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Amber Heard Speaks Out Following Johnny Depp Verdict: It’s Not ‘Fair’

In her first sit-down interview following the verdict in the defamation battle with ex-husband Johnny Depp, Amber Heard told Savannah Guthrie of Today, “You cannot tell me that you think…

Amber Heard

Actress Amber Heard departs the Fairfax County Courthouse on June 1, 2022 in Fairfax, Virginia. The jury in the Depp vs. Heard case awarded actor Johnny Depp $15 million in his defamation case against Heard.

Win McNamee/Getty Images

In her first sit-down interview following the verdict in the defamation battle with ex-husband Johnny Depp, Amber Heard told Savannah Guthrie of Today, "You cannot tell me that you think that this has been fair. Even somebody who is sure that I am deserving of all this hate and betrayal -- even if you think that I’m lying, you still couldn’t look me in the eye and tell me that you think on social media there’s been a fair representation."

Last month, a jury in Virginia ruled the Aquaman actress had defamed Depp in her 2018 Washington Post op-ed about being a victim of domestic violence. Heard has been ordered to pay Depp $10 million in compensatory damages and $350,000 in punitive damages after he successfully persuaded the court his career and reputation had been damaged as a result of the article. The jury also awarded Heard $2 million in compensatory damages after the jury found one of Depp’s lawyers had defamed her.

Though the jury was instructed to stay off social media, Heard's legal team insisted it impacted the case. “There’s no way they couldn’t have been influenced by it, and it was horrible,” Heard’s attorney Elaine Charlson Bredehoft said. “It really, really was lopsided.” However, Depp's attorneys, Benjamin Chew and Camille Vasquez, said there was "no reason to believe the jurors violated their oath" by engaging on social media.

Elsewhere in the interview, Heard clarified that she doesn't blame the jury for ruling against her. "I actually understand," she said. "He's a beloved character and people feel they know him. He's a fantastic actor."

Watch a clip of the interview below:

Laila Abuelhawa is the Top 40 and Hip-Hop pop culture writer for Beasley Media Group. Being with the company for over three years, Laila's fierce and fabulous red-carpet rankings have earned her a feature on 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert!' Her favorite stories are those surrounding the latest in celebrity fashion, television and film rankings, and how the world reacts to major celebrity news. With a background in journalism, Laila's stories ensure accuracy and offer background information on stars that you wouldn't have otherwise known. She prides herself in covering stories that inform the public about what is currently happening and what is to come in the ever-changing, ever-evolving media landscape.