Amber Heard Coughs Up Stunning Payout To Johnny Depp Year After Lawsuit (But He's Not Keeping It)

The following article includes allegations of domestic abuse.

It's been over a year since the infamous Amber Heard and Johnny Depp defamation trial and it looks like there's finally an end to the long battle. The legal drama began in 2018 when Heard wrote an op-ed piece for The Washington Post claiming she had experienced "domestic abuse." Although she never named Depp in the article, sued her for $50 million for defamation in 2019. Heard countersued for $100 million.

The three-week trial began in April 2022, during which both parties alleged they were physically abused. After the trial ended on June 1, the jury found Heard guilty of defamation and awarded Depp $15 million in compensatory and punitive damages, per Variety. Additionally, Heard received $2 million in compensatory damages. Heard agreed to pay Depp $1 million to settle with Depp the following December. "After a great deal of deliberation, I have made a very difficult decision to settle the defamation case brought against me by my ex-husband in Virginia. It's important for me to say that I never chose this. I defended my truth and in doing so my life as I knew it was destroyed," she stated, per TMZ. 

Now, it looks as if Heard has finally kept her end of the bargain and Depp is making a donation with the money.

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support on their website.

For Johnny Depp, the defamation lawsuit was never about the money. "He has always said he wasn't looking to destroy her. He said it wasn't about money, and it's not! He just wanted the truth," a source close to the actor told The International News. Well, he's finally received the settlement from Amber Heard, and true to his word, he's not keeping a single penny. According to People, Depp is going to divide the $1 million settlement and give $200,000 each to five charities. A source revealed that the "Pirates of the Caribbean" the star has chosen Make-A-Film Foundation, Red Feather, Amazonia Fund Alliance, The Painted Turtle, and Tetiaroa Society.

According to Fox News, the money was paid from Heard's insurance company. Her film debut following the trial will be "In the Fire" and she is set to appear at the Taormina Film Festival in Italy on June 24. Heard now lives in Madrid, Spain with her daughter Oonagh Paige, whom she welcomed in April 2021. As People reported, Heard told the jury during the trial, "I want to move on with my life. I have a baby. I have to move on. I want to move on, and I want Johnny to move on too."