Johnny Depp recently discussed the 2022 defamation trial with his former wife Amber Heard during a press conference for his new movie.
Depp has been in Spain promoting his latest directorial work, a biopic titled “Modi” which chronicles the life of the Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani, a role Depp also plays in the film.
This project marks his third stint as a director, following 1997’s “The Brave” and 1993’s “Stuff.”
While at a press event for the movie, the “Pirates of the Caribbean” actor drew parallels between his life and Modigliani’s and made what seemed to be a subtle reference to his legal battle with Heard.
In 2018, Heard had penned an op-ed for The Washington Post titled “I spoke up against sexual violence – and faced our culture’s wrath. That has to change,” which did not directly name Depp. Nonetheless, his attorneys contended that it wrongfully insinuated he had been abusive during their relationship.
This led to Depp filing a defamation lawsuit against Heard in 2022, to which she responded with a countersuit.
The court ultimately ruled in favor of Depp, awarding him $15 million in compensatory and punitive damages, according to the BBC.
Heard, meanwhile, won $2 million in damages from one of her counterclaims against Depp.
Following the trial, Heard moved to Madrid, Spain with her three-year-old daughter and has since commented on Depp’s presence at the San Sebastian Film Festival.
At the film festival’s press event, Depp humorously reflected on his experiences, captured in a video by The Hollywood Reporter, saying: “Each [character] has their story because I’m sure we can say that I’ve been through a number of things here and there. … Maybe yours didn’t turn into a soap opera.”
He continued, “I mean, literally, televised,” which drew laughter from the audience.
Depp continued: “But we all go through what we go through. So to see these people on the verge of earning their stripes.”
“There’s something beautiful to me about those days living in a tiny studio apartment just off Hollywood Boulevard in a dangerous neighborhood.”
“They were tough. They were rough, ugly; they were weird, all kinds of stuff, but they were beautiful.”
Depp mentioned that the idea for the film originated from a suggestion by Al Pacino.
Mimicking Pacino, the “Edward Scissorhands” actor recounted, “Hey, you remember that Modi thing I was on about a few years ago, I think you should direct it.”
He then added, “For some reason, they saw me driving this strange machine. I mean, when Pacino speaks, you must listen.”