Each generation seems to have its own O.J. Simpson moment – an infamous trial full of twists and turns, and that mind-numbing glove moment, which set a new world record for the “most viewed trial” with a daily average of 5.5 million Americans watching the live coverage.
While the Depp v. Heard defamation lawsuit, which pitted ‘The Pirates of The Caribbean’ actor Johnny Depp against his former wife, Amber Heard, over a 2018 defamatory op-ed she wrote for The Washington Post in which she described herself as a “public figure representing domestic abuse,” did not top O.J. Simpson in terms of televised popularity (according to current data), it nonetheless became a watershed moment which captured our collective attention for a good chunk of 2022.
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With more than 500 million Americans tuning in to watch the two actors spar and publicly dissect their marriage broken by jealousy, drugs and lies – not to mention Depp’s hilarious quips that may have helped him sway the jury to his side – it’s no wonder why Netflix had its eyes cast on this suit before it even culminated in Johnny’s favor.
So, before we set our gaze on Johnny Depp, Amber Heard and the jury tasked with this Herculean dispute once more in Netflix’s ‘Depp v. Heard,’ set to release on August 16, let’s look back at the most mind-boggling moments that took place in the trial of the decade.
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#1
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One of the more sinister twists happened when Depp presented an alternative account of the well-known incident involving his severed finger. Back in 2016, Amber levied allegations against her former spouse, claiming that he had chopped off his fingertip in a fit of envy while under the influence of alcohol and ecstasy. Subsequently, he supposedly used a mixture of his own blood and blue paint to write “Billy Bob” and “Easy Amber” in reference to them sleeping together.
However, in last year’s case, an entirely different perspective of the incident came to light. According to Depp, during his time in Australia while filming one of the installments of ‘The Pirates of the Caribbean’ franchise, Heard became frustrated with him drinking yet again and threw two bottles of Vodka at him, severing the top of his finger.
“Blood was pouring out,” he told the court. “I think I went into some sort of … I don’t know what a nervous breakdown feels like, but that’s probably the closest that I’ve ever been. Nothing made sense.”
The only reason why this version of the story didn’t see the light of day earlier was because of Depp’s desire to shield Heard from any potential repercussions. Consequently, until the previous year, the widely accepted belief was that a set of large accordion doors was responsible for taking Captain Jack Sparrow’s finger.
#2
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Another memorable yet awkward moment from the Depp v. Heard trial emerged only a couple of days after Heard took a seat on the witness stand. In previous testimony, Depp asserted his belief that during an explosive argument at her 30th birthday celebration in April 2016, Heard had defecated on his side of the bed and blamed it on their dogs, Pistol and Boo. A dirty prank gone wrong, so to speak.
Heard, however, countered these allegations by referencing the bowel control problems that one of their shared teacup Yorkies had. She explained that this specific Yorkie had ingested Depp’s marijuana when it was a puppy, leading to uncontrollable bowel movements occurring spontaneously.
“[Boo] had eaten Johnny’s weed when she was a puppy and had bowel control issues for her entire life,” she said.
“I don’t think that’s funny. I was not, also, in a pranking mood,’ she said. ‘I don’t know what grown woman does… That’s disgusting.”
During the testimony focused on Depp’s alleged mistreatment, Heard stated that she had left both dogs on the bed while she packed for the Coachella Music Festival and hadn’t noticed that one of them had an accident. Shortly after the hearing, this courtroom incident gave rise to the “Amber Heard Revenge Poop” meme which will forever be remembered by netizens.
#3
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As with every prominent case, Depp v. Heard had plenty of surprise witnesses. It was Morgan Tremaine, a former TMZ reporter, who made for a particularly memorable verbal exchange as he was summoned by Johnny’s legal team to discuss a sequence of photographs captured by the tabloid outlet in 2016.
The images in question depicted the actress exiting a court after seeking a restraining order against Johnny, and a visible bruise seemed to mark her cheek.
According to Tremaine, TMZ received advance information about the opportunity to capture those photos, although he refrained from disclosing the source of the tip.
