin.