The story of one of the most media-driven trials of Hollywood couples is coming to Netflix.
Tomorrow, Wednesday, August 16, the streaming platform premieres the documentary Depp vs. Heard , about the trial of Johnny Depp against Amber Heard.
The series, with three episodes and directed by the Australian Emma Cooper, presents an exhaustive analysis of the evolution of the legal battle between the two performers. The director of the documentary E merges the statements of the protagonists. In addition, he reflects on the testimonies and explores the impact on social networks, especially on TikTok and X (formerly known as Twitter), of the scandalous case that captured the attention of the US public.
In April of last year, in the county of Virginia, what was called, by a journalist from The Guardian, “the trial of TikTok” began. In 2018, Heard published an op-ed in The Washington Post stating that she was “a public figure who represents domestic abuse,” which was a direct accusation of abuse towards her ex-husband Johnny Depp. This column caused the actor to lose millionaire contracts with producers such as Disney and Warner Bros, who refused to work with him. Finally, the Eduardo Manostijeras actor sued his ex-wife for three counts of defamation and demanded 50 million dollars in damages. The Aquaman star countersued Depp for $10 million.
The court proceedings were broadcast live by the Court TV channel, which caused many of the defendants’ statements to be widely circulated on social networks, especially on Tiktok. The clips of the interrogations were parodied, turned into memes, and numerous influencers expressed their opinion and took a position in favor of one of the actors, mostly on the side of the protagonist of Pirates of the Caribbean. In his testimony, Heard claimed that the performer had subjected him to emotional, physical and sexual abuse, especially when he was under the influence of drugs and alcohol. On the other hand, Depp flatly denied the allegations. This led those involved to reveal personal and sensitive details of the relationship, which had started in 2012 and came to an end in 2017.
Finally, what at first seemed to be a trial between two American film celebrities turned into a “cultural phenomenon”. After six weeks of arguments, collection of evidence and allegations, the jury, at all times anonymous, concluded with a decision in favor of Johnny Depp. Heard should pay, in total, $15 million for “punitive damages and prejudice.”
After the most sensational trial of their professional careers, both Johnny Depp (60) and Amber Heard (37) have left the big screen. Depp was found unconscious in a Budapest hotel in July and says he has been focusing on his music career with the group Hollywood Vampires. Heard, for his part, has moved to Madrid with his daughter.
