Amber Heard maintains that she was the sufferer of abuse in her relationship with Johnny Depp.
In her first interview because the defamation trial, the Aquaman actress informed At this time‘s Savannah Guthrie that she stands by “each phrase” of her testimony — though the jury dominated in Depp’s favor. Whereas she admitted she “made a whole lot of errors” of their relationship, she mentioned she’s “at all times informed the reality.”
“To my dying day, [I] will stand by each phrase of my testimony,” Heard informed Guthrie through the 10-minute grilling.
The six-week trial — stemming from the actress’s 2018 Washington Publish op-ed about surviving home abuse — “was essentially the most humiliating and horrible factor I’ve ever been by means of,” the actress mentioned. “I’ve by no means felt extra faraway from my very own humanity. I felt lower than human.”
Heard mentioned day-after-day when she arrived at courtroom in Fairfax, Va., she’d drive previous blocks of Depp supporters holding indicators saying, “Burn the witch” and “Dying to Amber.” When she took the stand, three weeks into the trial and after the Pirates of the Caribbean star’s testimony, she noticed “a courtroom packed of Captain Jack Sparrow followers, who’re vocal [and] energized.”
She referred to as the trial an instance of social media “gone haywire, gone amok,” she mentioned. “And the jury will not be proof against that.” She mentioned it might have been “inconceivable to keep away from” even for “essentially the most well-intentioned juror.”
Heard admitted she “wouldn’t blame the common particular person” for trying on the trial protection “and never assume that it’s Hollywood brats at their worst. However what individuals don’t perceive is it’s really a lot greater than that. This isn’t solely about our First Modification proper to talk…” however in regards to the “freedom to talk reality to energy.”
Guthrie responded, “However ‘reality’ was the phrase. That was the difficulty,” noting that jurors did not consider Heard’s testimony of abuse.
“And that’s all I spoke,” Heard replied. “And I spoke it to energy, and I paid the worth.”
In the course of the backwards and forwards, Guthrie mentioned Depp testified and maintained that he by no means hit her — and requested if his assertion was a lie.
“Sure, it’s,” Heard replied.
She additionally denied that she was the abuser and instigator of their relationship, saying, “I by no means needed to instigate it. I responded to it.”
Guthrie additionally requested in regards to the audio recordings of the couple preventing, a few of which had been used as proof. Heard was requested particularly in regards to the one during which she admitted to beginning a struggle between them. In one other, she taunted Depp suggesting individuals would not consider he was the sufferer of abuse as a result of he was a person.
“Twenty second clips, or the transcripts of them, aren’t consultant of the 2 [or 3] hours these clips are excerpted from,” she replied.
“When your life is in danger,” an individual will “take the blame for issues that you simply shouldn’t take the blame for,” she mentioned, including, “as I testified to, I used to be speaking in these recordings as an individual in an excessive quantity of emotional, psychological and bodily misery.”
Heard, who plans to attraction, was requested about Depp’s authorized staff accusing her of appearing and mendacity on the stand.
“Says the lawyer for the person who satisfied the world he had scissors for fingers?” she mentioned, refering to Depp’s position in Edward Scissorhands. “I am the performer? I had listened to weeks of testimony … saying … I am a horrible actress. So I am a bit confused how I could be each.”
Heard additionally responded to Guthrie asking whether or not Depp simply had a greater authorized staff than she did.
“I’ll say his attorneys did definitely a greater job of distracting the jury from the actual points,” she answered.
Half one of many interview ended with Guthrie saying Depp’s attorneys prompt that she did not win the case as a result of she did not take duty for her position in any of the couple’s relationship drama.
“I did do,” Heard replied. “[I said] horrible regrettable issues all through my relationship. I behaved in horrible, nearly unrecognizable to myself methods. I’ve a lot remorse. I freely, overtly and voluntarily talked about what I did. I talked in regards to the horrible language. I talked about being pushed to the extent the place I did not even know the distinction between proper and flawed. I’ll at all times proceed to really feel like I used to be part of this — like I used to be the opposite half of this relationship — as a result of I used to be. And it was ugly. And could possibly be very stunning. It was very, very poisonous. We had been terrible to one another. I made a whole lot of errors — a whole lot of errors — however I’ve at all times informed the reality.”
Heard and Depp, who acquired collectively after making The Rum Diaries, had been married briefly from 2015 to 2016. It ended with Heard submitting for divorce and getting a home violence restraining order once more Depp. Two years later, Heard wrote an op-ed for the Washington Publish about surviving home abuse. The story did not identify the actor, however Depp, who has denied all allegations of abuse, sued her for $50 million claiming the allegations destroyed his profession and life. She countersued for $100 million.
On June, the jury dominated in Depp’s favor and awarded him $10.35 million. Heard was awarded $2 million for one declare stemming from Depp’s lawyer calling her abuse allegations a “hoax.”
Extra of Heard’s interview will air on Wednesday’s At this time adopted by a particular Dateline on Friday at 8 p.m. ET.
