Johnny Depp Points to Aquaman as Defense Against Accusations From Amber Heard's Lawyer

The Johnny Depp and Amber Heard trial has captured the attention of the zeitgeist – but DC and Warner Bros. Discovery probably didn't want their billion-dollar blockbuster Aquaman movie franchise dragged into this mess. Johnny Depp directly referenced Amber Heard's role in Aquaman – in which she starred as Mera, the superhero partner and love interest of Jason Momoa's Aquaman. Depp referred to Heard's Aquaman role as a means of defending an allegation that he didn't want her taking meetings about potential film roles. 

In the trial proceedings on Monday, April 25th, per UNILAD, Heard's lawyer read aloud a text from Depp to Heard, after the latter informed him by text she was at a "coffee meetings now, will be home soon." 

The responding text from Depp (according to Heard's lawyer) read, "No goddamn meetings. No movies. Why? Why do you deviate from our agreement? What species of meeting? F-ck it. Just tell me when you get home."

It was alleged that Depp's words in the text were evidence of his hostile attitude towards Heard and controlling influence on her career as an actor. Depp countered that notion by suggesting that he was talking more as a husband who was upset at being stood up for personal time.

"It seems as though we had an agreement to do something together," Depp explained in court. "I'm actually asking what species of meeting. So this is not necessarily an angry text, it's just, 'Why do you deviate from our agreement?'" 

To drive home the notion that he in no way impeded Heard's career during their years together, Depp offered the following question for consideration, "It's not about her doing films. How do you think she got Aquaman, sir?"

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard became an item after they filmed the Hunter S. Thompson adaptation of The Rum Diary at the start of the 2010s. Depp and heard married in 2015 but things quickly fell apart and they separated in 2016 and formally divorced in the first month of 2017. 

During the span of time that Depp and Heard were involved, Heard had a fairly good run at Hollywood in terms of opportunities – though not always in critical or financial reception. Films like Drive Angry 3D, The Ward, and The Rum Diary were disappointments, before she then starred in more niche projects like Machete Kills and 3 Days to Kill. Even her DC movie franchise debut in Justice League was complicated, as that film nearly stalled the larger DC Universe.  

Since the success of Aquaman, she's seen her full role as Mera finally revealed as part of Zack Snyder's Justice League release on HBO Max, leading to Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom coming next year.