Amber Heard's Career Was Never The Same After The Johnny Depp Trial

This article contains references to sexual assault and domestic abuse.

Amber Heard dropped out of high school when she was 17 years old and drove to Los Angeles to pursue acting. For many years, things seemed to be going her way. She had starred in movies such as "Never Back Down," "Pineapple Express," and "Drive Angry." In 2018, she even played an Atlantean princess in the wildly successful "Aquaman." A major blockbuster like this could have led to countless more opportunities for the actress. However, just a few years later, it was obvious that Hollywood didn't want to cast Heard anymore.

This is because of her highly publicized divorce from Johnny Depp, one of the most acclaimed and successful actors of all time. Heard and Depp tied the knot in 2015, but their tumultuous marriage didn't last long. Heard filed for divorce in 2016, and legal problems would follow her for the next six years. Heard and Depp easily had one of the most dramatic celebrity divorces ever, which concluded in the infamous 2022 trial. It's now been three years since this trial, but Heard's career has still not recovered, and it's possible that it never will.

Amber Heard's public reputation and her ongoing feud with Depp were destroyed following her defamation trial against the actor, which concluded in June 2022. Throughout the trial, Heard tried to convince the jury that Depp physically and sexually assaulted her and that she didn't defame him in her 2018 op-ed, which was published by The Washington Post. Even though she never mentioned Depp by name in the op-ed, she described herself as a "public figure representing domestic abuse," which heavily tarnished Depp's own reputation.

Even though a previous trial, which was held in London in 2020, found that Depp had assaulted Heard, the 2022 trial did not go her way. During the 2022 trial, which was recorded and broadcast on TV and online, Heard was largely painted as the villain by the public. In fact, evidence presented during the trial suggested that Heard actually physically abused Depp. In the end, it was found that Depp was indeed defamed by Heard. The "Pirates of the Caribbean" actor was awarded $15 million in damages, while Heard was awarded just $2 million and was largely seen as the loser of the trial.

As reported by The New York Times, Heard was disappointed "beyond words" by the result of the trial. In an official statement, she said, "I'm heartbroken that the mountain of evidence still was not enough to stand up to the disproportionate power, influence, and sway of my ex-husband. I'm even more disappointed with what this verdict means for other women. It is a setback. It sets back the clock to a time when a woman who spoke up and spoke out could be publicly shamed and humiliated. It sets back the idea that violence against women is to be taken seriously."

Before her divorce from Depp, which was finalized in January 2017, and the ensuing drama that would follow her for many years, Amber Heard had established herself as a successful actress in Hollywood. However, it can't be denied that Depp has always been a more popular and beloved actor. Throughout his career, Depp has earned much acclaim for playing Jack Sparrow in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise, as well as other iconic characters, such as Willy Wonka and Sweeney Todd.

Her official statement following the trial suggests that Heard believed Depp's storied career and his influence were the reasons he won the trial. Following the jury's decision, Depp was embraced by celebrities and fans all over the world, while Heard was scorned. Some even accused Heard of acting during her testimony. Because of this, Heard withdrew from the public eye, convinced that the result of the case would make it difficult for her to ever win back people's favor.

As reported by People, a source notes that Heard "lost the case and was treated as such." Therefore, the connections Heard had made in Hollywood throughout her career were likely no longer there to help her following the highly publicized trial. The source added that the actress "felt like a pariah" after the trial, which actually led to her leaving Hollywood.

While still working as an actress in Hollywood, Amber Heard lived in the desert town of Yucca Valley, California. However, she sold her home after the trial and moved to Europe with her daughter, whom she had via a surrogate in 2021. Heard and her daughter, Oonagh Paige, initially moved to Mallorca, Spain, but later relocated to Madrid, which is where they currently reside.

In a 2023 report, People spoke to a source close to Heard, who claimed that the actress is very content living in Spain. The source said, "She has been living in Spain, where she gets more privacy. The trial was beyond stressful for her, and she just wanted to start fresh out of the country. She is excited about working and filming again. She was exhausted and disappointed about the trial. She felt she was mistreated. This is all behind her now, though. She has new energy and is focused on things that she loves."

