Latest news with #defamation
Fox News
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Amber Heard
Amber Heard has acted in many television shows and movies including 'Aquaman,' and 'Criminal Minds.' Heard also had a lot of press around her very public relationship with now ex-husband, Johnny Depp. She was born on April 22, 1986, in Austin, Texas to parents Paige and David Heard. Heard, whose net worth is now $-6 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth losing the defamation trial to Depp, got her film debut in the movie, 'Friday Night Lights' in 2004. After that movie, she went on to work in many other films like 'North Country,' 'All the Boys Love Mandy Lane,' 'Pineapple Express' and 'Zombieland.' She also had various television appearances in shows like 'The O.C,' 'Criminal Minds,' 'Californication' and 'Hidden Palms.' Some other films Heard was in during the earlier stages of her career were 'The Stepfather,' 'The Ward,' 'Drive Angry,' 'Syrup,' and '3 Days to Kill.' In 2011, Heard played Chenault in 'The Rum Diary.' She and Depp met during the filming of the movie. They were both in relationships at the time, but eventually started dating in 2012. The pair got married in 2015, but got divorced two years later. They have been in a huge legal battle since Heard wrote an op-ed for The Washington Post, implying that she was abused by Depp. After a six week trial in Fairfax, Virginia that millions tuned in to watch, the jury found that Heard had defamed Depp and awarded the actor $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive, which were reduced to $350,000 due to Virginia's law. Heard was awarded $2 million in compensatory damages due to the statements made by Depp's attorney Adam Waldman. Heard owes $10.35 million to Depp, an amount that her lawyers have said she cannot afford to pay. Heard and her team have tried to appeal, but have been unsuccessful in their endeavors. One big role that the actress is known for is playing Mera, in 'Aquaman' with Jason Mamoa. She also plays the character in the 2017 'Justice League' and in 'Zack Snyder's Justice League.' She is in the 'Aquaman' sequel, 'Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom' that is set to come out in 2023, even though her appearance in the "Aquaman" sequel has became controversial after the legal situation with her and Depp. Even though Depp was Heard's most public relationship, she has also been connected with painter and photographer Tasya van Ree in 2008, model Cara Delevingne, Tesla founder and billionaire Elon musk on and off from 2016-2018 and art dealer Vito Schnabel. She does however have a a daughter Oonagh Paige Heard, who was born via surrogate April 8, 2021.
Fox News
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Johnny Depp and Amber Heard chart new lives three years after courtroom drama
Johnny Depp and Amber Heard have both moved on since their defamation trial grabbed headlines three years ago, causing fans to take sides in the bombshell-filled courtroom trial. Following her loss when she was ordered by the court to pay Depp $15 million for defaming him with her Washington Post op-ed in which she claimed domestic abuse, Heard sold her California home and left the country for Spain in late 2022. The 39-year-old wrapped filming on "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" months before the defamation trail began in April 2022, which to date is her last film. A year after the verdict, Heard went to the Taormina Film Festival in Italy to promote her 2023 independent film "In the Fire," which she filmed after the trial, but she doesn't have any upcoming projects, according to IMDb. A source told People magazine at the time that the actress was "excited about working and filming again. She was exhausted and disappointed about the trial. She felt she was mistreated." But despite not having any projects on the horizon, the "Aquaman" star appears to be thriving in Spain, where she is focused on motherhood. Heard announced on Mother's Day earlier this month that she recently welcomed twins Ocean and Agnes, sharing a photo on Instagram of their little feet. "This year I am elated beyond words to celebrate the completion of the family I've strived to build for years," she wrote in the post. "Today I officially share the news that I welcomed twins into the Heard gang. My daughter Agnes and my son Ocean are keeping my hands (and my heart) full." Heard welcomed her first daughter, Oonagh, in 2021, four years after she and Depp finalized their divorce following a two-year marriage. Heard said she didn't think she could possibly "burst with more joy" after the birth of her oldest daughter, whose feet can also be seen in the photo of the newborns, but she added she is now "bursting times three!!!" She continued, "Becoming a mother by myself and on my own terms despite my own fertility challenges has been the most humbling experience of my life. I am eternally grateful that I was able to choose this responsibly and thoughtfully. To all the moms, wherever you are today and however you got here, my dream family and I are celebrating with you. Love always, A." On her 38th birthday last