Amber Heard and Johnny Depp’s defamation trial has dominated the entertainment industry for the past few weeks. And even after the verdict was announced, a lot was reported about it. A press review.
The Fairfax County jury has reached its verdict: actress Amber Heard slandered her ex-husband Johnny Depp and damaged his reputation with an opinion piece in the “Washington Post”. They found the 36-year-old guilty. She should pay Depp $15 million in damages. But the verdict is interpreted differently in the international press:
Canada:
“Le Devoir”: “Amber Heard slandered Johnny Depp – and vice versa”
“The tabloids reveled in this six-week, hypermedia trial, which was filmed from beginning to end. The two protagonists are primarily actors and have outdone each other with staging and witty rhetoric. Evidence presented by Heard’s attorneys revealed intimate and sometimes sordid details of the whirlwind couple’s life.Images of violence, sordid anecdotes and drug use pervaded the two ex-lovers’ narratives.This diversion from the real heart of the affair – the slander – to a popularity contest may be seen by some as a distortion through the crosshairs be seen by the judiciary.
‘We know that denouncing is complicated, dangerous and exhausting. We know that public opinion tends to defend those in power first and foremost. And that these power-mongers have the means to defend themselves, and one of the ways they defend themselves is by discrediting the victim,’ remarked feminist essayist Martine Delvaux in ‘Le Devoir’.”
Germany:
“Berliner Zeitung”: “After the Depp-Heard trial: A woman does not always have to be the man’s victim!”
“The trial initially presented the audience with an armada of fascinating characters, even highlights of absurd comedy, which have since congealed in rows into Internet memes. For example, the bogged-down lawyer Adam Nadelhaft, who raised an objection to his own question, or the excitable psychiatrist Dr. Spiegel, who in his hubris even began to discuss with the judge. The highlight of the strange performances was probably the testimony of the building manager Alejandro Romero, smoking a pipe and coming out of the moving car.”
“Frankfurter Rundschau”: “Johnny Depp and Amber Heard trial – the public has long since judged”
“Heard’s bisexuality has also been repeatedly used against her. Her alleged promiscuity and alleged infidelity during her marriage to Depp are also interpreted negatively. None of this has anything to do with whether Heard is a victim of domestic or sexual violence .
Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s trial is an opportunity for misogynists in society given the overwhelming support for Depp in the face of the debates about violence against women and gender that they hate so much
Austria:
“ORF”: “Depp vs. Heard: Process with dangerous consequences”
“The trial is arguably the biggest extravaganza Hollywood has ‘produced’ off screen in recent years. The trial was broadcast live on TV and garnered huge ratings. Above all, it’s a trial that’s pretty much a buzz on social media second time and in a much tougher form and without rules as a prejudgment competition. It has long been part of the strategy of those involved to influence the formation of opinion there with the work of their own social media teams. Last but not least, it is the ideal opportunity for many on the Internet for fast and many clicks Many are free riders of the process, because every posting with a hashtag – often derogatory to hateful – or a reference to the Depp Heard process attracts a disproportionate amount of attention, reinforced by the platforms’ algorithms trimmed for clicks and distribution.
It is therefore rarely easy and cheap to gain attention and followers and to make money with Heard Depp memes – via advertising. This is equally enticing to those who already have a larger following online as it is to those who have fewer followers.”
USA:
“Los Angeles Times”: “How Johnny Depp beat Amber Heard and what that means”
“Johnny Depp’s victory over his ex-wife Amber Heard in court is being watched by legal experts not only for the twists and turns of courtroom drama, but also for the wider implications of the jury’s verdict across the world. Several experts saw the verdict in the two defamation lawsuits – from which Depp emerged victorious – a step backwards for the
‘From the
Great Britain:
“Daily Mail”: “No going back for Heard in Hollywood: Amber Heard faces career ruin AND bankruptcy as she fights to pay Johnny Depp $8 million after losing a bloody six-week court battle that left her ‘too shabby for a Hollywood studio'”
“Amber Heard faces professional and financial ruin after losing a landmark libel lawsuit against her ex-husband Johnny Depp, which awarded her millions of dollars in damages.
Experts say there’s ‘no going back’ for Heard in Hollywood, adding that the actress, 36, is ‘too shabby for a Hollywood studio’ after the dramatic six-week court case, raising questions about her future earnings . Entertainment industry expert Kathryn Arnold also testified that Heard missed out on potential earnings of up to $50 million.”
“BBC”: “Depp Heard trial: Why Johnny Depp lost in the UK but won in the US”
“The fact that the jury found Amber Heard guilty of defamation over an article in which she alleged that she was a victim of domestic violence means they did not believe her testimony,” said Mark Stephens, an international media attorney, who ‘ BBC’. ‘Amber Heard has lost broadly before the court of public opinion and before the jury,’ he said.”
“The Mirror”: “Johnny Depp verdict: Domestic violence survivors fear verdict will silence victims”
“After Johnny Depp won his libel case against his ex-wife Amber Heard, many people are concerned about the future of domestic violence survivors. Many now fear the verdict will be ‘twisted and misapplied’ if other women in the future speak up. The verdict saw a social media storm following the verdict, with those pro-Johnny or pro-Amber posting online their support or concerns about the jury’s conclusions.’I don’t care how stand by Johnny Depp or Amber Heard – this is a very bad day for women victims,’ one user wrote.”
Belgium:
“Le Soir”: “Amber Heard and Johnny Depp convicted of mutual defamation”
“Actress Amber Heard has slandered her ex-husband Johnny Depp by describing herself as a victim of domestic violence. A US court jury came to the conclusion on Wednesday after the two Hollywood stars shared an in-depth look at their The seven jurors answered in the affirmative whether the title and two paragraphs of a guest article published by Amber Heard in 2018 contained defamatory statements about Johnny Depp.”
