Johnny Depp is a name around Hollywood who has been one of the biggest actors in the history of the industry.

From What’s eating Gilbert Grape to Pirates of the Caribbean, he has established a career that very few will be able to match.

It’s not uncommon for men like him to feel lonely and date models that are in their circle. In 2011, he started dating Amber Heard and wanted to help her get roles for movies she wanted to be in.

However, there have been allegations of sexual assault, cheating, and, most importantly, domestic abuse that have potentially ruined both of their careers.

Initial meeting in 2011

In 2011, Depp and Amber Heard met on the set of Rum Diary, where the two became interested in each other. The two had different goals in terms of what they wanted the relationship for, but there was no question that Johny Depp did care about her. He thought she was very attractive and thought she could potentially have a bigger career if she just got the chance. From Amber’s perspective, she could only go up from dating Johny Depp; she definitely knew it wouldn’t last forever.

Initial flirting

These two would eventually talk to each other on the press tour when promoting the movie. At first sight, one could be skeptical at the sight of this and see it as an attempt to promote the movie, but in actuality, it was genuine. Chemistry matters in movies like that, and sometimes, the only way for them to pull it off is for them to be genuine. In other cases, the two stars genuinely hate each other and want nothing to do with each other. However, the two’s flirting was great attention for someone like Depp to fall for a new star.

Flirting at press events

Eventually, Depp would become more serious with Amber Heard, and it would become apparent that he truly loved her. This was probably the best part of the relationship for him, and it allowed him to think about his career with a lot more optimism than he had before. These moments often stay with the press years after they stop moving from press tour to press tour. Then they would actually go to the red carpet together. Not every man in Hollywood goes to these events with people that they’re in serious relationships, but this wasn’t the case with Depp.

Speaking highly of each other

It’s often that when two actors want to be with each other, they will praise each other in different videos where they will be in interviews. This was the case for these two since they both praised each other, although they likely had different reasons for doing so. Amber probably realized she could get a much better career if she rode the coattails of Johnny Depp. However, Depp was probably just unhappy with his relationship and wanted a new spin on what he wanted to be invested in. They both had a stake in wanting to put more in that relationship.

Depp separates from his previous wife

In 2012, Depp and Vannessa Paradis separated from their relationship due to things not working out. There are reasons for this, but Hollywood has the biggest divorce rate in the world. They live in an expensive area where there’s a lot in store if they get divorced while constantly meeting attractive women. Depp apparently didn’t see this in Heard, and he would get to see his children. This was basically the equivalent of a fresh start for Depp that would allow him to go into a new relationship with a clear mind.

The two become serious

In 2013, the two would be spotted around parts of LA holding hands and being more serious in the relationship. There was a lot they got to do together, and it helped Depp be happy for a while. There are a lot of places they can go to also make their careers better than what they’ve already been through. There are many things they got to do together, but there weren’t a lot of places where they got to be private, and so their problems would only happen in private.

The two become engaged.

In the following year, 2014, Depp would propose to Heard. The two were getting more roles, and there was a realistic chance of them staying together. Some men in Hollywood simply date around a while and then just move on to the next woman. However, that was not the case for Depp. Amber Heard did care about Johnny, but there were definitely problems during this point, and Depp was more than willing to accept a few of those problems. However, this is when problems would emerge.

Some cracks begin to show

In 2015, Depp did a press conference for the movie Black Mass where he answered questions from the media. During this press conference, Depp’s hand would begin to shake uncontrollably. This is where the allegations of abuse in Amber Heard’s relationship would begin to arise. This would become apparent in their eventual defamation trial, where Depp would make it clear that Heard was abusing him and attempted to cut off his finger during this conference. It was very hard for Depp, but this was really hard for him to endure that pain while also loving Heard.

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard get married

After establishing their love for each other for a long time, both of them decided to get married in 2015. It isn’t known what Depp’s goals were in the marriage, whether to have more children or make more money, but the marriage was official. He invited his friends to parties because he was truly happy about the two of them being together, and there was a lot to be excited about in the future. But where there were problems before, something dark would emerge in the two of them that would turn them absolutely destructive.

Amber Heard’s initial problems

Living the millionaire lifestyle can sometimes blind folks like Amber Heard into thinking they can do no wrong, but in 2015, she was charged with stealing Depp’s dogs and taking them to Australia. This is wrong for many reasons, but most importantly, it can jeopardize the health and future of the dog that they are taking care of. It could also be a dog quarantine problem in Australia and the possibility of not being able to bring the dog back into the country of origin. Actions like these should’ve been a red flag for Depp, but he wanted to believe she could change.

