It's been a full year since the verdict dropped in the defamation trial between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard. And you know what? Both of them seem to be moving forward, carving out their own paths.
Just to jog your memory, on June 1, 2022, a jury of seven (five men and two women) delivered a verdict in the Virginia trial. This wasn't just any trial. It was broadcast live, with testimonies from Depp, Heard, their families, friends, experts, and even some big names from Hollywood.
The jury leaned towards Depp, the actor we all know from Alice in Wonderland. He won all three defamation counts related to a 2018 op-ed that Heard wrote. She talked about her experience with domestic abuse but didn't name Depp directly. Initially, Depp was awarded $15 million in damages, but this was later cut down to $10.35 million because of a Virginia law cap on punitive damages.
Heard didn't walk away empty-handed, though. She won one of her three defamation counterclaims and bagged $2 million in damages. Depp, who was 59 at the time, wasn't there for the verdict reveal. He was in the U.K., performing rock concerts with Jeff Beck. Heard, on the other hand, was there in person.
After the verdict, Heard expressed her disappointment, saying she was "heartbroken that the mountain of evidence still was not enough to stand up to the disproportionate power, influence and sway of my ex-husband." Depp felt the jury "gave me my life back," adding that his main goal was to reveal the truth.
Fast forward to now, Heard lives in Madrid, Spain, with her 2-year-old daughter, Oonagh Paige. She's set to appear in the upcoming sequel "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom." Depp recently made an appearance at the Cannes Film Festival, where his French-language film "Jeanne Du Barry" premiered. When asked about a potential Hollywood comeback, Depp stated, "I didn't go anywhere... I've been sitting around."
So there you have it. A year after the verdict, both Depp and Heard are moving on, each in their own way, after a trial that had the world watching. It's a reminder that life goes on, even after the most public of disputes.