Johnny Depp was photographed on May 27, and Amber Heard on June 1, 2022, during a six-week-long defamation trial in Fairfax, Virginia. (Pool photos)
Actor Johnny Depp is donating the $1 million settlement he received from his ex-wife, Amber Heard, to several charities, according to a source close to Depp.
Last year, a jury awarded Depp $15 million in punitive and compensatory damages over a 2018 op-ed Heard wrote in the Washington Post in which she accused him of domestic abuse. The op-ed never mentioned Depp by name, but the jury found Heard defamed Depp by implication since the time frame she referenced was the same time she was married to Depp. Virginia state statute capped the punitive damages at $350,000, making the judgment $10,350,000.
The jury found Depp liable for defamation for one of Heard's three counterclaims. Jurors awarded Heard $2 million in compensatory damages. Jurors said Depp's lawyer, Adam Waldman, defamed Heard with a comment he made to the Daily Mail. Both sides vowed to appeal.
Then, late last year, Heard announced on Instagram that she and Depp had reached a settlement. Heard agreed to pay Depp $1 million, and both sides dropped their appeals. The verdict in the case still stands. Depp said at the time he would donate the money to charity.
A source close to Depp said he would donate $200,000 to the following five charities:
- Make-A-Film Foundation pairs children dealing with serious or life-threatening illnesses with actors and producers. The organization grants "film wishes." It's similar to the mission of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
- The Painted Turtle is part of Paul Newman's legacy. It provides year-round camp experience to children with chronic, life-threatening illnesses.
- Red Feather works with Indigenous communities to develop safe housing. In some cases, the organization builds new homes or repairs homes for elderly and disabled homeowners.
- Tetiaroa Society is a charity created by the late actor Marlon Brando, a friend and mentor to Depp. The organization works to restore and persevere ecosystems of island and coastal communities.
- Amazonia Fund Alliance is a group of nonprofits and companies that work to protect and preserve Indigenous communities throughout the Amazon.
Millions watched the blockbuster defamation trial. It ran for six weeks. The trial amassed more than 1 billion views on Law&Crime's YouTube channel.