year, Heard posted a photo of herself sipping a drink at a winery, calling it a "Champagne kind of birthday." In January of last year, she also posted a photo of herself sporting her character Mera's fire engine red hair, writing, "After all this time, Aquaman 2 made its splash (sorry, it's too easy) Thank you to all of my fans for the overwhelming support and love in Mera's AQ return. Thank you so much." Heard had claimed during the trial that her role in the film was downsized because of the scandal, but the producers said it was because of a lack of chemistry with star Jason Momoa, her agent testified. Meanwhile, Depp, who said that Hollywood executives "stopped calling" amid the scandal which he referred to as a "soap opera" that was "literally televised," appears poised for his own comeback, a term with which the actor has taken umbrage. "I keep wondering about the word 'comeback' because I didn't go anywhere, matter of fact I live 45 minutes away," Depp said in May 2023 at the Cannes Film Festival while promoting his new film "Day Drinker" with Penelope Cruz. "Maybe people stopped calling out of whatever their fear was at the time." He added, "But no, I didn't go nowhere I've been sitting around so comeback is sort of like you know it's almost like I'm gonna come out and do a tap dance." Depp shared the "first look" at the film last month, in which he appears dapper, pairing an open-collared Navy suit with a graying beard while holding a drink. The actor teased that the movie was "coming soon." Interestingly, the movie was filmed in Spain, according to Deadline. The film is "in production," according to Depp's IMDb page, which describes it as a story in which an "enigmatic stranger forms an unlikely bond with a grieving bartender who lost her lover, their lives intertwining in unexpected ways." Adam Fogelson, Lionsgate's Motion Picture Group chair, recently said "there is no better filmmaker than [director] Marc [Webb], or two more perfectly cast actors than Johnny and Penélope to bring that world to life," according to Variety. Before "Day Drinker," which marks Depp's return to Hollywood, the actor was cast in the 2023 independent film "Jeanne du Barry" and directed "Modi, Three Days on the Wing of Madness." Depp received a seven-minute standing ovation at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival for "Jeanne du Barry." Depp is also set to play Satan in Terry Gilliam's comedy "The Carnival at the End of Days," according to his IMDb, which could start filming sometime this year, Deadline reported. Last year, Depp returned to voice work, playing the title role in the animated comedy "Johnny Puff: Secret Mission." The film has a limited release in theaters before heading to streaming services. Depp, who was dropped from the "Pirates of the Caribbean" and the "Fantastic Beasts" franchises because of the accusations, reflected in 2023 about whether he felt boycotted by Hollywood. "You'd have to not have a pulse to feel like, 'No. None of this is happening. It's a weird joke. When you're asked to resign from a film you're doing because of something that is merely a function of vowels and consonants floating in the air, yes, you feel boycotted." In March of this year, Depp also shared a photo of an art collaboration with Paris' Deyrolle, a curiosity museum founded in the 19th century. "Like so many before me, I've been drawn to the world of Deyrolle, a place that celebrates the strange, the beautiful, and the often-overlooked wonders of nature," Depp wrote in an Instagram post along with a photo of him looking at his drawing of an elephant. "It's been an endless source of inspiration, and I'm deeply grateful for the chance to collaborate with them. It's an honor, and a bit surreal, to now be part of their story, especially with a creature so close to my heart: the elephant." His oldest daughter, actress Lili-Rose Depp told Entertainment Tonight in 2023 that she was "super happy for him. I'm super excited" after his standing ovation for "Jeanne du Barry." Depp incorporated the elephant into his art in the 1990s when he was a new father and saw the animal as protective, according to Sortir a Paris. Depp told the jury during the trial, he wanted to clear his name for the sake of his children who are now 26 and 23, but were teenagers when the allegations broke. Depp sued his ex-wife for $50 million for defaming him in a December 2018 Washington Post op-ed in which she claimed to be a domestic abuse victim, although she didn't name him in the story. Heard countersued for $100 million and the former couple accused each other of abuse in the televised six-week-long trial that riveted fans in the spring of 2022. When the trial ended in June of that year, Heard was initially ordered to pay $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages to Depp, but that was lowered to $10.35 million because of a statutory cap on punitive damages in the state of Virginia after a jury ruled in favor of Depp on three separate claims of defamation. Depp was also ordered to pay Heard $2 million after his lawyer called her claims a "hoax." The two eventually settled with Heard paying Depp $1 million.