Heard reassures Depp

Despite their problems that would become apparent years later. Heard wanted to show Depp that she could still be a good wife. This would emerge in doing some charity work in Brazil to make sure that children with hearing disabilities were able to get hearing aids. Johnny Depp is a loving man who wants the best for his wife, and he was happy that she was doing this even if he was doing other things in the process. Maybe she did care about these causes, but Deoo just wanted to know that he was still with the same woman that he married.

Heard goes behind Depp’s back

It is reported that during this time, Heard was sleeping with several other men during the time they were together. This was presented as a monogamous relationship, and it seems like she didn’t care about any of the consequences that came as a result of that. It was even reported that men such as James Franco were the ones behind this problem. Depp and Franco had met previously in Hollywood and worked together, which it must’ve struck a chord with Depp to find out that he was sleeping with his wife.

Heard files for divorce

Depp is self-aware enough to know that this relationship wasn’t going to last forever. In 2016, she filed for divorce from this marriage just after 15 months. It was a shockingly short marriage, and it was a bit ironic for Amber Heard to file for divorce. Depp was by no means perfect in the relationship, but Depp never cheated and didn’t abuse Heard nearly to the same extent. Amber Heard used the relationship to gain a temporary boost in her career, and the results were clear.

Amber’s Deposition

Later in 2016, Amber Heard would give a deposition around the events of their relationship, which you can watch on YouTube if you’re interested. To many in the press, it seems like Heard was very dishonest about the problems around their relationship. There aren’t really any consequences that come as a result of being dishonest in these depositions, but there are things that the person being deposed can benefit from, such as a case being dismissed. It was probably recommended by her lawyers that she do this, and nothing really came back as a result of this.

Amber Heard gets the role of Mera in Aquaman

During all of her relationship with Depp, Heard had been trying to get bigger and bigger roles, and this was her biggest one as Mera. Aquaman was a movie hyped by fans of the DC comics character and really wanted Jason Mamoa to show the best parts of the character in the film. Her defamation case states she was paid $2 million for this role. It seems irrelevant at first, but the Aquaman would become a very successful movie. Though most people weren’t watching the movie for Heard, they just wanted to see the DC character shine.

Calls of Depp and Heard leaked to the public

Everyone in Hollywood knew that Johnny Depp was a very unhappy man. He did get to film Pirates of the Caribbean 5, but it seemed like he was in a very unhappy stage where he didn’t feel like he could go anywhere else. It didn’t seem like he was going to make any more big movies, and his most recent relationship was one of the most abusive stages of his life. Then the leaked talks between the two would show why things were the way they were. This is when online support for Depp would go viral, and his fans would rally behind him.

Fans petition to cut Amber Heard from the cast of Aquaman 2

At this point, the fans were incredibly upset and really wanted Heard to be pulled from the cast of Aquaman 2. To them, her getting to be in Aquaman 2 would mean rewarding someone for abusing one of the most loved men in the industry. No one was really going to the movie to see Amber Heard, but fans would make it clear that they won’t watch the movie because it meant Amber Heard is going to be rewarded. Warner Brothers is a billion-dollar studio, and they heard these cries loud and clear since it would affect their bottom line.

The defamation case goes public

Depp would sue Heard in 2018 for defamation and essentially ruining his credibility as a man in Hollywood. Heard has talked publicly that she filed a restraining order against him and was a dangerous man; however, everyone seems to contradict that. Even Depp’s previous girlfriend, Kate Moss, said that’s not something in his character to do. The Amber Heard and Johnny Depp relationship has been one of he-said-she-said and constantly hearsay, but things would become more clear in the trial.

The trial moves forward

As of right now, the Amber Heard Johnny Depp trial is going public, with lawyers and witnesses testifying about how Heard has lost opportunities in Hollywood due to the abusive nature of their relationship. Both parties have criticized each other and taken oaths to tell the truth about these situations. For some people, this has become about how the abuse of men often gets turned away since men are often perceived as stronger even though they’re not taught to retaliate. For others, it’s been a lesson on how corrupt lawyers and judges can be corrupt in the face of making money and has sparked a much-needed discussion on these topics.

Trial Ends

Some may say that Johnny won this one, but can we actually say that after what they both confessed about each other? This should be a lesson for every married couple out there, please separate with dignity, while you can.

Thanks for reading.