During her cross-examination, Amber’s attorney, Elaine Bredehoft, insinuated that Morgan’s comments were motivated by a desire for “15 minutes of fame.” But Bredehoft’s provocation is what only set the stage for Morgan’s clap-back which was instantly hailed by the internet.
“I stand to gain nothing from this. I’m actually putting myself in the target of TMZ, a very litigious organization and I’m not seeking any 15 minutes here,” he shot back at Heard’s lawyer.
“But you’re welcome to speculate. I can say the same thing – by taking Amber Heard as a client – for you.”
#4
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Speaking of surprise guests, Kate Moss, the 48-year-old supermodel and Depp’s former girlfriend, definitely made most of us hold our breath for those three minutes.
Speaking from her residence in Gloucestershire, England, Moss clarified to the Virginia court that she and Depp had been romantically involved from 1994 to 1998. But the real nail in the coffin moment for Amber’s team was when Moss denied being pushed by her former boyfriend, as Amber once claimed.
“We were leaving the room, and Johnny left the room before I did, and there had been a rainstorm. As I left the room, I slid down the stairs and I hurt my back,” Moss explained to the court via the video feed.
“I screamed because I didn’t know what had happened to me and I was in pain. He came running back to help me and carried me to my room and got me medical attention,” she added.
Asked if, at any point in their relationship, he had pushed her in that way, Moss said: “He never pushed me, kicked me or threw me down any stairs. No.”
Johnny had difficulty concealing his happiness, allowing a subtle grin to escape as she discussed their romantic involvement from the ’90s in the courtroom.
#5
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As in every relationship, most lovers go through their ups and downs. However, when you find yourself facing a panel of judges and a jury, it’s the downs that mainly come into focus.
During Johnny’s testimony, Amber’s legal team presented a collection of highly disturbing text messages that he had sent to actor Paul Bettany almost a decade ago.
In these gut-churning messages, Depp allegedly expressed a desire to “drown” Heard and then “burn her.”
When questioned by Heard’s attorney, Benjamin Rottenborn, about whether this is what Depp had stated regarding her prior to asking for Heard’s hand, he responded with remorse, saying, “Yes.”
#6
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In Amber Heard’s highly anticipated and occasionally emotional testimony, the actress provided explicit accounts of the alleged abuse she claims to have suffered at the hands of Johnny Depp. This included a disturbing incident she referred to as a “cavity search,” which reportedly occurred during a camping trip in Hicksville, New York, in 2013.
“I went into the bathroom, and as I came out, he asked me, ‘Where is it?’ I said, ‘What are you talking about?’ And he said, ‘You know what I’m fucking talking about.’”
Heard alleged that Depp then forcibly removed her underwear and proceeded to conduct what she described as a “cavity search.” According to her account, he was searching for cocaine. He “just shoved his fingers inside me… I just stood there while he twisted his fingers around. I didn’t stay stop or anything,” Heard said.
This unsettling incident was just one of the numerous instances that Heard recounted during the initial day of her testimony. As she spoke, Depp avoided making eye contact with her and occasionally displayed a smirk.
#7
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One of the trial’s most widely discussed moments involved a rather unusual incident: Amber’s attorney, Adam Nadelhaft, objected to his own line of questioning.
This awkward occurrence transpired as Adam was inquiring of Johnny’s house manager, Ben King, regarding the finger incident.
The attorney posed the question, “You didn’t know what could cause damage to Mr. Depp’s hand while you were there on March 8, correct?” However, as Ben began to respond, Adam swiftly interjected, stating, “Objection, hearsay.”
Judge Penney Azcarate, appearing bewildered, responded, “Hold on – you asked the question. Proceed with the next one.”
With a stutter, Adam replied, “‘Oh, OK,” before continuing his line of questioning.
During this exchange, Johnny and his legal team seemed to find the mishap amusing, sharing a chuckle among themselves.
The incident instantly prompted a flurry of social media posts and a new round of Depp v. Heard memes.
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#9
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