Last Updated on 05/28/2022 by てんしょく飯
What will happen to Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s careers after their trial? Hollywood scandal experts weigh in. Highlights from the closing arguments of the trial, which lasted about a month and a half, are also presented.
Johnny Depp and Amber Heard Go to Trial Closing Arguments
On Friday, May 27 (U.S. local time), the trial in which actor Johnny Depp, known for his role in “Pirates of the Caribbean,” is suing his ex-wife, actress Amber Heard, for defamation, finally reached its final arguments.
As we have reported daily since the trial began on April 11, Johnny is suing Amber for $50 million (approximately $6.4 billion) for defamation on the grounds that she accused him of domestic violence in an op-ed she wrote for the Washington Post in 2018, in which she did not mention Johnny by name but identified herself as him, Amber also sued Johnny for $50 million (about 6.4 billion yen) in damages. Amber, on the other hand, is also suing Johnny for $100 million, claiming that she has been severely affected by the smear campaign he has set up to damage her career and reputation.
On the final day of the six-week trial, Johnny’s and Amber’s lawyers reorganized their respective claims.
Highlights of Johnny’s closing arguments
Camille Vazquez, the lawyer representing Johnny, supported Johnny’s claim that he was the victim of domestic violence and that he has never been violent toward women, including Amber, and said, “There is a perpetrator in this courtroom. But it is not Mr. Depp. There is a victim of domestic violence in this courtroom. But it is not Ms. Heard. The evidence presented in this court makes it clear that Ms. Heard is the perpetrator and Mr. Depp is the victim.”
The editorial, written two years after Amber’s divorce was called off and she turned the tables on her obsession with Johnny, filing for a restraining order in 2016 and providing the media with photos of bruises she claimed Johnny had beaten her with, was written to raise the profile of the movie “Aquaman” in which Amber was then starring, in time for its release. He claimed that the article was contributed to take advantage of the #MeToo movement that was being activated in Hollywood.
Another defense attorney, Ben Chu, said that Johnny’s name was forever tarnished by the unspoken domestic violence allegations, and that he “wants his name, reputation, and career back,” and that “for Mr. Depp, this trial is not about money or about punishing Ms. Heard. This trial is about Depp regaining his fame and freeing himself from the prison he has been trapped in for the past six years. This trial is also about proving to Depp’s children, Lily Rose and Jack, that the truth is worth fighting for,” he said, his voice shaking with emotion. After the argument, Johnny hugged attorney Chu’s shoulder and thanked him for his help, which became a hot topic among social media users who were watching the live broadcast.
Highlights of Amber’s closing argument
On the other hand, Ben Rottenborn, Amber’s attorney, asked Amber to consider the impact of treating her as a “liar” in court when she claims to have been the victim of domestic violence and sexual assault. He also said, “Just because you didn’t take a picture doesn’t mean that it didn’t happen. I can’t believe that if I did take a picture, they would say it was fake. Just because I didn’t tell my friends about the damage doesn’t mean I am lying. If I did tell my friends, how could I be told that they were part of the fabrication? I didn’t get medical treatment, so I didn’t get hurt? If I get treatment, they will say I’m crazy,” she commented, arguing that by not trusting Amber, who claims to be a domestic violence survivor, she is making it difficult for other survivors to report their victimization.
He also pointed out that the criminalization of Amber’s editorial would threaten the freedom of expression guaranteed by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Amber’s attorney Elaine Bredehoeft commented that the trial itself was “mental abuse” for Amber, who claims to be a victim of domestic violence, and claimed that Amber did not counter sue Johnny for double the amount for monetary purposes, but sued him back as a means of compensation for the pain she has endured. Amber did not counter sue Johnny for double the amount for money.
How do Hollywood scandal experts view the trial?
Both Johnny and Amber have insisted on their innocence, but it is clear that the divorce drama that has been going on since 2016 has cast a heavy and dark shadow over the image of the two, who were once the Hollywood star couple that the rest of the world admired.
In a trial in the United Kingdom in 2020, Johnny lost the case, which forced him to drop out of the “Fantastic Beasts” film series. As for Amber, she also claimed that her role in the sequel to the MCU film “Aquaman,” which was supposed to be a career-making film for her, was drastically cut. Although a Warner Bros. executive testified that this had nothing to do with her trial with Johnny, that she did not feel chemistry with lead actor Jason Momoa, and that the storyline of the film did not originally include a lot of screen time for the character Amber plays, ” Since “Aquaman,” Amber has not been cast in a film.
Although the trial is in the hands of a seven-member jury, which is expected to reach a verdict after May 31 local time, scandal experts in Hollywood say that the public reception of Johnny and Amber seems to be clearly divided between the bright and dark sides.
One anonymous Crisis PR expert, after analyzing the public reaction on social networking sites during the trial, told Entertainment Weekly that no matter what the outcome of the trial, Johnny was the one who won public opinion on his side.
The only thing that matters in our business is public opinion, the opinion of the court.
The expert said that many people took the stand as witnesses for Johnny’s side, especially his former girlfriend, model Kate Moss, who had allegedly been pushed down a flight of stairs during their relationship. Johnny’s denial of the allegation was also significant.
Johnny analyzed that it must have been meaningful for him to have had an opportunity to tell the truth at least on his side through this trial, and to have raised suspicions in the public that Amber “might be untrustworthy. Despite the various problems that he has been facing, he also noted the daily protests by Johnny’s fans outside the courthouse, “Someone will do business with him in some way,” and he said that there is a good chance that Johnny will be able to continue working as an actor, if not as usual. He also expressed his personal opinion.
As for Amber, another expert analyzes that her future career will depend on whether she wins or loses the actual trial. If she wins the trial, it will prove that she was right, and there is no reason not to use her,” said another expert.
What will the jury really decide?
コメント