Johnny Depp to donate Amber Heard's $1 miilion settlement money to charity

Nearly a year after the jury gave its verdict in Johnny Depp's favour and asked Amber Heard to pay the actor $1 million in settlement in a defamation lawsuit, the actor is reportedly planning to donate the settlement money to charity. According to reports, Depp plans to distribute the $1 million that Heard will pay him to five different charities, with $200,000 going to each charity. 

The charities chosen by the actor range from those that benefit sick children to those that provide safe housing for different communities. 

The charities chosen by Johnny Depp

According to a report on CNN, the Hollywood star has chosen five charities to donate his settlement fees. These include the Make-A-Film Foundation, The Painted Turtle, Red Feather, Marlon Brando’s Tetiaroa Society charity, and the Amazonia Fund Alliance. The actor will reportedly divide the money into equal amounts for each of these charities.

Among the chosen charities, Make-A-Film pairs actors, writers, directors and producers with children, who are battling life-threatening or serious illnesses. The second charity, The Painted Turtle, is an organisation that provides a life-changing free camp experience for sick children.

The third charity, Red Feather partners with Indigenous communities to provide housing solutions. Meanwhile, the Teitaroa Society ensures island and coastal communities have a future. The fifth organisation is the Amazonia Fund Alliance which finances projects of Brazilian non-profit organisations.

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard defamation lawsuit

Depp, filed a $50 million defamation lawsuit against his ex-wife Amber Heard in March 2019 after she wrote an op-ed and revealed that she had been a victim of domestic violence. Heard had not named Depp in the article, but Depp and his legal team claimed that it had impacted his career and had defamed him. 

The couple married in a secret ceremony at their Los Angeles home in 2015 and Heard filed for divorce in 2016. She had even secured a temporary restraining order against him. She said Johnny had physically abused her during their relationship, and that it happened most often, while he was high on drugs or alcohol.

The trial on the defamation case went on for six weeks, with both Depp and Heard testifying in court. In June 2022, the jury awarded Depp $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages. The punitive damages were later reduced to $350,000. Heard was awarded $2 million in compensatory damages. 

While the verdict was mostly in favour of Depp, the jury also found he was liable, citing comments previously made by his lawyer, in which he had referred to Amber's claims as a 'hoax'. 

What are Amber Heard and Johnny Depp up to now?

Heard has left Hollywood and relocated to Spain with her daughter Oonagh Paige. She will be seen in Aquaman 2 which releases in December later this year. 

Meanwhile, Johnny was recently at Cannes Film Festival 2023 as he attended the premiere of Jeanne du Barry where he essays the role of King Louis XV. 

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