Amber Heard mentioned she is petrified of additional lawsuits from her ex-husband Johnny Depp, particularly as she continues to talk out publicly following their closely publicized defamation trial.
Two weeks after a jury in Fairfax, Va., dominated that Heard, 36, had defamed Depp, 58, the Aquaman actor appeared on NBC’s At this time Present, the place she was interviewed by Savannah Guthrie.
Within the interview, Guthrie requested Heard concerning the jury’s choice to seek out her 2018 Washington Put up op-ed — through which she described herself as “a public determine representing home abuse” — defamatory. The jury declared a break up verdict, awarding Depp US$10 million in damages (plus $350,000 in punitive damages) and Heard a partial win of $2 million.
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Guthrie requested Heard if she was “nervous” about what she may and couldn’t say within the interview.
“In fact,” Heard responded. “I took without any consideration what I assumed was my proper to talk.”
Heard added that she was “scared” Depp would proceed to pursue authorized motion towards her.
“It doesn’t matter what I say, or how I say it, each step that I take will current one other alternative for this type of silencing,” she mentioned. “Which is what, I assume, a defamation lawsuit is supposed to do.”
‘The op-ed wasn’t about Johnny’
Heard claimed within the interview — and in court docket — that the Washington Put up op-ed, written two years after their divorce, was not about her former A-list husband.
The op-ed by no means talked about Depp by identify.
“What the op-ed was about was me loaning my voice to a much bigger cultural dialog that we had been having on the time,” Heard mentioned, referring to the #MeToo motion.
“It was essential for me to not make it about him, or to do something like defame him,” she added, saying she had “groups of attorneys” learn over the article drafts earlier than it was printed.
When requested if she needed Depp to be “cancelled,” like different highly effective males had been a results of the #MeToo motion, Heard vehemently denied this.
‘I didn’t need this to be recognized’
Heard mentioned the explanation she by no means informed police concerning the alleged home violence by the hands of Depp was that she “didn’t wish to co-operate with them.”
“I didn’t need this to be out,” she mentioned. “I didn’t wish to get him in hassle.”
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She mentioned regardless of her unwillingness to co-operate with police, she finally determined to file for a short lived restraining order towards Depp.
“You’ll be able to’t get a restraining order in personal, which in fact I didn’t perceive the evening when the cops are referred to as,” she mentioned.
She denied ever tipping off TMZ to when she can be submitting for the restraining order, opposite to what a TMZ worker testified in court docket.
The $7-million pledge
Guthrie requested Heard about her $7-million charity pledge that was a part of her divorce settlement with Depp. The pledge was a focus within the defamation trial, because it was revealed Heard had but to donate the total quantity. In court docket, Heard testified she makes use of the phrases ‘donate’ and ‘pledge’ interchangeably.
“I made a pledge and that pledge is remodeled time, by its nature,” Heard mentioned.
“I really feel like a lot of the trial was meant to forged aspersions on who I’m as a human, my credibility, to name me a liar in each method you possibly can,” she mentioned, interrupted by Guthrie, who mentioned that was exactly what the trial was.
Guthrie referred to as the trial a “credibility contest.”
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“I shouldn’t have needed to have donated it in an effort to be believed,” Heard mentioned, referring to the $7-million pledge.
The actor claimed she nonetheless plans to honour the pledge.
‘I’m not a very good sufferer’
Many graphic and disturbing textual content messages from Depp to pals (together with Marvel WandaVision star Paul Bettany) and workers had been learn aloud in court docket.
Guthrie requested Heard about one such textual content the place Depp promised “complete international humiliation” for Heard. Guthrie requested the actor if she felt her ex-husband was profitable.
Taking a deep breath, Heard replied, “I do know he promised it.”
“I testified to this. I’m not a very good sufferer,” she mentioned.
“However once I testified I requested the jury to see me as human and listen to his personal phrases, which is a promise to do that. It feels as if he has.”
‘I like him’
Through the trial, Heard informed the court docket, “I nonetheless have love for Johnny.”
When Guthrie requested the actor if this was nonetheless true, Heard mentioned it was.
“After every part?” Guthrie questioned.
“Completely,” Heard replied shortly. “I like him. I cherished him with all my coronary heart, and I attempted the perfect I may to make a deeply damaged relationship work.
“I’ve no unhealthy emotions or sick will in direction of him in any respect.”
‘I did the suitable factor’
When requested concerning the future, Heard mentioned she was enthusiastic about being a mother. Heard’s daughter, Oonagh Paige Heard, is one 12 months previous.
“I get to be a mother, like, full-time,” Heard mentioned with a smile.
Guthrie requested if and the way Heard would inform her daughter concerning the defamation trial sooner or later.
“I feel it doesn’t matter what it’s going to imply one thing,” Heard mentioned. “I did the suitable factor. I did every part I may to face up for myself and the reality.”
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