Most Talked-About Controversies Linked to Amber Heard

A closer look at the most debated and controversial moments involving Amber Heard.

Amber Heard is an American actress known for her roles in films like All the Boys Love Mandy Lane (2006), The Ward (2010), Drive Angry (2011), and London Fields (2018).

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Controversies & Scandals

2009: Arrested for Misdemeanor Domestic Violence

In 2009, Amber Heard was arrested for misdemeanor domestic violence at Seattle–Tacoma International Airport after allegedly hitting Tasya van Ree but was not charged.

2014: Victim of Celebrity Nude Photo Leak

In 2014, Amber Heard was a victim of the celebrity nude photo leak, in which more than 50 of her personal photos were stolen and released to the public, with Heard speaking and writing against such breaches of privacy.

2014: Private photos leaked

In 2014, Amber Heard was a victim of the celebrity nude photo leak.

April 2015: Breaches Australia's Biosecurity Laws

In April 2015, Amber Heard and Johnny Depp breached Australia's biosecurity laws by failing to declare their two dogs in customs when they flew into Queensland.

May 2015: Dogs Flown out of Australia

In May 2015, Amber Heard and Johnny Depp's dogs were flown out of Australia hours before a euthanasia deadline.

December 2015: Case Adjourned Multiple Times

By December 2015, Amber Heard's case related to breaching Australia's biosecurity laws had been adjourned four times, with Heard instructing her lawyers to enter not guilty pleas.

April 2016: Pleads Guilty to Falsifying Quarantine Documents

In the court case in April 2016, Amber Heard pleaded guilty to falsifying quarantine documents, stating that she made a mistake due to sleep deprivation. Criminal charges were dropped, but she was placed on a A$1,000 one-month good behavior bond.

May 2016: Files for Divorce and Obtains Restraining Order

In May 2016, Amber Heard filed for divorce from Johnny Depp and obtained a temporary restraining order against him, alleging verbal and physical abuse.

November 2016: Defends Pledge Against Allegation

In November 2016, Amber Heard defended her pledge to donate her divorce settlement against an allegation from TMZ that she had not yet made the donations, despite Depp's incomplete payment.

2016: Divorce and Allegations

In 2016, Amber Heard and Johnny Depp divorced, after which they accused each other of domestic abuse, leading to defamation cases.

2016: Arrest Made Public

In 2016, Amber Heard's 2009 arrest for misdemeanor domestic violence became public during her divorce proceedings with Johnny Depp. Van Ree issued a statement calling the incident "misinterpreted" and recalling misogynistic and homophobic attitudes.

April 2018: The Sun Labels Depp a Wife Beater

In April 2018, The Sun labeled Johnny Depp a "wife beater", leading to a libel lawsuit filed by Depp.

June 2018: Depp Brings Libel Lawsuit Against The Sun

In June 2018, Johnny Depp brought a libel lawsuit in the United Kingdom against News Group Newspapers (NGN), the company publishing The Sun, which had labeled him a "wife beater" in an April 2018 article.

September 2018: Release of London Fields

In September 2018, a settlement was reached regarding London Fields, and the film was finally released, receiving highly negative reviews.

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December 2018: Heard Writes Op-Ed for The Washington Post

In December 2018, Amber Heard wrote an op-ed for The Washington Post, which later led to a defamation lawsuit from Johnny Depp.

February 2019: Depp Sues Heard for Defamation

In February 2019, Johnny Depp sued Amber Heard for defamation over a December 2018 op-ed for The Washington Post.

2019: Golden Raspberry Nomination

In 2019, Amber Heard's performance in London Fields received a nomination for the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actress.

April 2020: Waldman's Statements Published in the Daily Mail

In April 2020, Adam Waldman, Johnny Depp's lawyer, made statements published in the Daily Mail, which led to Amber Heard's counterclaim that Depp defamed her through Waldman's statements.

July 2020: Heard a Key Witness in Depp v NGN Trial

Amber Heard was a key witness for News Group Newspapers (NGN) during the highly publicized libel trial in July 2020, Depp v NGN.

August 2020: Heard filed counterclaim against Depp

In August 2020, Amber Heard filed a counterclaim against Johnny Depp, alleging that he coordinated a harassment campaign via Twitter and orchestrated online petitions to get her fired from Aquaman and L'Oréal.

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November 2020: Depp Loses Libel Claim Against The Sun

In November 2020, the presiding judge found that Johnny Depp had lost his libel claim against News Group Newspapers, accepting that Depp had assaulted Amber Heard on 12 out of 14 occasions.

2020: Heard Testifies Full Amount Was Donated

As part of the Depp v News Group Newspapers Ltd case, Amber Heard stated in a 2020 testimony that the full divorce settlement amount was donated to charity.

2020: Depp's Replacement in Fantastic Beasts Films

In 2020, following Depp's loss in his UK libel case, an online petition started to remove Heard from the Aquaman films after Depp was replaced in the Fantastic Beasts films.

January 2021: Allegations of Unfulfilled Donations Reported

In January 2021, the Daily Mail reported an allegation by Johnny Depp's lawyers that Amber Heard had not completed her donations. Heard's lawyer responded that she intended to fulfill the pledge but had been delayed due to legal expenses.

March 2021: Depp's Appeal Rejected

In March 2021, Johnny Depp's appeal to overturn the verdict in the libel case against The Sun was rejected.

December 2021: ACLU COO Testifies on Expected Donations

In December 2021, the ACLU's chief operating officer testified that the organization expected to receive donations from Amber Heard over a 10-year period. By that time, $1.3 million had been donated to the ACLU in Heard's name between 2016 and 2018.

June 1, 2022: Verdict in Depp-Heard Trial

On June 1, 2022, the Depp-Heard trial verdict was reached in Fairfax County, Virginia. The jury found that Amber Heard's statements in her op-ed were false, defamed Johnny Depp, and were made with actual malice, awarding Depp $10 million in compensatory damages and $350,000 in punitive damages. The jury also found that one of Adam Waldman's statements to the Daily Mail was false, defamatory, and made with actual malice, awarding Heard $2 million in compensatory damages.

December 2022: Depp and Heard Settle Case

In December 2022, Johnny Depp and Amber Heard settled their case after both filed to appeal the verdict. Heard stated that she could not go through a retrial, but maintained the settlement was not a concession. Depp's lawyers stated the jury's decision remained in place and that Heard's insurer would pay Depp $1 million, which Depp would donate to charities.

2022: Depp v. Heard Trial

By the start of the Depp v. Heard trial in the US in 2022, the petition to remove Heard from the Aquaman film had reached 2 million signatures.

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2022: Testimony on Donations During Depp v. Heard Trial

During the 2022 Depp v. Heard trial, CHLA testified that Amber Heard had given the organization $250,000 as of 2021. Heard testified that defending the case had cost her over $6 million in legal fees and that she planned to resume donations when possible.

2023: Release of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom

Following the release of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom in 2023, critics noted that a number of Amber Heard's scenes appeared to have been cut from the film.

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