News.com.au
12 hours ago
- General
- News.com.au
Bruce Lehrmann picks up new job as live-in nanny while awaiting defamation appeal, Qld rape trial
Former political staffer Bruce Lehrmann has taken up a new job as a live-in nanny while awaiting for an appeal of his defamation case and unrelated rape trial in Queensland. Mr Lehrmann, 29, is understood to be looking after the family's children in an unpaid capacity. The Daily Telegraph – who exclusively obtained details of the role, in addition to obtaining a photo of Mr Lehrmann at the movies – reports the former Liberal staffer has been taken in by a close family friend and is living with the family, who are outside NSW. In a statement Mr Lehrmann's lawyer, Zali Burrows, said: 'Bruce really relishes the role he has in the children's lives and the family really adore him.' 'It's been a safe, happy sanctuary, away from the mental and financial turmoil he is going through,' Ms Burrows' statement continued. It is understood Mr Lehrmann is continuing to study law, taking a particular specialisation in criminal law, while working in his new role. In 2021, he was identified as the political staffer accused of raping fellow colleague Brittany Higgins inside Parliament House, following a night out in Canberra in 2019. Mr Lehrmann has consistently maintained his innocence. In 2022, he stood trial in the ACT Supreme Court after pleading not guilty to sexually assaulting Ms Higgins, but the trial was aborted due to juror misconduct. Prosecutors subsequently dropped the charges and did not pursue a retrial due to concerns about Ms Higgins' mental health. In a subsequent high-stakes civil lawsuit, Mr Lehrmann claimed he had been defamed by an interview aired on The Project, where Ms Higgins first alleged she was raped. Last year, Justice Michael Lee last year dismissed the lawsuit against Network Ten and Ms Wilkinson after he found – on the civil standard of the balance of probabilities – that Mr Lehrmann had raped Ms Higgins inside Parliament House. He found 'Mr Lehrmann was hellbent on having sex' and 'he did not care one way or another whether Ms Higgins understood or agreed to what was going on'. An appeal against Justice Lee's decision remains before the court. Mr Lehrmann is also due to stand trial in Toowoomba District Court on two counts of rape, which stem from an alleged incident in the Garden City in 2021. A date for trial has not been set and Mr Lehrmann has not yet entered a plea, but has previously indicated he will fight the charges. Ms Burrows is representing Mr Lehrman in both his civil claim and his criminal trial – after he dropped his original legal team back in March. During a call-over mention on May 22, Ms Burrows told the court there appeared to be a 'shroud of secrecy' over the investigation into her client. 'The Crown cannot confirm, at this stage, if there are any police notebook or diary entries in respect of this investigation, which is pretty concerning,' Ms Burrows said.
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Navy veteran's $500M defamation lawsuit against Associated Press advances with first hearing
Zachary Young's high-stakes defamation lawsuit against the Associated Press continues to inch along in Bay County, Florida, as the U.S. Navy veteran seeks to clear his name. Young successfully sued CNN for defamation earlier this year after saying the network smeared him by implying he illegally profited from helping people flee Afghanistan on the "black market" during the Biden administration's disastrous 2021 military withdrawal. When covering the trial in January, Associated Press media reporter David Bauder wrote that "Young's business helped smuggle people out of Afghanistan." Young's legal team has said that the Associated Press article "went even further than CNN's falsehoods," and the veteran is seeking nearly $500 million in a defamation suit against the AP. Navy Veteran Seeks Nearly $500 Million In Defamation Lawsuit Against Associated Press On Monday, Young's legal team responded to the AP's motion to dismiss the suit. The AP had insisted Young's complaint is "without merit" and unjustly challenges the outlet's free speech rights, but the Navy veteran's legal team believes the motion failed to address "core issues." Read On The Fox News App "It does not dispute that the term 'human smuggling' implies criminal conduct, nor does it offer any valid explanation for its use of that term, even though a court previously ruled that Mr. Young committed no crime. AP's own Stylebook defines 'smuggling' as illegal," Young's attorney, Daniel Lustig, wrote. "Dozens of AP articles reflect that usage. Just days before this filing, AP published a story about a man sentenced to 25 years in prison for 'smuggling people,' reinforcing that understanding," Lustig continued. "Even after receiving notice, AP refused to retract or revise the statement, not even to use a more accurate term such as 'evacuate' or 'rescue.'" Navy Veteran Who