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Johnny and Amber Have Both Already Lost

One of the ugliest defamation battles in Hollywood history goes to trial this week, live on TV. Whatever the outcome, the real damage has been reputational—and, for Depp, largely self-inflicted. What does he have left to lose?

Amber Heard
Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage
Matthew Belloni
April 11, 2022

Toby Emmerich‘s 2020 decision to fire Johnny Depp from the Fantastic Beasts franchise is looking prescient. (Why he hired Depp in the first place, given the well-known behavior issues, is another question.) Secrets of Dumbledore may not light up the box office next weekend—overseas, it’s already way down from 2018’s Crimes of Grindelwald—but imagine marketing a family movie when your star is on Court TV debating whether he abused his wife. Nightmare scenario.