Trigger warnings:
Domestic abuse, alcohol and drug addiction
Over the years, there have been many accusations of domestic abuse by men in Hollywood. Some examples are Chris Brown, OJ Simpson and Josh Brolin. However, a recent allegation made in 2016 stands out. Johnny Depp, who is well known for the Pirates of The Caribbean film series, and Amber Heard, known for Aquaman, got married in 2015. In 2016, Heard accused Depp, saying that he threw an iPhone at her face causing bruising. In 2017, they divorced, and Depp accused Heard of domestic abuse. This case is different from many divorce cases because they both made accusations against each other.
Heard claims that she used a makeup palette from Milani Cosmetics to cover up her bruises from the paparazzi in 2016, calling it her “bruise kit.” Milani Cosmetics made a statement that there is no way she could’ve used that specific palette because the product did not get released until 2017.
A doctor hired by Depp’s legal team to physiologically evaluate Heard, stated that she was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and histrionic personality disorder. Individuals with these conditions show behavior that is driven by fear of abandonment, and they will often try to prevent it from happening.
Depp and Heard’s previous couple’s therapist, Dr. Laurel Anderson, categorized the relationship as mutually abusive. Depp testified that Heard cut off the tip of his finger by throwing a Vodka bottle at him. Depp’s house manager was a witness to this.
Depp’s testimony featured an audio clip of Heard attempting to hit Depp and calling him a “baby.” In the audio clip, one can hear Heard mocking Depp and his claim of being abused by her saying, “Tell the world, Johnny. Tell them ‘Johnny Depp, a man, is a victim of domestic violence.” Depp responded in court, saying, “Yes, I am.”
With domestic abuse, it’s common to believe that the woman is telling the truth, even in a situation of a man accusing a woman. However, men can also be victims of domestic violence. According to SocialSolutions.com, more than one in four men (28.5%) experience physical violence and rape by their partner.
After Heard wrote an op-ed with The Washington Post, Depp spoke out about the situation. He claimed that he was never the abuser, but that she was. It’s infrequent to see a man come forward in Hollywood and accuse a woman of domestic abuse.
Heard continued to bring Depp and his career down after her accusation. Disney dropped Depp from the Pirates of the Caribbean, and he also lost his role as Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts series. Recently, Heard revealed that Warner Brothers had cut several of her lines in Aquaman 2.
Depp has struggled with opioid addiction and alcoholism, reportedly causing him to be aggressive during arguments. It was especially hard for him because he was also grieving over his mother’s death at the same time. Depp has been recently recovering from his addiction.
One of Depp’s close friends, Paul Bettany, said that he is the “kindest, gentlest” man he’s ever met. Depp may be genuinely the victim in this situation, but society will always believe the woman in the case of abuse and violence. The Depp v. Heard trial has shed light on the reality of men also being victims of domestic violence. It seems that mostly everyone is on Depp’s side. If he somehow is proven a victim, society will realize that some women aren’t always telling the truth when it comes to domestic abuse. Sometimes the men are the victims.