Johnny Depp May Not Try To Collect $10 Million In Damages From Amber Heard

The 'Pirates of the Caribbean' star's attorney also revealed that he was 'over the moon,' when the verdict came in his favor.

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June 8, 2022 9:27AM EDT
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Actress Amber Heard departs departs the Fairfax County Courthouse in Fairfax, Va. A jury heard closing arguments in Johnny Depp's high-profile libel lawsuit against ex-wife Amber Heard. Lawyers for Johnny Depp and Amber Heard made their closing arguments to a Virginia jury in Depp's civil suit against his ex-wife Depp-Heard Trial, Fairfax, United States - 27 May 2022
(RESTRICTION: NO New York or New Jersey Newspapers or newspapers within a 75 mile radius of any part of New York, New York, including without limitation the New York Daily News, The New York Times, and Newsday.) Mandatory Credit: Photo by Shutterstock (12967675ae) Johnny Depp bows to his fans during a recess in his civil trial with Amber Heard, at the Fairfax County Courthouse, in Fairfax, Va.,. Depp brought a defamation lawsuit against his former wife, actress Amber Heard, after she wrote an op-ed in The Washington Post in 2018 that, without naming Depp, accused him of domestic abuse. Credit: Cliff Owen / CNP (RESTRICTION: NO New York or New Jersey Newspapers or newspapers within a 75 mile radius of New York City) Johnny Depp vs Amber Heard Trial, Fairfax, Virginia, USA - 27 May 2022
Image Credit: Kevin Lamarque/AP/Shutterstock

Johnny Depp’s lawyer Ben Chew hinted that the actor may not try to collect the money awarded to him during the defamation lawsuit against his ex-wife Amber Heard during their first interview on Wednesday, June 8 on Good Morning America. When host George Stephanopoulos asked about the possibility that Johnny, 58, would forgo the money rewarded to him in damages, Ben explained that the monetary value wasn’t the actor’s prime concern.

While Ben tiptoed around the question and noted that he couldn’t break attorney-client privilege with Johnny, he did explain that this trial was more about restoring the public view of Johnny. “As Mr. Depp testified and as we both made clear in our respective closings, this was never about money for Mr. Depp. So, this was about restoring his reputation, and he’s done that,” he said. “This was about Mr. Depp’s reputation. That was what it was about for him.”

After the verdict came in, Amber’s lawyer Elaine Bredehoft admitted that the actress, 36, can’t afford the $10 million in damages awarded to her ex-husband in a Today interview. She also spoke about the possibility that Amber will appeal, which the actress has made clear she plans to do. “She has some excellent grounds for it,” she explained.

Johnny’s lawyers explained how the trial was about more than money for Johnny. (Kevin Lamarque/AP/Shutterstock)

During the GMA interview, Ben and Camille Vasquez also discussed other aspects of the trial, including what impression they felt that Amber left on the jury, and what his reaction to the verdict was once they spoke to him. “He was over the moon. It was like the weight of the world had been taken off his shoulders, and I feel that finally after six years, he’s gotten his life back,” Ben said.

After the verdict came in, both Camille and Ben celebrated the win for Johnny. Outside the court, Ben looked to the what’s on the horizon for the actor. “Now that reached its conclusive verdict, it’s time to turn the page and look to the future. Thank you all so much, thanks to the jury,” he said.