The “Aquaman” star was found to have defamed ex-husband Depp with her claims of domestic abuse in a 2018 Washington Post op-ed piece that did not name Depp specifically. After a six-week-long trial, Depp was awarded $10.4 million in damages. During her first interview since the June 1 verdict, Heard opened told “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie about the social media bias in the trial. “I don’t care what one thinks about me or what judgments you want to make about what happened in the privacy of my own home, in my marriage, behind closed doors,” Heard said, via NBC News. “I don’t presume the average person should know those things. And so I don’t take it personally.” She continued, “But even somebody who is sure I’m deserving of all this hate and vitriol, even if you think that I’m lying, you still couldn’t look me in the eye and tell me that you think on social media there’s been a fair representation. You cannot tell me that you think that this has been fair.”
The “Rum Diary” star added, regarding the jury, “I don’t blame them,” especially amid the social media hashtag #JusticeforJohnny and overwhelming support from his fans. (Anyone who live-streamed the trial on YouTube knows the level of vitriol viewers aired out.) “I actually understand,” Heard said. “He’s a beloved character and people feel they know him. He’s a fantastic actor.” The full interview will air Tuesday, June 14 and Wednesday, June 15 on “Today” and in a special “Dateline” segment on Friday, June 17 at 8 p.m. ET. Heard previously called the verdict a “disappointment” and ultimately a “setback” for women everywhere amid the #MeToo movement. “I’m heartbroken that the mountain of evidence still was not enough to stand up to the disproportionate power, influence, and sway of my ex-husband,” Heard said in a statement at the time. “It sets back the clock to a time when a woman who spoke up and spoke out could be publicly shamed and humiliated.” Heard’s attorney, Elaine Bredehoft, formerly announced that Heard intends to appeal the verdict and is financially unable to pay the $10.4 million to Depp. Leading #MeToo attorney Lee Feldman told IndieWire that he was “not surprised by the verdict, given the reaction to the proceedings on Twitter and social media.” “The jury seems to have had the same opinion as the legions of Johnny Depp fans on social media,” Feldman said. “So the verdict doesn’t surprise me. It concerns me greatly. I think it’s going to have a deleterious effect on the #MeToo movement.”
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) June 13, 2022 Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.
