Last Updated on 06/13/2023 by てんしょく飯
Amber Heard, who has basically disappeared from the public eye since losing her defamation case against Johnny Depp a year ago, is returning to the glamorous scene after a long absence.
She is set to screen her starring role in “In the Fire” at the Taormina Film Festival in Sicily, Italy, starting June 23.
The indie film, which was shot early last year just before Depp and Heard’s libel trial began, is a supernatural thriller set in 1899 in which Heard plays an American psychiatrist who is forced to confront a child with bizarre behavior. He is asked to visit Colombia to examine a child who is behaving strangely, but the village priest insists that the child is possessed by the devil. The story seems to be about the conflict between medicine and religion, which puts not only the child but also all the people in the village in danger.
The film is a co-production between Italy and the U.S. and is directed by Conor Allin. Other than Heard, the cast is virtually unknown. A U.S. distributor is attached to the film, but no release schedule is known. This is the first time Heard has starred in a film since “All the Boys Love Mandy Lane” (not released in Japanese theaters) in 2006, which was delayed for seven years in North America due to distribution problems.
Depp, a three-time Oscar nominee, said at trial that there were doubts about his acting ability in casting Heard in “The Rum Diary” and that Heard was able to get the role in “Aquaman” because Depp gave three Warner Bros. executives a call, Heard testified to a fact that was disgraceful to Heard.
Warner executives also testified that she had a hard time in “Aquaman” because she did not have the star power to match the lead Jason Momoa. For Heard, who clearly expressed her displeasure at being referred to in such a manner, this starring role is a chance to prove her ability and star charisma and make up for it. Several feminist organizations have expressed their support for Heard even after the loss (none of those women probably watched the trial), and we suspect that she will be warmly welcomed at the film festival (again, by those who did not watch the trial), at least.
Warner must be keeping a close eye on the reaction here. Despite the huge online petition to remove Heard’s scenes from the “Aquaman” sequel “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom,” which is set to be released later this year, the film is said to still have scenes of her in it. They must continue to rack their brains as to which one is more at risk, since it cost an order of magnitude more money than “In the Fire.” Ironically, the festival will also screen “Jeanne du Barry,” a film starring Depp that opened last month’s Cannes Film Festival. It is inevitable that people will remember the trial of two people who are otherwise fresh in their memories.
Heard’s strong ambition to become famous
After the verdict is handed down on June 1, 2022, Heard’s life is lackluster. Heard and her lawyers tried to get the trial to start over, arguing that there was a juror who should not have been there, but the judge simply dismissed the case. If she had a problem with the jury, she should have objected before the trial began, but after six weeks of trial, there was no way she would allow herself to suddenly say something just because she lost the case. The one-hour exclusive television interview that Heard appeared in shortly after the loss of the case also received the worst ratings. Heard is also being sued by one of his two insurance companies, claiming that he should not have to pay attorney’s fees after it was found that he intentionally defamed Depp. This lawsuit is still ongoing.
Even in the midst of all this, Heard, unable to control his ego, appealed, but it was clear that it was a waste of money and time to spend money on something that could not be won, and late last year, a settlement was reached with Heard paying Depp $1 million. Not a bad deal, considering that the judge sentenced Depp to pay $10.35 million. Moreover, the insurance company of the one not suing Heard has agreed to pay this $1 million. Still unable to hide his frustration, Heard posted on Instagram, “I will defend my truth,” and “I admit to nothing (that I had domestic violence). She also said, “I have received no restrictions on what I may not say in the future,” and even flirted with the possibility that she may still continue to speak out as a victim of domestic violence in the future. There are reports that she is trying to write a book, although it may or may not be true.
Heard currently lives quietly with her daughter in Madrid, Spain (she was born and raised near Austin, Texas, and often accompanied her father, a construction worker, across the border to find workers, and she speaks Spanish). There has been no talk of work since “In the Fire” and the “Aquaman” sequel, which she finished filming before the trial, but a person claiming to be a friend of Heard’s told the Daily Mail, “She is in no hurry to return to Hollywood. She will return when the right time and the right project come along.
But is she really taking it easy like that? In the trial, Depp said of Heard, “She is full of ambition to become famous. She is full of ambition to become famous, and I was used as a means to that end. Perhaps she is trying to figure out how to get back into the limelight as a Hollywood actress. Could her attendance at this film festival be the first step in that direction?
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