Depp’s $50 million defamation lawsuit brought against his ex—which, after proceedings, ended with a verdict on June 1—stemmed from a 2018 essay Heard wrote for the Washington PostShe described herself as “a public figure representing domestic abuse” in the article. Depp wasn’t mentioned, however his attorneys stated in court papers that Heard was writing the op-ed to advance his career.
In early June, a Virginia jury awarded $10 million to Depp in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages, which the judge lowered to $350,000 due to the state’s cap. For Heard’s countersuit (she filed a $100 million countersuit in 2020), the jury awarded the actress $2 million in compensatory damages, connected to a finding that Depp was liable for a statement made by his attorney about Heard.