Johnny Depp Compares His Life to 'Soap Opera' in Wake of Amber Heard Trial

Depp and Heard's six-week defamation trial caught the attentions of millions.

By Brenda Alexander

Johnny Depp is giving insight into how he's felt the last few years amid his controversial divorce from Amber Heard, which later resulted in a two-way defamation lawsuit that he won. The Pirates of the Caribbean star and Aquaman actress were married from 2015 and 2017, and per court testimony, was toxic on both ends, with allegations of alcohol and drug use, physical, emotional, and verbal abuse. He sued her for defamation over a 2018 op-ed she wrote for The Washington Post. She never mentioned him by name, but his lawyers argued it was a direct reference to previous abuse allegations she made against him during their divorce proceedings.

During an appearance at the San Sebastián International Film Festival, where he premiered his second directorial effort, Modi — Three Days on the Wing of Madness, the actor-turned-filmmaker spoke about how he related to the bumpy life of his film's subject, Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani, seemingly referencing the public spectacle his marriage and divorce became. 

"Each [character] has their story, because I'm sure we can say that I've been through a number of things here and there," the actor said according to a video of a press conference shared to The Hollywood Reporter's X (formerly Twitter) account. "But you know, I'm all right. And I think we've all been through a number of things, ultimately. Maybe yours didn't turn into a soap opera. I mean, televised, in fact."

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Depp added, "We all experience and go through what we go through. And those things that we are able to live and remember and use, these are your stripes. You never forget them."

In 2022, a jury determined that Heard intentionally and maliciously defamed her ex. She won a portion of her defamation countersuit. She quickly appealed the verdict, but eventually settled. "I finally have an opportunity to emancipate myself from something I attempted to leave over six years ago and on terms I can agree to," Heard said in a statement at the time. "I have made no admission. This is not an act of concession. There are no restrictions or gags with respect to my voice moving forward." She was ordered to pay a $1 million lump sum to her ex, which she paid in July 2023.

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