Johnny Depp was spotted in a British pub shortly before it was announced he had won his libel case against his ex-wife Amber Heard.
“Due to previously scheduled work commitments made prior to trial, Mr Depp will not be physically present for today’s verdict at 3pm and will be watching from the UK,” a source close to Mr Depp said. .Depp. Law and crime in a statement earlier Wednesday.
“I met Johnny Depp at Bridge Tavern Newcastle earlier…it was pretty surreal”, Gary Spedding tweeted about 20 minutes before the announcement of the verdict.
Mr Depp was seen leaving The Bridge Tavern pub in Newcastle shortly before the verdict was read, according to ITV News.
Ms Heard, meanwhile, arrived at the court in Fairfax, Va., to hear the verdict in person. A spokesperson for the Aquaman actress said The Independent“Your presence shows where your priorities are. Johnny Depp plays guitar in the UK while Amber Heard awaits a verdict in Virginia. Depp takes his sneer and lack of seriousness on tour.
Jurors returned a verdict in Mr. Depp’s multimillion-dollar trial after just under 13 hours of deliberation on Wednesday afternoon. It will be read in court at 3 p.m. ET and 8 p.m. UK time.
Mr Depp sued Ms Heard for US$50 million over a Washington Post column entitled: “I spoke out against sexual violence — and I faced the wrath of our culture. This must change.
The article does not mention Mr Depp by name, but his lawyers said it incorrectly implied he physically and sexually abused Ms Heard while they were together.
Ms Heard has sued her former husband for $100million, claiming he launched a ‘smear campaign’ against her.
Mr Depp has consistently denied the ‘scandalous and extravagant’ allegations of abuse and said he had ‘spoken for what I have reluctantly carried on my back for six years’ when giving his own evidence at trial.
During closing remarks, both sides urged jurors to think about other victims of domestic violence.
Ms Heard’s legal team highlighted the message a verdict in Mr Depp’s favor would send to others, while the actor’s representatives said his claims were ‘an act of profound cruelty to the true survivors’ .
In recent days, Mr Depp has made stage appearances alongside musician Jeff Beck in the UK.
Mr Depp turned up to perform alongside Mr Beck in Sheffield on Sunday May 29.
Mr Depp – who started his career as a musician and founded the band The Vampires of Hollywood with Alice Cooper and Joe Perry in 2015 – and Mr. Beck performed their collaboration in 2020 Insulationa cover of a John Lennon song from 1970. They also performed covers of What’s going on by Marvin Gaye and Jimi Hendrix Small wing.