Last month, a court in the United Kingdom ruled that The Sun did not libel the actor by referring to him as a “wife beater”. While Depp is returning to court to contest that High Court verdict, the court’s 132 ruling is bringing to light a lot of details of Depp’s defamation claims including one that reveals that the actor reportedly cost Disney millions of dollars due to an injury while filming Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales in Australia.
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According to The Hollywood Reporter, according to testimony in the court case, at some point during filming on Pirates Depp reportedly swallowed eight ecstasy pills at once and then went on a “campaign of terror” against Amber Heard. The testimony indicates that the incident culminated with the tip of Depp’s finger being sliced off which in turn resulted in the actor being flown back to Los Angeles for surgery. Production on the film was shut down for two weeks — something that cost Disney around $350,000 per day. The injury is one that Depp claims Heard caused by throwing a bottle of alcohol at him.
Depp had previously taken The Sun to court alleging that a 2018 article in the publication which referred to the actor as a “wife beater” was libel. However, a High Court judge ruled that the accusation was “substantially true” and declared that Depp “did assault Ms. Heard.” Depp at the time stated that “The surreal judgment of the court in the UK will not change my fight to tell the truth and I confirm that I plan to appeal,” according to Deadline.
Since then, Depp has exited his role as Gellert Grindelwald in Warner Bros. Harry Potter prequel Fantastic Beasts series. He’s since been replaced in the role by Mads Mikkelsen, though due to Depp having a pay-or-play contract, the studio was required to pay Depp his entire eight figure salary for the film.
“In light of recent events, I would like to make the following short statement,” Depp wrote in a statement announcing his departure. “Firstly, I’d like to thank everybody who has gifted me with their support and loyalty. I have been humbled and moved by your many messages of love and concern, particularly over the last few days.
“I wish to let you know that I have been asked to resign by Warner Bros. from my role as Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts and I have respected and agreed to that request,” he added, saying that “the surreal judgement of the court in the U.K. will not change my fight to tell the truth, and I confirm that I plan to appeal. My resolve remains strong and I intend to prove that the allegations against me are false. My life and career will not be defined by this moment in time.”
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