Celebrities are role models for most of us, but their life stories have many life lessons to teach us about behavior patterns, mainly if they include abuse. You can study their lives closely; their attachment and relationship patterns will reveal a lot, and then, if you can observe your own life, check if the same thing is not happening to you. If you have such a bond, you need to stop practicing the behavior you think, or you hear from experts that celebrities should not practice or the steps recommended to them to get out of the trauma bond.

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Today, I bring the celebrity case of Johnny Depp and Amber Heard. It is important to me because of its multi-dimensions. The story slowly unfolds from a rape allegation and takes you through the valley of fame, abuse, popularity, power of manipulation, and the media’s role. It will also include the post-effects of the issue on both sides. So join me as we start our journey.

 

Story of Johnny Depp and Amber Heard:

The love story of Johnny Depp and Amber Heard started in February 2009 when they first met at a fashion show. By 2015, they realized that they were compatible and should get married. They married in the same year. By 2016, things took a turn, and the couple decided to part their ways. In May 2016,  they were proceeding with the early divorce paperwork.

In the midst of the chaos, Heard alleged Depp of physically abusing her and launched a case against Depp, but he totally denied it.  At the same time, a separate libel trial was also ongoing in England; this trial was about an article published by News Group Newspaper in The Sun. Unfortunately, The presiding judge ruled against Depp. He remarked:

“The great majority of alleged assaults of Ms. Heard by Mr. Depp have been proved to the civil standard.”

According to the legal experts, Depp can have more chances to win the case in the UK rather than in the US. Anyhow, long story short, The jury came to the conclusion that  Heard’s op-ed references to “sexual violence” and “domestic abuse” were not authentic. Heard wanted to defame Depp because of her grudges and evil intentions for quite some time; the court awarded Depp $10 million in compensation and $5 million in punitive compensation from Heard.

However, the punitive damages were reduced to $350,000, thanks to a Virginia state law limit. They also determined that Depp defamed Heard via Waldman, who falsely claimed that Heard and her friends “roughed up” Depp’s penthouse as part of an “ambush, a hoax.” Depp was awarded $2 million in compensatory damages and $0 in punitive damages. Separately, the jury determined that Waldman’s other claims about Heard’s “sexual violence hoax” and “abuse hoax” against Depp were not of a defamation nature.

As time progressed, Heard filed motions repeatedly to overturn the verdict after the trial, but they were denied. After some time, both the parties appealed to the court about the judgments.  Both parties reached an agreement and dropped their appeals in December 2022, with Depp’s lawyers Benjamin Chew and Camille Vasquez stating that Depp would receive $1 million from Heard. The live-streamed trial drew many viewers and was a hot social media topic for many months.

Most of the social media reaction was supportive of Depp and critical of Heard. The trial reignited debates about domestic violence, the #MeToo movement, and women’s rights, though some observers were skeptical of the trial’s long-term implications.

What Lies Under The Cover?

Many tongues gossiped, and many ears heard, but some minds also questioned that both were famous celebrities. Then what was the quest about? Because it brought nothing but slander to both the parties. 

Well, if we closely look at the case, Heard wanted to gain the sympathy of feminist groups working. Under cover of her fight for empowerment, she could see a bright future in the media industry as this is a practice; the more hot drama you bring to the table, the more projects and attention you will get. 

Apart from attention, she was seeing a brighter financial future; you know, who says no to fifty thousand dollars a month without having to work or invest? 

The case also shows that Heard was high on Machiavellianism. She did anything and everything to prove her stance but, unfortunately, failed to do so.

But here is the question:

why couldn’t he identify her intentions, although they were in a relationship for three years before getting married?

Here is the thing:

he was so immense in his Alice wonderworld of love story that he ignored all the red flags that came his way.

And this is not only about Johnny. A Narcissist will portray their love for you in such a dreamy way that you will never be able to differentiate between genuine feelings and a plot. 

Secondly, his careless nature is also an aspect of why his marriage couldn’t succeed. He is mainly under the influence of alcohol and other addictions that take away the strength of logical reasoning and make it almost impossible to differentiate between a friend and a foe.

How is the Life on Both Sides After Trail?

With his return, Depp made a significant comeback, touring Europe with late rocker Jeff Beck. Following that, he filmed ‘Jean du Barry,’ a Cannes Festival contender in which he plays King Louis XV. According to People, Johnny Depp told his closest circle that he feels fortunate about how quickly he was accepted back into the entertainment industry. Although the film did not fare well with critics, they all agreed that Johnny Depp’s performance was excellent. Deff is currently living in Sommerset and managing his own affairs. 

Heard, on the other hand, Unfortunately, faced the rage and anger of a society that values men more than women. It all begins with how much more they are paid for doing the same job, but she was also vilified by many as the story’s villain. She and Johnny made blunders in this extremely unhealthy relationship, but the actor emerged victorious first. Heard had to relocate to Spain to avoid all of the scrutiny. She feels much better now and is promoting a new film she is starring in.

 

Depp and Heard’s case is complicated of its kind because it involves various aspects of human behavior and the effects if we lack a few fundamental human qualities like empathy, discipline, and logical reasoning.

In the case discussed, Heard lacks empathy; she is a compulsive liar and a narcissist, and Machiavellianism is also present. All the factors gave her enough confidence and trust in herself that she was very sure that she would win the case.

On the other hand, drug abuse and failed marriages directly connect with Deff’s life because drug abuse took away his sense of reasoning and ability to maintain relationships. Despite a great fan following, none of them could make a happy life, so they are a lesson for my readers about how crucial is discipline and mental health in one’s life.

 

 

F and Q’s:

What is machiavellianism?

Machiavellianism is a personality trait that denotes cunning, the ability to manipulate, and a desire to gain power by any means necessary. Machiavellianism, along with narcissism and psychopathy, is a trait that comprises the Dark Triad. According to current data(link is external), it tends to decrease with age and is more common in men than in women.

What is Narcissism?

Narcissistic personality disorder is a mental illness. It has an impact on a person’s self-esteem, identity, and how they treat themselves and others. It goes beyond arrogance or selfishness. In the worst-case scenario, people with NPD may experience feelings of failure or rejection, jeopardizing their health and well-being.

Learn more about narcissism here:

Narcissism I Who is a Narcissist? I Some facts you should know about

What are the side effects of drug abuse on relationships?

Your life becomes an embodiment of indiscipline. You cannot regulate your emotions and thinking as it is always under the influence of drugs. So, one way or the other, you can’t move forward with your intra and inter-relationships. Either the drug abuser is involved in domestic abuse and other mental health disorders, or others around him are taking his advantage. One of the scenarios must be exhibited. No matter how good of a person you are, how intelligent or good-looking, it’s simple: if you are addicted to drugs, be ready because your relationships will surely suffer.

What was the result of the case?

After the court trials, it was proved that Heard was accusing Depp of false allegations, and neither she was suffering from PSTD( post-traumatic stress disorder) nor any marks of torture were present on her body.  

She plotted the plan, and there were two goals for doing so. Firstly, she wanted to gain sympathy and popularity; secondly, she wanted money that she would get as a part of spouse support.

They resolved the differences later, but Heard had to pay a heavy amount as a defamation penalty, and she was cursed on social media and other platforms, too.