Last summer, for a good month and a half, actors Johnny Depp and Amber Heard dominated the news. Their defamation case was broadcast almost daily from Fairfax County Circuit Court in Virginia, with millions of people across the globe tuning in to watch.
Depp, 59, had sued the Aquaman star, 37, for $50m over a Washington Post article she had written, titled: "I spoke up against sexual violence - and faced our culture's wrath. That has to change." While the article does not mention Depp by name, his lawyers said it falsely implied he physically and sexually abused Heard while they were together.
The couple had met in 2009 on the set of the film The Rum Diary and reportedly started dating by the start of 2012. They eventually married during a private ceremony in 2015, but Heard filed for divorce a year later.
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During the trial, both parties went on to accuse each other of domestic abuse, and as evidence was heard throughout six weeks, social media users weighed in with their own opinions and theories. Witnesses took to the stand, including family members, friends, colleagues, employees and other individuals including British supermodel Kate Moss, as well as both Depp and Heard.
During the course of the trial at Fairfax County District Court, legions of fans gathered outside in an attempt to enter the courtroom and observe proceedings. Following weeks of evidence and roughly 13 hours of deliberation, jurors returned a verdict in favour of Depp.
He was awarded compensatory damages of $10m (£8m) and a further $5m (£4m) in punitive damages. The actor had consistently denied the 'outrageous, outlandish' claims of abuse and said he had 'spoken up for what [he has] been carrying on [his] back reluctantly for six years' in his evidence during the trial.
During closing remarks, both sides urged jurors to think about other victims of domestic abuse. Heard’s legal team highlighted the message that a verdict in Depp's favour would send to others, while the actor's representatives said her claims were 'an act of profound cruelty to true survivors'.
Following the verdict, Heard said she felt 'heartbroken'. She added: "The disappointment I feel today is beyond words."
Depp, in a statement, said he 'feels at peace' and was 'truly humbled', adding: "The best is yet to come and a new chapter has finally begun."
Now, a year on from the explosive courtroom battle, Channel 4 is revisiting the case in a three-part documentary.
What has happened to Johnny and Amber since?
In December, Heard announced she had settled the multimillion-dollar defamation case with Depp. She said the 'very difficult decision' was “not an act of concession” but an opportunity to resolve the situation “on terms I can agree to”.
It came less than a month after she had sought to appeal against the verdict, arguing that it would have a “chilling” effect on other women.
Since, Depp announced that he would be touring the UK with his band Hollywood Vampires this summer. This May, he made an appearance at Cannes Film Festival, where he said he no longer thought about Hollywood. He added: "I don’t have much need of Hollywood, because it’s a weird time [there]. Everyone wants to be themselves, but they can’t, because they feel they have to fall in line.”
Meanwhile, Heard has reportedly moved to Madrid, Spain with her two-year-old daughter. She was recently spotted going about her day in the city, taking time to chat to fans and take selfies with them, reports the Daily Mail.
Depp V Heard airs on Channel 4 from on Sunday, May 21 at 9pm. The following two episodes will air on Monday, May 22 at 10pm, and Tuesday, May 23 at 10pm.
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