Johnny Depp has landed his first gig since his highly public defamation trial with his ex-wife Amber Heard. Sunday night, the actor appeared at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards, appearing digitally as the network’s iconic mascot. Hovering over the crowd at the Prudential Center in Newark, a digitally-placed Depp can be seen joking about needing the work, saying he’s now available to entertain crowds at birthday parties, anniversary celebrations, and more.
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“And you know what? I needed the work,” Depp said during the bit. The actor then uploaded the video to his social media channels shortly thereafter.
A jury has already ruled in the defamation case with Heard being ordered to pay $10 million in compensatory damages to Depp by the Jury, while the Pirates of the Caribbean star was ordered to pay $2 million in compensatory damages. An appeal was filed by Heard earlier this summer contesting the amounts.
“Plaintiff and Counterclaim-Defendant John C. Depp, II, by counsel, hereby appeals to the Court of Appeals of Virginia from all adverse rulings and from the final judgment order of this Circuit Court entered on June 24, 2022,” the notice of appeal reads (H/Tย Deadline).ย
rom the very beginning, the goal of bringing this case was to reveal the truth, regardless of the outcome,”ย Depp wrote in a statement after the initial verdict was read. “Speaking the truth was something that I owed to my children and to all those who have remained steadfast in their support of me. I feel at peace knowing I have finally accomplished that.”
He added, “I am, and have been, overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and the colossal support and kindness from around the world. I hope that my quest to have the truth be told will have helped others, men or women, who have found themselves in my situation, and that those supporting them never give up. I also hope that the position will now return to innocent until proven guilty, both within the courts and in the media.”
