Johnny Depp and Amber Heard have settled their acrimonious defamation case, they said Monday, with the actress agreeing to pay her former husband $1 million. The settlement comes after a Virginia jury awarded Depp $10.35 million in damages in July for a Washington Post article Heard wrote in December 2018, in which she described herself as a victim of domestic abuse.
The jury found that Heard had defamed Depp in the article, which she wrote in response to allegations that Depp had been abusive during their marriage. The jury also awarded $2 million to Heard, finding that Depp had defamed her in his own statements about the case.
The $1 million settlement is significantly less than the $10.35 million Depp was awarded by the jury. However, the settlement allows both parties to avoid a lengthy appeals process, which could have resulted in a much larger award for Depp.
The settlement also brings to an end a long and bitter legal battle between the two former spouses. Depp and Heard were married in 2015 and divorced in 2017. During their marriage, Heard accused Depp of domestic abuse, which he denied.
The case was closely watched by the public, with both sides claiming victory in the settlement. Depp’s attorney said in a statement that the settlement was “a vindication for Johnny Depp and a victory for victims of domestic abuse everywhere.” Heard’s attorney said in a statement that the settlement was “a reminder that abuse comes in many forms, and can happen to anyone.”
The settlement brings to an end a long and bitter legal battle between the two former spouses. With the settlement, both parties can now move on with their lives.