A now-deleted TikTok video reportedly showed Heard speaking to reporters on a sidewalk in Madrid. During the interview, Heard claimed that she loves living in Spain and doesn't plan to leave. Therefore, it seems like she may never return to Hollywood, which will definitely impact future career opportunities.

Following the defamation trial against Depp, it seems like Amber Heard wanted to completely reinvent herself. In addition to starting a new life in Spain, Heard also started going by a new name. Heard allegedly started going by the name Martha Jane Cannary after the trial. This may seem random, but it was actually the real name of Calamity Jane, a famous figure from the Wild West era who didn't put up with any nonsense.

This suggests that Heard viewed herself as a modern-day cowgirl, and possibly even an outlaw, following the result of the trial. However, even though Heard started going by this new name, it must be mentioned that she has still been credited as her birth name in the projects she has appeared in since the trial. Therefore, she may prefer the name Martha Jane Cannary, but she is not going by it professionally. This indicates that she still wants to start a new era in her career under the name that people all over the world already know.

Even though she has worked on a few projects since the trial, Amber Heard has largely remained out of the public eye since relocating to Spain. She purchased a €1.5 million house in Madrid in a neighborhood that is also home to other public figures, such as actors, footballers, and politicians. Because Heard is surrounded by other celebrities, she is never really bothered and has been able to fully embrace Spanish culture.

In 2024, one of Heard's neighbors told the Daily Mail, "She lives here and I often see her walking her daughter to school in the mornings." However, the neighbor noted that the actress "wears a cap and sunglasses and normal clothes and keeps a low profile." Therefore, after spending many years in the public eye, it's clear that Heard just wants to blend in and enjoy her new life in Spain. Clearly, she is happy living in Madrid, but Heard stepping out of the spotlight suggests that it will be incredibly difficult for her to resume her movie career.

It's not surprising that Amber Heard is choosing to keep a low profile, since she has been harassed online by supporters of Depp for many years. Many people around the world rallied behind Depp and chose to treat Heard as a villain. Just weeks after the trial, the actress claimed that she isn't bothered by what people are saying about her online in an interview with NBC. She explained, "I don't care what one thinks about me or what judgments you want to make about what happened in the privacy of my own home, in my marriage behind closed doors. I don't presume the average person should know those things. And so I don't take it personally."

However, in the same interview, Heard argued that she hasn't been treated fairly online. She said, "But even someone who is sure I'm deserving of all this hate and vitriol, 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."

The podcast "Who Trolled Amber," which was released in 2024, found that 50% of the online hate that Heard received had been "inauthentically generated" by Depp supporters using automated bots. This proves that Heard was indeed targeted online and suggests that she might never be able to step into the spotlight in a major way ever again without receiving an immense amount of hate. Therefore, Heard's career and public image will be negatively impacted by Depp's supporters for many years to come, possibly even forever.

Even though Amber Heard chose to live a private life after the trial, she walked the red carpet at the Taormina Film Festival in June 2023 for the premiere of "In the Fire." This was her first film to be released since her legal proceedings with Depp concluded. "In the Fire" is set in the 1890s and sees Heard play Grace Burnham, a doctor who travels to a remote plantation to care for a disturbed boy whom the local priest believes to be possessed by the devil.

Unfortunately for Heard, "In the Fire" received very negative reviews after its official release in October 2023. However, she was consistently applauded by Conor Allyn, the director of the movie, leading up to its release. In an interview with Deadline, the filmmaker said, "I think she is terrific in the movie, and I'm sure that was very difficult with all this other stuff going on ... I definitely complimented her a couple times during the shoot, the way she was able to tune in."

At the Taormina Film Festival, Heard also spoke to Deadline and sounded determined to continue her acting career. She said, "The odds of that in this industry are really improbable but somehow, here I am. I think I've earned respect for that to be its own thing. That's substantial enough. What I have been through, what I've lived through, doesn't make my career at all. And it's certainly not gonna stop my career."

