Johnny Depp spent much of 2018 in a haze of drugs, liquor and indignance. He eventually came to some kind of settlement with his former managers, whom he claimed had cheated him, and there’s some kind of NDA attached to the settlement. If you remember, there was also an NDA attached to Depp’s divorce agreement with Amber Heard. We only learned some of the terms of their divorce, and that was by design. They issued one final joint statement and then they were both supposed to shut up about each other. Since their divorce, Amber has obliquely referenced being in an abusive relationship and being a survivor of abuse, but she’s been careful not to be too detailed or name names. She doesn’t have to – we already know. And in that time, Depp has given interview after interview, calling Amber a liar and trying to convince people that he would never, ever abuse anyone. Well, I guess Depp has some shady new lawyers, because this happened:

Johnny Depp has filed a defamation lawsuit against his ex-wife, Amber Heard, alleging her domestic abuse claims were “an elaborate hoax” and he is going after her for a whopping $50 million. According to court documents obtained by The Blast, Depp is taking issue with an article Heard wrote for the Washington Post in December 2018. The lawsuit states, “Ms. Heard purported to write from the perspective of ‘a public figure representing domestic abuse’ and claimed that she ‘felt the full force of our culture’s wrath for women who speak out’ when she ‘spoke up against sexual violence.’”

Depp’s attorney acknowledges that she never mentions Depp by name, but says the entire article “depends on the central premise that Ms. Heard was a domestic abuse victim and that Mr. Depp perpetrated domestic violence against her.”

In the suit, Depp calls the “false allegations” against him “an elaborate hoax to generate positive publicity” for her and “advance her career.” The lawsuit strongly states that she is the one attacked him, claiming, “Ms. Heard is not a victim of domestic abuse; she is a perpetrator.”

[From The Blast]

You can read the full summary here at The Blast. As I read the detailed “evidence” Depp thinks he’s providing, I was struck by something… a profound doubt that Depp remembers much about his marriage to Amber. Their relationship and marriage was when Depp largely seemed to become untethered, and he seemed to be abusing drugs and alcohol to blackout-level for much of that time. It’s not that Depp specifically remembers NOT abusing Amber, it’s that he can’t remember much of anything. All he remembers is his indignance. Anyway, I believe Amber. I always have.

One interesting/terrible accusation Depp made in the lawsuit: he believes Amber was having an affair with Elon Musk one month into their marriage. It’s clear that Amber knew Elon for a while, even before she married Depp. I think Elon wanted to be with Amber in any way. But no, I doubt she cheated. Amber’s lawyer released a statement about the lawsuit:

“This frivolous action is just the latest of Johnny Depp’s repeated efforts to silence Amber Heard. She will not be silenced. Mr. Depp’s actions prove he is unable to accept the truth of his ongoing abusive behavior.But while he appears hell-bent on achieving self destruction [sic], we will prevail in defeating this groundless lawsuit and ending the continued vile harassment of my client by Mr. Depp and his legal team.”

[From People]

Yeah. It IS harassment, in my opinion. I also believe that Depp’s interviews and the claims in this lawsuit are likely a direct violation of their divorce agreement and their joint NDA. So… will she countersue? Why not.

Photos courtesy of WENN.