Career Timeline of Amber Heard: Major Achievements and Milestones
How Amber Heard built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.
Amber Heard is an American actress notable for her roles in both film and television. She gained early recognition with her leading role in "All the Boys Love Mandy Lane" (2006) and starred in movies like "The Ward" and "Drive Angry." Heard also played supporting roles in films such as "Pineapple Express," "Never Back Down," and "The Danish Girl." A significant part of her career involved portraying Mera in the DC Extended Universe, appearing in "Justice League," "Aquaman," and "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom." Additionally, she has acted in TV series including "Hidden Palms" and "The Stand."
2004: Early Acting Roles
In 2004, Amber Heard's earliest acting work included appearances in music videos and small supporting roles in the television series Jack & Bobby, The Mountain, and made her film debut in Friday Night Lights.
2005: Supporting Roles
In 2005, Amber Heard had brief supporting roles in the films Drop Dead Sexy, North Country, and Side FX.
2006: First Leading Role
In 2006, Amber Heard had her first leading role in the horror film All the Boys Love Mandy Lane.
2006: Supporting Roles and First Leading Role Premiere
In 2006, Amber Heard had supporting roles in Price to Pay and Alpha Dog, also her first leading role in All the Boys Love Mandy Lane premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.
2007: Acting in Hidden Palms
In 2007, Amber Heard acted in the television series Hidden Palms.
2007: Supporting Role in Spin
In 2007, Amber Heard had a supporting role in the film Spin and a guest-starring spot in Criminal Minds.
2008: European Release of All the Boys Love Mandy Lane
In 2008, All the Boys Love Mandy Lane was released in Europe.
2008: Mainstream Recognition
In 2008, Amber Heard gained mainstream recognition with supporting roles in Pineapple Express and Never Back Down.
2008: Supporting Role in Pineapple Express
In 2008, Amber Heard had a supporting role in the film Pineapple Express.
2009: Supporting Role in The Joneses
In 2009, Amber Heard had a supporting role in the film The Joneses.
2010: Roles in Independent and Horror Films
In 2010, Amber Heard appeared in independent films like The River Why and And Soon the Darkness, as well as horror films like The Stepfather and The Ward.
2010: Starring in The Ward
In 2010, Amber Heard starred in the film The Ward.
2011: Starring in Drive Angry
In 2011, Amber Heard starred in the film Drive Angry.
2013: US Release of All the Boys Love Mandy Lane
In 2013, All the Boys Love Mandy Lane was released in the US.
2013: Supporting Role in Machete Kills
In 2013, Amber Heard had a supporting role in the film Machete Kills.
2013: Starring in Thrillers and Satires
In 2013, Amber Heard starred in the thriller Paranoia, the exploitation film Machete Kills, and the satire Syrup. All the Boys Love Mandy Lane also had a US limited release.
2014: Supporting Role in 3 Days to Kill
In 2014, Amber Heard appeared in a supporting role in the action-thriller 3 Days to Kill.
2015: Supporting Role in Magic Mike XXL
In 2015, Amber Heard had a supporting role in the film Magic Mike XXL.
2015: Premiere of London Fields
In 2015, London Fields, starring Amber Heard, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival but faced legal issues and was pulled from release.
August 2016: Pledged divorce settlement to charities
In August 2016, Amber Heard pledged to donate her $7 million divorce settlement from Johnny Depp to the ACLU and Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA).
November 2016: Appeared in public service announcement on domestic violence
In November 2016, Amber Heard appeared in a public service announcement (PSA) for the #GirlGaze Project, focusing on domestic violence and emphasizing the importance of support for survivors.
December 2016: Published letter in Porter magazine
In December 2016, Amber Heard published a letter in Porter magazine addressing women suffering in silence, assuring them of support and solidarity.
2016: Donations began
Between 2016 and 2018, a total of $1.3 million had been donated to the ACLU in Amber Heard's name.
2016: ACLU Artist Ambassador
In 2016, Heard became a volunteer with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) as an ACLU Artist Ambassador, advocating for civil rights. She also became a Human Rights Ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
March 2017: Highlighted LGBTQ underrepresentation at The Economist's Pride and Prejudice event
In March 2017, at The Economist's Pride and Prejudice event, Amber Heard discussed the underrepresentation of LGBTQ characters in Hollywood and encouraged more openness about sexuality in the industry.
August 2017: Produced short video on gender pay gap
In August 2017, Amber Heard produced a short video for The Economist addressing the gender pay gap and the underrepresentation of women in the film industry.
2017: Release of Justice League
2017: Included in CHLA donor list
In 2017, Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) included Amber Heard in their "Honor Roll of Donors" list for the fiscal year.
September 2018: United Nations 9th Annual Social Good Summit Speaker
In September 2018, Amber Heard was one of the speakers at the United Nations' 9th Annual Social Good Summit, where she emphasized the importance of fairness and justice, as outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
September 2018: Release of London Fields
In September 2018, London Fields was finally released after a settlement was reached, receiving highly negative reviews.
October 2018: HagueTalks' Imagine the World We Want Speech
In October 2018, Amber Heard delivered a speech at HagueTalks' Imagine the World We Want event, ahead of the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights' drafting.
2018: Donations to ACLU
Between 2016 and 2018, a total of $1.3 million had been donated to the ACLU in Amber Heard's name.
2018: Became an ambassador for the ACLU
In 2018, Amber Heard became an ambassador for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), supporting the organization's advocacy for justice in gender issues.
2018: Starring in London Fields
In 2018, Amber Heard starred in the film London Fields.
May 2019: Spoke on Capitol Hill in support of the SHIELD Act
In May 2019, Amber Heard gave a speech on Capitol Hill supporting the SHIELD Act and discussing her experience with the nonconsensual leak of private photos from the 2014 celebrity nude photo leak.
November 2019: Wrote op-ed in The New York Times about "revenge porn"
In November 2019, Amber Heard wrote an op-ed in The New York Times addressing the issue of nonconsensual image disclosure and advocating for congressional legislation to protect privacy.
2019: Supporting Roles in Independent Films
In 2019, Amber Heard had supporting roles in the independent dramas Her Smell and Gully.
2020: Acting in The Stand
From 2020 to 2021, Amber Heard acted in the Paramount+ fantasy series The Stand.
February 2021: Series Finale of The Stand
In February 2021, the series finale of The Stand aired.
2021: Acting in The Stand
From 2020 to 2021, Amber Heard acted in the Paramount+ fantasy series The Stand.
2023: Critical Observations on Heard's Reduced Role in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
Following the release of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom in 2023, critics observed that a number of Amber Heard's scenes seemed to have been cut from the film, with Dolph Lundgren confirming it.
2023: Playing Mera in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
In 2023, Amber Heard played Mera in the film Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, part of the DC Extended Universe.
2023: Release of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
In 2023, Amber Heard reprised her role as Mera in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.
