In 2022, the Johnny Depp v. Amber Heard defamation case created a lot of buzz on social media — everyone was taking a side based on what they saw as the trial unfolded. And now, a new documentary series on Netflix is not only looking back on the trial, but also how social media’s influence played a big part in the public’s reaction.
Here are some of the biggest takeaways from Depp v Heard.
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The Milani Palette
During the trial, Amber’s defense team used a makeup palette to demonstrate how Amber carried one around with her to cover the bruises she got from Johnny’s abuse. The palette they used was from a brand called Milani Cosmetics.
To try to capitalize on the popularity of the case on TikTok, the brand made a video showing that the palette Amber’s team used wasn’t produced until 2017, a year after she and Johnny divorced, which meant that it wasn’t the one she used. But Amber’s defense never called out Milani by name, the use of that palette was simply to show an example.
"Our video was to verify the claim that our eagle-eyed and loyal fanbase made about the product named in the trial," the company said in a statement after deleting the video. "Milani Cosmetics is not taking a formal stance on the trial, evidence, or future outcome of the case."
Dookie Discussion
Johnny claimed that Amber had left a "large" poop on his side of the bed. Amber defended herself, saying that the poop was likely left by her dog, which had intestinal issues, but Johnny dismissed her claims because her dogs were small.
At the UK libel trial, a text from Johnny to a friend was read into the record saying, "Will you squat in front of the door of the master bedroom and leave a giant coil of dookie so that Amber steps in it and think that it’s one of the dogs, primarily Boo has a major problem. It’ll be funny."
So Johnny was definitely aware of the dog’s intestinal issues and knew a human-sized poop wasn’t out of the question. According to Decider, other text messages from Amber established her concern over Boo’s problems.
Charity Donation
During the trial, Johnny’s team questioned whether or not Amber actually donated $7 million of her divorce settlement charity like she said she had. She asserted that she had donated money to both the ACLU and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.
Johnny’s lawyer Camille Vasquez took issue with the use of the words "donate" and "pledge," which Amber explained can be used interchangeably. The documentary clarified that even the ACLU and the press use the words interchangeably, saying "The ACLU attributed $1.3 million towards a plan to donate $3.5 million over the next ten years. The Los Angeles Children’s Hospital testified that as of June 2018, they had received $250,000 in connection with the $3.5 million pledge."
Amber’s payments stopped in 2018 because of the legal fees of Johnny suing her in 2019. "I still fully intend on honoring all of my pledges," Amber testified. "I would love him to stop suing me so I can."
More from CafeMom: Amber Heard Says She 'Still Has Love' for Johnny Depp After Defamation Trial
Jury Sequestration
You would think that during such a high-profile trial, the court would try to ensure that the jury wasn’t being influenced by what was being said on television or social media. But the jurors in the case weren’t sequestered. The judge reminded the jury that members weren’t allowed to discuss the case with anyone outside of the jury and also not allowed to look at media coverage of the case, but how could they have avoided it?
Amber’s lawyer, Elaine Charlson Bredehoft, was opposed to having cameras in the courtroom. In an interview after the trial, she said: "They went home every night. They have families, the families are on social media … they had a ten-day break in the middle because of the judicial conference. There’s no way they couldn’t have been influenced by it and it was horrible."
Having cameras in the courtroom allowed for footage that was then used and spread all over TikTok and the news.
Johnny's 'Megapint'
While he was questioning Johnny about a video where the actor mentioned "assaulting a few cabinets," Amber’s lawyer Ben Rottenborn asked if Johnny had been drinking before the incident.
He specifically asked Johnny if he had consumed a "megapint" of wine. The use of the phrase allowed it to become a social media meme, of course.
Despite his response to the use of the word, Johnny is actually the one who first coined the term during his UK libel suit.
If you or someone you know has been the victim of domestic abuse, you can find help and support at DVIS.org, the National Domestic Abuse Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or by contacting your local women's shelter domesticshelters.org.
