The defamation trial between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard has shocked people around the world.
Heard is being sued by Depp for $50m (£40.1m) for suggesting he abused her in a 2018 Washington Post op-ed. Although she did not give his name, he claims her allegations affected his ability to work.
Heard has filed a countersuit, accusing Depp of allegedly organizing a “defamation campaign” against her and calling his own lawsuit a continuation of “abuse and harassment.”
Depp’s fans are a lot louder than Heard’s. At the time of writing, nearly 4.3 million people have signed the petition to have Heard removed from Aquaman 2, and celebrities like Winona Ryder and Javier Bardem have specifically expressed their support for him. Chris Rock even joked on stage that we should “believe all women except Amber Heard” — to considerable backlash.
But who supports Heard? See all the celebrities who spoke out for her below…
Kathy Griffin
Comedian Griffin was one of the first celebrities to endorse Heard. Commenting on the actor’s announcement that she would be taking a break from social media during the trial, she said, “Oh Doll. Thinking of you and sending all the love.”
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Howard Stern
While the veteran radio host hasn’t explicitly expressed his support for Heard, he has spoken out against Depp. In late April, he said on his SiriusXM show, “He was like, ‘I’m putting this on TV because I’m so persuasive and so smart and such a wonderful guy … I’m going to charm the pants of America at trial.’
“No you will not. This won’t go well. It’s not going well for you, it’s not going well for her. Nobody is fine. You sound like two children fighting. It just comes off very badly.”
Ellen Barkins
As a witness for the 2019 taped trial, actor Barkin claimed that a “jealous” dork once threw a wine bottle across a hotel room when they were dating in the early 1990s.
The jury also heard Barkin testify that her ex “controlled” during their brief time together, and they questioned where she went and what she did, telling her, “Don’t do this, don’t do that.”
“Just a jealous man controlling,” she said, remembering he would ask, “Where are you going? With whom you go? What did you do last night?”
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Barkin testified about a specific time when Depp allegedly got “very angry” and was accused of having sex with someone else because she had a minor scratch on her back.
Barkin’s testimony about the bottle incident was previously heard during Depp’s UK libel case with The Sun over an article in which the paper called him a “wife beater” – whom the Pirates of the Caribbean actor lost.
Depp denied the incident took place when Barkin’s claim surfaced, testifying that she called it abusive because she harbored a “grudge” against him.
“There was a sexual element that started with Ms. Barkin that really lasted for months because she was doing the movie that I was doing at the time, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,” Depp said.
“She wanted a real relationship with me and I didn’t want that. I didn’t feel the same way about her that she felt about me and I assume from that point on she got very, very angry and I haven’t spoken to Ms Barkin since.”
Julia Fox
Uncut Gems star Fox has publicly endorsed Heard. Taking to Instagram, she commented: “Did she hit him? Yes. Was it abuse? no You have to have power in order to abuse it. She was 25. He’s clearly always been a lot more powerful, physically and financially.”
(instagram)
David Krumholtz
Actor Krumholtz, who starred with Heard on the NBC drama The Playboy Club, posted a series of Instagram stories supporting her. “Drugs and alcohol turn men into monsters,” he wrote. “I think Amber Heard.”
(instagram)
Since the trial began on April 11, Depp supporters have shared their favorite moments from the courtroom on social media platforms. The hashtag #teamjohnnydepp has nearly 80 million views on TikTok, with some people criticizing the case’s “reminder”.
Follow live updates on the study here and find out who supported Depp here.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, you can call the 24-hour Domestic Abuse Helpline operated by Refuge on 0808 2000 247 or visit their website here.