Johnny Depp Admits That Three People Betrayed Him During Amber Heard Trial: 'They Did Me Dirty'

Yahoo

3 hours ago

is once again speaking out about the turbulent aftermath of his highly publicized legal battle with ex-wife , this time labeling himself a 'crash test dummy' for the #MeToo movement.
In a new interview, the 62-year-old actor reflected on how the media frenzy and public opinion during his defamation trial highlighted who in his life stood by him, and who didn't.
Johnny Depp also described the emotional toll the trial took on him personally and professionally.
'As weird as I am, certain things can be trusted. And my loyalty is the last thing anybody could question," Depp told The Sunday Times. "I was with one agent for 30 years, but she spoke in court about how difficult I was. That's death by confetti, these fake motherf-ckers who lie to you, celebrate you, say all sorts of horror behind your back, yet keep the money. That confetti machine [is] going because what do they want? Dough."
'I'll tell you what hurts. There are people, and I'm thinking of three, who did me dirty,' Depp revealed, though he declined to name names. 'Those people were at my kids' parties. Throwing them in the air. And, look, I understand people who could not stand up [for me], because the most frightening thing to them was making the right choice."
The "Pirates of the Caribbean" actor's comments come after his highly publicized trial against his ex Amber Heard, where bombshell accusations were dropped regarding assault and abuse.
'I was like a crash test dummy for MeToo, … and I sponged it, took it all in,' he said, referring to the global reckoning sparked by the #MeToo movement, which began in 2006 when activist Tarana Burke coined the phrase. 'And so I wanted from the hundreds of people I've met in that industry to see who was playing it safe. 'Better go woke!''
#MeToo went viral in 2017 after actress Alyssa Milano encouraged survivors of sexual assault and harassment to share their stories using the hashtag.
Heard's allegations against Depp surfaced in May 2016, about a year before the #MeToo movement exploded in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal.
The "Aquaman" actress accused Depp of domestic violence, eventually filing for divorce and securing a temporary restraining order. The couple finalized their split in August of that year, reaching a $7 million settlement.
But the legal battles were far from over.
In March 2019, Depp sued Heard for $50 million over a 2018 op-ed she wrote in The Washington Post, where she described facing backlash for speaking out against abuse, though she never mentioned Depp by name. The actor claimed the piece damaged his reputation and career.
The U.S. defamation case kicked off in April 2022 and quickly became a media spectacle.
Over the course of a six-week televised trial, both actors accused each other of verbal, physical, and emotional abuse. In June, a Virginia jury ruled largely in Depp's favor, ordering Heard to pay $10.35 million in damages. Depp was also ordered to pay $2 million to Heard over one count in her countersuit.
By December, the former couple reached a final settlement. Heard would pay Depp $1 million, which he pledged to distribute among several charities.
In the months that followed, Heard and her young daughter, Oonagh Paige, quietly relocated to Spain, leaving the Hollywood chaos behind, at least for now.
These comments come just days after Depp was spotted at Niño Jesús University Children's Hospital in Madrid dressed as his iconic "Pirates of the Caribbean" character, Captain Jack Sparrow.
Photos from the visit captured Johnny Depp dressed in full pirate attire, laughing with children and exchanging heartwarming pinky touches, a moment that brought smiles to both fans and hospital staff.
"From Osakidetza, and especially from all the staff at the Donostia University Hospital, we would like to express our infinite gratitude to Johnny Depp for his time, support, and energy, as well as to @sansebastianfes for facilitating this visit," Niño Jesús University Children's Hospital shared in a post.