In headlines on Thursday it was announced that Amber Heard and Johnny Depp had agreed an out of court settlement of $7million. Of course, this means that Amber must drop the injunction, while all talk of domestic violence must now be forgotten (unless she finds a loophole, I’m guessing that she will, in time.)
With the money accepted, Amber could have swanned into the sunset. To us, $7 million is a lot, but to those in Hollywood it is a little like small change considering what Johnny Depp is really worth. (It’s still not bad considering the brevity of the marriage).
On Friday Amber made a move that no one saw coming, she donated the entire amount to charity. The whole $7million.
That’s quite a shock. Half was donated to a domestic violence charity, which obviously gets a point across without Amber divulging anything. The other half, to a charity Amber has believed in for a long time.
The question on everyone’s lips is:
Does this prove Johnny Depp was violent and does it prove Amber Heard was never after his money?
The answer is: Maybe, yes, Maybe Not.
Here’s why:
I am a huge fan of Johnny Depp, I always have been, since 21 Jump Street. I didn’t want to believe he was a violent alcoholic, as I was married to one of these for years and still suffer from PTSD from it. (I changed my name and moved hundreds of miles away to escape.)
I didn’t want to think Johnny was capable of such bullying and cruelty, such as that in this video:
The jury is still out over whether this is actually Johnny Depp, so we must remain open minded at this point.
I did have to admit that he obviously had a drinking problem. I suspected it when I learned that it was his choice to play Captain Jack Sparrow drunk. My suspicions grew when he showed up to a premier looking quite bloated and washed out (I’ve seen how alcohol affects appearance, he will have quite the red nose under that make up). My suspicions were confirmed when he basically admitted it himself. That being said, an alcoholic doesn’t have to be violent, just like an addict doesn’t have to be a thief.
They don’t always go hand in hand.
The Secret Life of an Alcoholic
I have witnessed how alcoholics can charm people on the outside and create such a persona that no one would believe the vitriol that pours out of them behind closed doors. I’ve also worn that brave face should anyone realise what was going on. I’ve forgiven time after time as I truly believed the acts of atonement and promises that it wouldn’t happen again, and I did feel for Amber when she came out against Johnny Depp, but I’ll admit, I really didn’t want to believe it.
Amber was wrung through the mill with her claims and she took the brave route of trying to fight a legal team that are probably the best in Hollywood. She didn’t stand a chance, she knew she’d be labelled as crazy, a gold digger, insane and a liar but she ploughed on regardless. Would someone do that if they didn’t truly believe they’d been a victim of domestic violence?
Throughout, she kept her head held high and her story straight. As more was leaked, the violent nature of Johnny Depp seemed to be confirmed. Would she not have received a settlement even if she didn’t declare domestic violence? That would all be in the nitty gritty of the pre nup.
From the outside, this act of generosity, giving away the full settlement, seems to fulfil a few objectives. It shows Amber wasn’t after the money for personal gain, and despite being silenced by Johnny’s legal firm, it shows that while she’s ok to drop the injunction, she’s far from forgiving or forgetting about the domestic violence. She’s just made the best of a bad situation.
It wraps it up quite neatly while labelling Johnny as a wife beater. Or does it?
Amber Heard Could be Playing the Long Game
Amber knows, that with this kind of publicity comes money. Her divorce has basically written her a paycheck for the next 5 years. Her latest move, of giving away $7million may have cost her cash in the short term, but that cash will now come back tenfold.
She’ll soon be the face of a cosmetic range, she’ll front a charity, she’ll charge for interviews, people will want to know more about her, and as a result, the media will be throwing dollars at her, just to feature her face or her quotes.
Don’t believe me, just watch!
In conclusion, I’m still on the fence, as this hasn’t really proved much except that Amber knows how to play a crowd. Of course she does. She’s worked in PR.
I have found myself shifting a little though, as I now look for signs that Amber is telling the truth, I actively try to validate her claims mentally, as deep down, I know that if she was a victim here, what she’s done, how she’s fought and how she’s “almost” won is an incredible achievement for women victims everywhere.
If she’s lying, she’s just made it harder for women to be believed in such situations, something we’re always trying to combat as this is one huge obstacle that stops many seeking the help they need.
Yes, for that reason, I want to believe Amber Heard. I’m just not sure I’m there, yet.
What Will Johnny Depp Do Next?
Johnny, I always thought you and Helena Bonham Carter would be great together anyhow, or please do go back to Vanessa to dry out… I’ve a feeling, that even if this is true, your fans will forgive you anything, as long as you admit your part in it, and show some of that wonderful honesty and integrity as you do on Jimmy Kimmel. It still melts my heart every time you two kiss!