Now that Johnny Depp has won his defamation lawsuit against Amber Heard, she could be in a precarious financial position if she’s not able to pay the damages awarded to Depp by the jury.
An entertainment industry consultant speaking on Heard’s behalf during the trial suggested the lawsuit has already negatively impacted her career as few opportunities have come her way since it was filed. Depending on her current financial status, that downturn may complicate her ability to fulfill her legal obligations .
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And as we’re about to see, that could leave Heard with several options that are all less than ideal for her.
Of course, nobody can predict the future but here’s what seems the most likely to unfold based on the currently available information we have.
Throughout the course of his lawsuit, Johnny Depp has seen his career start to bounce back.
Not only is he set to play the French king Louis XV in Jeanne du Barry, but People reported that he’s also voicing a puffin named Johnny Puff in the animated series Puffins Impossible.
Yet as his recent surprise appearances during Jeff Beck’s tour stops in the United Kingdom and Beck’s hints at further collaborations between them suggest, he seems more likely to focus on making music than acting in the near future.
As for Heard, the future ahead for her as an actress seems significantly more uncertain.
Although she’s already filmed her parts as Mera in Aquaman The Lost Kingdom and wrapped up work on the upcoming independent film In The Fire , the way that public opinion has shifted against her in recent months will likely cause PR difficulties for any studio that agrees to hire her.
And while she was awarded $2 million at the conclusion of the trial, that could only partially cover the 10.35 million she would owe Depp if he decides to execute the judgment against her.
It’s true that the Virginia jury awarded Depp $15 million, but CBS News reported that the $5 million in punitive damages she incurred were automatically reduced to $350,000 due to Virginia’s law capping such awards.
And while Heard hasn’t discussed the financial implications of the case since the trial has concluded, she’ll have to pick between some uncomfortable options if she doesn’t have enough money to cover the judgment.
Although she can appeal the decision in the hopes of reducing the damages or otherwise gaining a more favorable judgment, Kentucky attorney Sandra Spurgeon told CBS News that this won’t be as easy as most of us might think.
That’s because this would require posting a bond for the full amount owed, plus interest.
If this isn’t possible for her, the outlet’s legal contributor Jessica Levinson suggested she may still retain enough potential to earn money that her wages could be garnished.
The only other option available to Heard if she comes up short would be to file for bankruptcy, but even this wouldn’t solve all her potential money woes.
Because while Spurgeon said that could wipe away the $10 million she would owe in compensatory damages, it wouldn’t be likely to affect the remaining $350,000 in punitive damages.
The only other possibility is that Depp could simply decide not to execute the judgment and waive the damages or negotiate a lower payout with Heard.
But while he hasn’t indicated what his monetary plans are in the wake of his legal victory, the clear acrimony that’s existed between him and Heard since their divorce makes this scenario unlikely.
As Spurgeon put it, “He’s in the driver’s seat right now.”
