Shaheer Ahmed
Renowned Hollywood actor Johnny Depp, known for his role in Pirates of the Caribbean, is reportedly planning to donate $1 million of his settlement from the defamation case against his ex-wife, Amber Heard, to various charitable organisations. The settlement, reached in December of the previous year, includes a substantial amount awarded to Depp and Heard.
Heard, the star of Aquaman, was previously ordered to pay over $10 million in damages to Depp, while he was directed to pay $2 million to Heard following her countersuit, which accused him of defamation after his lawyer referred to her abuse allegations as a “hoax.” As part of his charitable efforts, the actor is reportedly planning to donate $200,000 to each of the following five charities: the Make-A-Film Foundation, Red Feather, The Painted Turtle, the Tetiaroa Society, and the Amazonia Fund Alliance.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, a source has confirmed Depp’s intention to make these charitable donations. Depp’s lawyers expressed their satisfaction with the settlement, stating, “We are pleased to officially close this painful chapter for Mr Depp, who consistently emphasised throughout the process that his priority was to shed light on the truth.”
The defamation lawsuit, filed by Depp against Heard in March 2019, stemmed from allegations that she implied he had abused her during their relationship in 2018 op-ed published in The Washington Post, where she shared her experiences of sexual assault and domestic abuse. In a ruling on June 1, 2022, a Virginia jury favoured Depp in the case.
Heard recently posted a lengthy statement on Instagram, explaining that she agreed to settle the case to avoid another arduous and expensive legal battle. She revealed that she had nearly depleted all her resources during the trial and had lost faith in the American legal system, describing how her testimony became a form of entertainment and social media fodder, lacking adequate protection.