Proved Cnn Defamed Him Sues Associated Press, Says He Was Falsely Painted As 'Smuggler' Young's attorney believes the most "notable" part of the AP's motion to dismiss is that it never denied that "smuggling" refers to a criminal act. "Instead, it argues that the statement, in context, was not defamatory. That is not a defense, it is a concession. Under Florida law, if a statement is reasonably capable of a defamatory meaning, it is a question for the jury, not one to be resolved on a motion to dismiss. AP's attempt to invoke the anti-SLAPP statute to shield such a statement is both legally unsupported and fundamentally flawed," Lustig wrote. Young's legal team has also filed a motion to amend the complaint to include punitive damages. The 242-page filing suggested this case "exemplifies the very scenario in which punitive damages are warranted to punish and deter such consciously indifferent conduct by a media organization." Click Here For More Coverage Of Media And Culture On Tuesday, each side appeared for the first hearing in front of 14th Judicial Circuit Court Judge William S. Henry, who also presided over the CNN trial. The Case Management Conference, conducted over Zoom, was largely procedural and offered a chance for each party to explain why respective motions should be heard. Judge Henry scheduled the next hearing for July 3. He is expected to rule on both the AP's motion to dismiss and Young's amended complaint. The AP has referred to the lawsuit as "frivolous" in past statements to the article source: Navy veteran's $500M defamation lawsuit against Associated Press advances with first hearing
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Feds arrest addiction CEO for allegedly conspiring to stalk journalists
The former CEO of Granite Recovery Centers, a network of drug and alcohol treatment centers in New Hampshire, was arrested Friday for allegedly orchestrating a conspiracy to stalk journalists, the Department of Justice said in a statement. Eric Spofford, 40, was accused of targeting journalists employed by New Hampshire Public Radio (NHPR) in retaliation for publishing an investigation that allegedly revealed multiple allegations of sexual misconduct against him while he was the CEO of the recovery centers. Spofford opened the Granite Recovery Centers after struggling with heroin addiction and turned the business into the largest addiction treatment network in New Hampshire. The NHPR article made a splash, grabbing the attention of local and national media, officials said. Spofford publicly denied the allegations and later sued the public radio station for defamation. He claimed the public radio station filed a "hit piece" against him. He said in his complaint that as a result of the investigation, financial institutions declined to do business with him, had vendors abruptly resign from working with his companies, and was distanced from working with New Hampshire politicians. He said in court documents that he didn't feel comfortable in his home state after the investigation was published. A New Hampshire judge dismissed Spofford's lawsuit in 2023. The Department of Justice said Spofford devised a plan beginning in or about March 2022 and continuing through at least May 2022, to harass and terrorize the journalist who authored the article, the journalist's immediate family members, as well as a senior editor in response and retaliation for the station's reporting. He allegedly hired his close friend Eric Labarge to vandalize and spray paint the victims' homes with large rocks and bricks, lewd and threatening language. "JUST THE BEGINNING" was spray-painted on the reporter's home, according to WBUR radio station. Spofford allegedly paid Labarge $20,000 in cash, gave him the victims' addresses and directions on how to harass them. Labarge, in turn, hired Tucker Cockerline, Keenan Saniatan and Michael Waselchuck to carry out the stalking campaign. Labarge, Cockerline, Saniatan and Waselchuck were charged, convicted and sentenced to prison for their involvement in the harassment campaign. Spofford said he sold Granite Recovery Centers for nine figures in 2021. CBS News reached out to Spofford for comment on his arrest. He is scheduled to appear in federal court in Boston on Monday. New Hampshire Public Radio said they were grateful to the Department of Justice for pursuing the case. "Everyone at New Hampshire Public Radio is grateful to the FBI and U.S. Attorney's Office for their persistence in pursuing Eric Spofford and his associates," NHPR President and CEO Jim Schachter said in a statement. "His attempt to silence NHPR's reporting on abuses of power in the addiction recovery industry failed, as should every attempt to snuff out press freedom." Trump says Musk is "not really leaving" as DOGE savings lag behind projections How a toddler's brave walk into the darkness to get help inspired his family California track and field final begins with new rules for transgender athletes
