LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Johnny Depp and Amber Heard both seem to be on the rise in their individual careers, thanks to the end of their tedious defamation trial, which was initiated after the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' made allegations against his ex-wife. As the much-publicized trial ended around a year ago, on June 1, 2022, sources opened up about the former couple and their respective trajectories with PEOPLE, as per an article published on Wednesday, July 5.
The jury ruled in favor of the 'Edward Scissorhands' actor as they found most aspects of the claimed defamation to be true, giving Depp an overwhelming victory at the trial, awarding him $10 million in compensatory damages. According to one of his close sources, Depp has "closed the chapter" on the litigation, and "he feels incredibly lucky to do what he loves," which possibly points to his career as an actor.
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When did Depp and Heard's defamation trial end?
John C Depp, II v Amber Laura Heard was a six-week-long court trial that took place in Fairfax County, Virginia, between April 11 and June 1, 2022, to address accusations of defamation brought against the 'Aquaman' actress by her former husband. Heard went on to pay her ex $1 million in damages after settling for an amount less than $10 million, as confirmed by a source close to Depp. The 'Sweeney Todd' will be donating the money to five charities including the Make-A-Film Foundation, The Painted Turtle, Red Feather, Marlon Brando's Tetiaroa Society, and the Amazonia Fund Alliance.
Amber Heard has 'new energy'
Even though Depp was awarded $10 million in damages, Heard also had one of her three counterclaims upheld by the jury. The panel found that Depp's lawyer had slandered Heard by asserting that she and her companions had invented proof of an altercation between her and her ex-husband in 2016, granting her $2 million as damage compensation. In the end, the ex-couple made an agreement over the jury verdicts, and Heard was only required to pay $1 million to Depp.
Also Read: Johnny Depp's 'Jeanne du Barry' gets a standing ovation but Amber Heard's 'In the Fire' gets panned
Heard sold her property in Yucca Valley, California, for $1.1 million in 2022 and has since relocated to Spain. According to a source close to her, she felt the need to leave after receiving death threats and bad press throughout the arduous trial. "She just had to get out of the US," the informer stated, adding, "It felt like too much chaos." After relocating to Madrid with her infant daughter Oonagh Paige, Heard "has new energy and is focused on things that she loves," claimed another source.
'She is hopeful she will get projects'
As of now, the actress is making an effort to resurrect her acting career, much like her ex-husband. In her most recent film, 'In The Fire', Heard portrays an American psychiatrist in the 1890s who travels to Columbia to treat an autistic boy whose father and the local priest believe he is under the devil's control due to the loss of his mother. She will also be making a comeback as Mera in 'Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom', the filming for which was wrapped up before the trial began. Now that some of the turmoil has subsided, a source claimed that "she is hopeful she will get projects."
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