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Daily Record
Daily Record
Entertainment
Magdalene Dalziel & Brogan-Leigh Hurst

Amber Heard speaks for first time about 'unfair' Johnny Depp verdict

Amber Heard has finally shared her thoughts on the verdict of her defamation battle with ex-husband Johnny Depp.

The Aquaman star says the trial was not "fair" following a ruling by the jury in favour of the Pirates of the Caribbean actor on June 1.

Pirates of the Caribbean actor Johnny was awarded compensatory damages of $10million (£8million) and a further $5million (£4million) in punitive damages.

In her first official sit-down interview since losing her legal battle, Amber has revealed she understands why the jury reached their verdict in favour of the actor.

But she reckons the negative social media coverage she faced had an impact on the jury's decision.

(POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

The chat is with Today's Savannah Guthrie in a pre-recorded interview, which is set to air on Tuesday and Wednesday on NBC in the US.

Amber tells Savannah: "I actually understand. He's a beloved character and people feel they know him. He's a fantastic actor."

Amber then spoke about the negative social media coverage during the trial.

"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," she adds.

"I don't presume the average person should know those things. And so I don't take it personally."

She concludes: "But even somebody 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. You cannot tell me that you think that this has been fair."

Heard had said she was "heartbroken" by the ruling when it was first announced, adding she was “sadder still” that she had “lost a right” to “speak freely and openly”.

“The disappointment I feel today is beyond words. 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,” she said in a statement.

“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.

“I believe Johnny’s attorneys succeeded in getting the jury to overlook the key issue of freedom of speech and ignore evidence that was so conclusive that we won in the UK.

“I’m sad I lost this case. But I am sadder still that I seem to have lost a right I thought I had as an American – to speak freely and openly.”

Since the end of the case, Johnny Depp has been appearing at Jeff Beck gigs across the UK and took to the stage at Glasgow's Royal Concert Hall last weekend.

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