Amber Heard says she’s ‘scared’ Johnny Depp will sue her again for defamation. However, that won’t shut her up. In the first interview she gave after Johnny Depp’s trial, in which she was ordered to pay the actor $10.35 million, the actress was asked if she stood by her statement: “Of course and I will do it to the death. I know what happened to me. I am here as a survivor. To my last day I will keep every word of my testimony,” he replied.
The journalist asked Heard about Depp’s promise that he would achieve a global humiliation of his ex-wife: “I know he promised that. I’m not a good victim. I get it. I’m not a nice victim. I’m not a perfect victim. I am not a saint. I don’t ask anyone to like me. But when I testified, I asked the jury to just see me as a person and listen to his words, his promise to do this. He promised to humiliate me. He promised to ruin me. It’s as tough as it sounds,” he said.
The date line program which combined the interview with explanations of the case, was broadcast in prime time. The interviewer was Savannah Guthrie, one of NBC’s star anchors, who has worked for years as an attorney and journalist specializing in legal issues. Since 2012, she has co-hosted The Today Show, the network’s daily morning show.
The actress has complained about the whole show surrounding the trial: “I didn’t want it to be an issue. I didn’t want there to be a process. I didn’t want it to be part of the conversation. But if someone sues you, you really don’t have a choice.”
The presenter asked her about the footage heard at the trial, in which she admits hitting Depp and being the one who initiated the physical violence, and the actress justified herself: “If you live in violence and it becomes something normal as I have testified, you have to adjust. They employ coping strategies… If it meant the difference between a broken nose or a sore cheek, I would do it.”
The actress also took her share of the blame: “You hear my voice on these tapes and it’s not my voice now. It’s not who I am now. I have done and said horrible and unfortunate things throughout my relationship. I was behaving horribly, almost unrecognizable to myself. There are many things I regret,” he said.
As for Depp’s attorneys saying that the actress gave “the interpretation of her life” during the trial, the actress responded, “And who says that? The actor who convinced the world his hands are scissors?” based on the film Eduardo Scissorhands starring Depp.
A picture of Johnny Depp and Amber Heard from 2011 when they were a couple. Joel Ryan (AP)
“I don’t care what people think of me, nor the judgments they want to make about what happened in the privacy of my home, in my marriage, behind closed doors. I don’t think the average person should know these things. And that’s why I don’t take it personally. But even someone who is sure that I deserve all this hatred and stinginess, even if you think I’m lying, you couldn’t even look me in the eye and tell me you think it’s a fair portrayal has given on social media. You can’t tell me you think that’s fair,” the actress told Savannah Guthrie.
Regarding the role of the jury, he pointed out in a fragment presented a few days ago: “I don’t blame them. It wasn’t… I don’t blame them. In fact I understand that [Johnny Depp] He’s a very popular character. And people feel like they know him. He’s an amazing actor.” He adds, “After three and a half weeks of hearing testimonies about how amazing I was, how could you believe a word that came out of my mouth?”
Amber Heard while testifying during one of the negotiation sessions ELIZABETH FRANTZ (REUTERS)
The program showed notes from Heard’s therapists, which were not admitted into evidence at trial, in which he wrote down the history of abuse he allegedly suffered from Depp. It was also recalled that when Depp unsuccessfully sued The Sun in London for naming him as the perpetrator, a judge found 12 episodes of violence proven.
Amber Heard has been sentenced to pay actor Johnny Depp $10.35 million for defamation for an article published in The Washington Post in which she described herself as a representative of abuse victims without citing her ex-husband. Heard, in turn, was ordered to pay the actress two million dollars for some testimonies from his attorneys who accused Heard and his friends of fabricating false evidence to prove abuse. However, allegations that the ill-treatment was a hoax were not considered defamatory.
Heard feared the outcome of the process. The NBC journalist asked the actress if she felt confident the day she heard the verdict: “That’s a great question. I wish I could tell you yes, but it wouldn’t be true,” he said.
There was also an exchange between Guthrie and Heard about his feelings towards Depp:
“On day one of the trial you made a statement and part of the statement was ‘I still have love for Johnny.
-Yes.
“Is that still true?”
-Yes.
“After everything that happened?”
-Absolutely. I want him. I loved him with all my heart. And I’ve done my best to make a deeply broken relationship work. And I couldn’t.
The process was followed with great interest worldwide. Feminist groups believe that this can do great harm to the me-too movement. They believe the risk that a woman who has suffered abuse, abuse or sexual violence faces a defamation lawsuit could deter her from speaking out. For his part, Depp interprets his victory as confirmation of the presumption of innocence.
Heard also referred to this in the interview: “I hope that hasn’t had this chilling effect that I fear it might have on other people. I’m worried about that. But I can look at life and say I’m still here. Perhaps that serves to balance some of the very, very real fears that others may have about speaking up or speaking out.
“I think whatever happens, it’s going to mean something. I did the right thing, I did everything to defend myself and the truth. I want to live my life and I have a long road ahead of me I hope, and I will move on with my head held high,” Heard concluded, saying she will now dedicate herself to being a “full-time mom.”