You know what they say, Hollywood marriages do not last, but Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s marriage was one of the particularly rocky ones of recent times. Their separation and divorce have made headlines since May 2016.

Similarly, Amber Heard And Johnny Depp have filed numerous lawsuits against each other, ranging from defamation to domestic violence, and their personal dispute has boiled over as international media outlets have placed both of them under the microscope.

Depp accused Heard of cheating on him with the tech giant and billionaire Elon Musk. The defamation is ongoing.

How Did The Marital Feud Between Heard And Depp Start?

Amber Heard and Johnny Depp got hitched on February 3, 2015. Then the first crack in their relationship appeared when Depp reportedly started an argument with Heard in March 2015 accusing her of cheating with her co-star Billy Bob Thornton.

Amber Heard and Johnny Depp first major argument was reported in February 3, 2015
Amber Heard and Johnny Depp exchanged vows on February 3, 2015, and their first major argument was reported in March 2015.

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He allegedly broke things around the house and injured himself in the process, and slicing a finger for which he got medical attention. Then, rumours of their dispute caught fire and started spreading all over the world.

Heard Filed For Divorce And Filed An Alimony Lawsuit Against Depp

After this, rumours of their divorce circulated until the 23rd of May 2016 when Heard filed for divorce from Depp, also requesting a restraining order.

Then, 2 days later, she also filed a $50,000 monthly support against Depp. She also accused him of abusing her throughout the course of their relationship both verbally and physically.

Depp faced a huge backlash from fans and audiences all over the world, the tabloid source The Sun also accused him of domestic violence even going so far as to label him a wife-beater. He and his lawyers deny these claims.

In August 2016, Depp paid $7 Million to Heard to settle their dispute outside of court. Heard then dismissed the domestic violence case. The same month TMZ had released a videotape in which an erratic Johnny Depp rages while Amber Heard is scared.

Their divorce was finalized in January 2017, during the hearing, Depp asked the court for a $100,000 fine against Amber which was subsequently denied.

How Did Their Feud Continue Even After Their Divorce?

Things between the couple relatively cooled down, although there were a few reports of them feuding.

Depp appearing at the UK high court after suing The Sun in a defamation suit
Depp appearing at the UK high court after suing The Sun in a defamation suit

image Source: Sputnik News

The silence would be short-lived as Heard published an op-ed on the Washington Post in December 2018 without mentioning her former husband by name but talking about her experiences with domestic abuse and violence.

Depp’s attorney compiled a list of evidence in January 2019 containing eyewitness reports, signed affidavits, and audiotapes to refute the allegation’s against him of domestic violence and abuse against him.

They would later use this evidence against their defamation case against The Sun. In February 2020, an audiotape surfaced in which Heard allegedly admits to beating Depp and punching him.

He also filed a defamation suit against Heard in March of 2019. In which he claimed that the accusations made by Heard against him were fake and just a means to advance her own career. They also claimed that Heard faked her injuries in her domestic violence case.

According to Q104 radio, Depp won the lawsuit and was proved innocent by the court; his lawyers also managed to prove that her accusations of domestic violence were a hoax.

Then, text messages were found in February 2020, in which Depp allegedly texted about wanting to drown and then burn his wife.

Another twist was added when it was found that Heard hired a private investigator by the name of Paul Barresi to dig up dirt on her former husband. His case against The Sun is still active as of April 2020 and happening.

What Is The Status Of Their Case In 2020? What About The Accusations By Depp That Heard Cheated On Him?

In April 2020, the courts are forced to deal with their case as the Coronavirus has put them in a hurry to either lockdown or deal with the cases.

The former Pirates of the Caribbean star has accused Heard of cheating with multiple men, firstly he allegedly accused her of cheating with Billy Bob in 2015.

Similarly, Depp also accused the Aquaman star of having an affair with the tech company giant and Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Footage of Depp’s penthouse shows Musk and Heard in the elevator together.

Attorney’s on Depp’s side have used the involvement of Musk in their argument and have placed claims that he and Heard were having an affair.

They also brought in staff workers from the building who testified that Heard asked the building staff to give Musk parking permission. They also said in their testimony that Musk left the building in the morning.

A subpoena has also been filed requesting the communication details of Musk to further clarify his involvement in the incident.

Another high-profile name to be dragged in the debacle is Pineapple Express actor James Franco who was also seen in the elevator with Heard in surveillance footage.

Both Musk and Amber denied their romantic involvement during the time the footage was taken, but James Franco spoke in a sealed deposition and preferred to keep his words on the case silent.

Musk and Heard confirmed they were dating in 2017, after Amber’s divorce but have since separated.

Amid all the cases, Depp two ex-wives Vanessa Paradis and Lori Anne Allison, have come to support him and stating that the actor was never violent while they were in a relationship.

The Start Of Their Relationship

Depp and Amer first met on the set of The Rum Diary in 2009 when they were cast as romantic leads in the film. The movie bombed at the box office and failed to impress critics. The movie was released in 2011.

A year later, in 2012 the pair started dating, Depp had recently broken off his relationship with Vanessa Paradis.

Heard and Depp made their first public appearance at the 7th Annual Heaven Gala in January 2014, maintaining privacy about their relationship before that. Then, it just took a few days after the public appearance for them to get engaged.

They got married around a year later on February 5, 2015, at Depp’s 44-acre private island in the Bahamas.

Public Opinion

Due to the complicated manner of the case, fans have been confused as to whose side to choose. At first, fans poured in their support for Amber Heard and their hate for Depp, thinking that he had physically harmed her.

The video of Depp and heard in a heated argument where he smashed a wine glass and rages also shifted public support for heard and against Depp.

Many accused him of being a domestic abuser and physically abusing the actress. Audiences were also critical of the decision by Warner Bros. Pictures to cast him in the fantasy film ‎Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

JK Rowling supported the actor and David Yates and Johnny himself said that

JK has seen the evidence and therefore knows I was falsely accused, and that’s why she has publicly supported me. She would not stand up if she didn’t know the truth.”

In 2018, it was also announced that the actor would no longer be a part of the Pirates of the Caribbean series.

He has also been supported by former co-star Javier Bardem and former partner Winona Ryder.

Surfacing Of The Infamous Audio Tape

After months of almost no news, an audiotape surfaced in which Amber Heard allegedly confesses to physically abusing her then-partner.

The tape was shown in court and used by Johnny’s lawyers. The tape also drastically got him favor in the court of public opinion as the Twitter movement #JusticeForJohnnyDepp started gaining traction.

Many fans turned against Amber and accused her of playing the victim and milking pity from fans to turn them against Depp.

The feud has unravelled somewhat like the plot of Gone Gil, and it is difficult to say who is in the wrong.

A decision made by the court might make things clearer, but as the authorities are dealing with many serious issues like a global pandemic and the economic downfall caused by it, it will take some time.

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