Johnny Depp: Willing to admit that he was an addict just to escape the reputation of ‘beating his wife’

Although the “confrontation” against Amber Heard still had many obstacles, Johnny Depp no ​​longer seemed interested in the outcome of the lawsuit because he had won the “court of public opinion”.

Experts in the US told the New York Post that Johnny Depp is winning in the court of public opinion. That is more important than whether the actor wins the defamation lawsuit demanding  $50 million in compensation from Amber Heard .

Johnny Depp also thinks so. Legal experts and the PR team told the New York Post that the jury’s verdict in his favor doesn’t matter much right now.

“When Johnny Depp walked out of court, I thought he had won based on Depp’s definition of ‘real victory.’ Simply put, he received the support of the court of public opinion when he told his story,” said attorney Katherine Lizardo.

Johnny Depp waves to fans after leaving court on May 27. Photo: AP.

Depp longs to be vindicated

According to lawyer Katherine Lizardo, for Johnny Depp, the legal victory of the defamation lawsuit is not important to him.

“Depp’s goal in filing the defamation lawsuit is to vindicate himself and that is an appeal to the court of public opinion after losing the lawsuit against The Sun newspaper,” the lawyer said.

From the beginning of his testimony, the Pirates of the Caribbean star emphasized that he brought the lawsuit to “clear my name of wrongdoing”, for the benefit of him and his children as well as those who believed and took his side. actor.

Experts say Johnny Depp has achieved this in recent trials.

Mitra Ahouraian, a lawyer working in the entertainment industry in California, added that the lawsuit is not about Depp winning a defamation lawsuit, but about Depp being vindicated and getting rid of the “wife beater” label like he wanted.

Johnny Depp is receiving strong support from the public. Photo: Getty Images.

Johnny Depp is receiving strong support. Photo: Getty Images.

“This case is essentially Depp using the court as a platform to tell his story, erase all stereotypes and change the ‘court of public opinion’. It is more important than the outcome of the defamation case. But certainly winning the case helps because it will resolve things that are not true,” Ahouraian said.

It is important for Depp to clear his name and “clear” his name from the allegations of domestic violence. It was so important that he was willing to expose his ugly private life, including his past alcohol and drug abuse.

“Depp went straight to the point and knew all this was going to happen. ‘Fine, I’m addicted to drugs, I’ve battled addiction since I was young, but I’m not a wife beater.’ That’s what you’re trying to prove,” Ahouraian said.

However, Ahouraian noted, Depp’s legal team made sure to directly address Heard’s allegations against the actor and give his perspective on what happened.

“Johnny Depp’s fans are basically running a campaign to take down Amber Heard without him having to do anything. They did it after watching a six-week trial that was broadcast daily. Netizens hate Heard,” Ahouraian said.

Juda Engelmayer, President of public relations company Herald PR, who represents the “tycoon” involved in sexual accusations against Harvey Weinstein, agreed that the trial being public was a difficult position for Amber Heard. Depp absolutely has the advantage of being a talented entertainer.

“It’s terrible because the public sees every mistake, every false statement made by Amber Heard. She was called out by the court of public opinion and immediately attacked. Heard is human and has emotions, and sometimes makes mistakes. In fact, social networks only care and believe in what they see,” Engelmayer said.

According to the New York Post, Heard’s lawyers tried unsuccessfully to block cameras in the courtroom. On the other hand, Engelmayer believes that no one is as good at winning hearts as Depp, if one considers the actor as a talented entertainment star.

“I think it’s a defense mechanism but it’s carefully calculated. Depp is trying to be witty and humorous. That’s how he won over the audience despite many ugly pasts exposed to cameras, judges and juries,” he said.

Besides, there is still a part of the public that supports Amber Heard. Photo: AFP.

There are still fans supporting Amber Heard. Photo: AFP.

And while Depp may have lost faith in love or marriage, Engelmayer said that Depp proves how big a fan base he has. This may attract movie studios to consider hiring the actor to appear in new projects.

“Depp has proven that he has a huge fan base and can attract more audiences. I think that impresses the studios. And if they can’t turn Depp into a dramatic hero, the studio will find a way to turn him into a lovable villain,” Engelmayer said.

In return, lawyer Ahouraian is a bit skeptical about Depp’s marketing ability in the future. “Now the question is, will the fans influence the studios or the risk-averse investors? I need him to change,” Ahouraian said.

Engelmayer believes that Heard can still continue her career if she turns to studios that “want to be a part of social history.” Perhaps, she only appeared in small roles. She can also go on talk shows to discuss her many court appearances.

“There are still many women out there who support and believe that Heard is saying what she wants, and are strong enough to sit there and endure public abuse and humiliation throughout the proceedings.” chant,” Engelmayer said.

Ahouraian argued that if the jury found that Heard defamed Depp, her career would be ruined. Similarly, Lizardo said Heard’s reputation had been severely damaged. The witnesses that the Aquaman movie star invited to appear in court only completely discredited her.