Amber Heard’s lawyer reveals actress cannot afford to pay $10 million to Johnny Depp

‘Aquaman’ actress Amber Heard, who recently  lost the high-profile defamation case against her ex-husband Johnny Depp, is reportedly unable to pay $10 million in damages to the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ star. On Thursday, Heard’s lawyers revealed that the actress will soon appeal the verdict in the defamation case. 

On Wednesday, the bitter and lengthy televised court battle ended and a seven-person jury found that both Depp and Heard had defamed each other. The jury awarded Depp $10.35 million in damages and Heard was awarded $2 million. 

Recently, in an interaction, Heard’s attorney Elaine Bredehoft was asked whether the actress will be able to pay the damages to her ex-husband. To which, she answered: "Oh no, absolutely not." She further added that Heard wants to appeal the verdict.

The 58-year-old Depp, who lost a libel case against The Sun tabloid in London in 2020 for calling him a "wife-beater," celebrated the split verdict in the case as a victory while Heard said she was "heart-broken."

Depp sued Heard over an op-ed she wrote for The Washington Post in December 2018 in which she described herself as a "public figure representing domestic abuse."

The Texas-born Heard, who had a starring role in "Aquaman," did not name Depp in the piece, but he sued her for implying he was a domestic abuser and sought $50 million in damages.

The 36-year-old Heard countersued for $100 million, saying she was defamed by statements made by Depp's lawyer, Adam Waldman, who told the Daily Mail her abuse claims were a "hoax."

Bredehoft said Depp's legal team worked to "demonize" Heard and suppressed crucial evidence in the trial, preventing the jurors from examining evidence of Depp's alleged abuse.

"A number of things were allowed in this court that should not have been allowed, and it caused the jury to be confused," she said.

The lawyer said the ruling bodes ill for the MeToo movement and will discourage women from reporting sexual harassment and abuse.

"It's a horrible message," Bredehoft said. "It's a significant setback, because that's exactly what it means.

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"Unless you pull out your phone and you video your spouse or your significant other beating you, effectively you won't be believed." 

For his part, Depp welcomed the verdict, saying "The jury gave me my life back."

"The best is yet to come and a new chapter has finally begun," Depp said in a statement.

(With inputs from agency)