Johnny Depp trial-turned-TV show leaves him a winner already
(Opinion)
The Johnny Depp vs Amber Heard defamation trial has been just like watching a juicy TV show, and that’s exactly why Johnny has already won.
Actor Johnny Depp sued his ex-wife Amber Heard for US$50 million for defamation, after she wrote an opinion piece in the Washington Post in 2018 referring to herself as a “public figure representing domestic abuse". Since 11 April, a six-week trial has been underway exposing the abuse Amber showed to Johnny throughout their relationship.
The media has taken a very serious trial about domestic abuse and turned it into a highly publicized show basically. There are new characters every day, fans watching, picking sides and, as there is with every good show, thirst trap edits of lead man Johnny himself. There are even cliff hangers of big stars speaking in the coming weeks (or episodes) and the ultimate question of who will win? You may as well pause your Netflix subscription now because you can watch the most popular TV show for free.
However, the illusion of a TV show has made us forget that it’s actually a full-on trial with $150 million at stake. I stopped being entertained when we as the audience, romanticised the court evidence as we would a TV show. My TikTok has been filled with fans saying Johnny is so naturally funny when he tells Amber to “shut up fat ass” and texts his friends "let's drown her before we burn her!!! I will fuck her burnt corpse afterwards to make sure she's dead.” It goes too far.
We know the best TV shows are the ones that show the deepest details of a person's life. With all the dramatic lies and arguments that are kept secret. While Johnny is winning his reputation back, he has given up his privacy. From his text messages to addiction problems, everything has been let loose for us to see. But sacrificing his privacy was worth it. If Johnny didn’t allow everything to be spilled, the trial wouldn’t be so God damn entertaining. By sharing the inner details of his life, it makes people want to watch and he wins his reputation back simultaneously.
Luckily for Depp, his authenticity has been praised, as it is in every good TV show. Before the 2018 allegations, Johnny was one of Hollywood’s favourite. Funny but handsome, charismatic but clever. He even said in his witness testimony, “It’s pretty strange when one day you’re Cinderella, so to speak, then 0.6 seconds (later) you’re Quasimodo.” But the same media and readers who turned on Johnny in 2018, has very easily jumped back into this Cinderella viewpoint. It gets too far when our romanticised, Cinderella idea of Johnny excuses court evidence as ‘funny’ when it’s not. Even Johnny saw no humour in his past words saying, "I’m ashamed that, that has to be spread on the world like peanut butter."
While Johnny is suing Amber for defamation, I don’t believe his goal of the case was necessarily to win. Throughout the trial, Johnny has been able to expose Amber. He has shown recordings of her admitting to abuse, had friends testify for him and shown up the franchises, especially Disney, that dropped him. Without taking Amber to court, he would never have been able to tell the world the entire story. Not just your classic scandal social media statement, but six weeks of clearing his name and winning back his reputation.
The trial-turned-TV show is what will leave Johnny a winner, being transparent has gotten our attention and restored his reputation. But we may need to take a step back from the illusion that this is all fiction.