She may have had the lead role in "In the Fire," but her role in "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom," which also came out in 2023, was drastically reduced. The first "Aquaman" movie quickly became the most successful film of Amber Heard's career when it was released in 2018. In the film and the larger DC Extended Universe, Heard played Mera, Aquaman's love interest and the princess of Atlantis. Heard co-led the first film alongside Jason Momoa, but she testified her legal battle against Depp led to her having a smaller role in the sequel.

As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, during the trial, Heard testified that she "fought really hard" to stay in "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom." Even though she was not entirely cut from the sequel, she does not have as prominent a role in comparison to the first film. The actress continued, "I was given a script, then given new versions of the script that had taken away scenes that had action in it ... They basically took a bunch out of my role. They just removed a bunch."

Overall, Heard was involved in a lot of drama during the production of "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom." As reported by Variety, she and Momoa didn't get along while filming the sequel. Furthermore, Heard's ex-boyfriend, tech billionaire Elon Musk, reportedly sent a "scorched-earth letter to Warner Bros. threatening to burn the house down" if she was cut out of the sequel. All of this drama and the negative sentiment surrounding Heard suggest it may prove difficult to work on major blockbusters like the "Aquaman" movies again.

Just because Amber Heard's role in "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" wasn't what she hoped it would be and "Into the Fire" was a critical disappointment, her acting career is definitely not completely over. In fact, Heard recently starred in a stage play called "Spirit of the People." To star in the play, Heard returned to the United States for the Williamstown Theatre Festival, which is held in Massachusetts. According to the official Williamstown Theatre Festival website, the play was performed across three weekends from July 17 to August 3.

After the final weekend, Heard posted a photo on Instagram expressing gratitude for all the fans who supported her during the play's run. In the caption of the photo, in which she is smiling with flowers, she wrote, "Thank you to all of my fans and supporters for making this already unforgettable weekend so much more beautiful. The flowers won't last forever but the memories of all the love and support I received through this, will."

Heard has received immense praise for her role in the play. Vanity Fair's review of "Spirit of the People" states, "Heard is not only eloquent and beautiful (and fluent in Spanish), but she embodies the fragility and resilience of a classic Tennessee Williams heroine." Therefore, even though she has faced a lot of controversy, it's clear that she is an incredibly talented actress. This suggests that she could potentially make an acting comeback in the coming years.

Amber Heard has had a very successful career as a Hollywood actress, but she never actually desired fame, living somewhat of a double life. Going all the way back to 2013, not long after she had started dating Depp, Heard graced the cover of Flare magazine and discussed her professional goals in an interview. As reported by E! News, she said, "I want to be an artist. I don't want to be a celebrity." This suggests that Heard may be very content with her low-profile life in Madrid and probably doesn't miss constantly being in the public eye in Hollywood.

It's possible that many of Heard's biggest fans, as well as her haters, don't even know she starred in "Spirit of the People." It's definitely not a very high-profile acting project, but it was clearly artistically fulfilling for Heard. Therefore, even if she never stars in a major Hollywood blockbuster like "Aquaman" ever again, Heard could still have a very fulfilling career as an actress in indie films and stage plays.

In addition to starring in "Spirit of the People," Amber Heard has recently been focused on being a mother. In an Instagram post on May 11, 2025, Heard announced that she welcomed twins, writing, "This year I am elated beyond words to celebrate the completion of the family I've strived to build for years. Today I officially share the news that I welcomed twins into the Heard gang." The girl is named Agnes, and the boy is named Ocean. Along with Oonaugh, these children will definitely keep Heard busy for years to come. In the post, Heard acknowledged her own fertility challenges and expressed how grateful she is to complete her family.

Even though her career has slowed down following the trial, Heard's personal life has definitely not. She may never experience the success that she did before her highly publicized divorce from Depp and the ensuing trials, but Hollywood stardom doesn't seem to be a top priority for Heard. Instead, she seems focused on being a mother and pursuing what she deems to be fulfilling artistic endeavors.

If you or anyone you know needs help with sexual assault or domestic abuse, contact the relevant resources below:

• The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

• The National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.