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Johnny Depp receives social media support amid defamation case against Amber Heard

  

Category:  News & Politics

Via:  perrie-halpern  •  2 years ago  •  23 comments

By:   Kalhan Rosenblatt

Johnny Depp receives social media support amid defamation case against Amber Heard
The defamation case brought by actor Johnny Depp against his ex-wife Amber Heard is still ongoing, but the court of social media seems to have already declared

S E E D E D   C O N T E N T



The defamation case brought by actor Johnny Depp against his ex-wife Amber Heard is still ongoing, but the court of social media seems to have already declared a winner.

Posters on Twitter and TikTok have overwhelmingly backed Depp, with hashtags like "JusticeForJohnnyDepp" racking up nearly 3 billion views on TikTok. Similar hashtags have been tweeted thousands of times. A search for "JusticeForAmberHeard" on Twitter displayed tweets calling for justice for Depp.

Creators and experts explained why they think social media discussion around the topic seems to be overwhelmingly favorable of Depp.

Depp is suing Heard for defamation over an essay she wrote for The Washington Post in 2018, in which she said she had become the "public figure representing domestic abuse." Although the article never mentions Depp by name, his attorneys said it indirectly refers to abuse allegations she made against him during their 2016 divorce. Heard is countersuing Depp seeking $100 million in damages.

The trial in Fairfax County, Virginia, is expected to take weeks.

Both Depp and Heard have testified that the other had been physically violent with them during the course of their relationship.

Heard's legal team presented evidence, including 2013 text messages in which he appeared to say he would subject her to a violent death, arguing that Depp had been physically violent with and had made threats against her. Depp appeared to write in a different 2013 exchange that he would "smack" her around before letting her in, referring to her using a vulgar insult, according to Heard's legal team. During the trial, Heard's legal team repeatedly brought up Depp's prior drug use, including his use of cocaine, alcohol and opiates.

In May 2016, Heard was granted a protective order after she claimed Depp hit her in the face with a cellphone. Depp denied getting physically violent with Heard.

Depp lobbed allegations against Heard in court as well, claiming that she would pick fights and escalate them with demeaning language. He also said she would sometimes "strike out," saying that she would slap or a shove him, or throw something at him.

Depp's attorney's provided images of Depp after alleged altercations and audio of Heard making statements, such as, "I was hitting you. I was not punching you."

Some on social media back Depp


On platforms like TikTok, videos of the trial, sympathetically edited clips of Depp and audio recordings of the couple, which appear to show Heard as the aggressor and Depp as the victim, all appear under the "JusticeForJohnnyDepp" hashtag.

Some TikTokers will give play-by-plays of the day in court, recounting the latest testimony or evidence presented. Others suggest unproven conspiracy theories, including one in which users say Heard is intentionally mimicking Depp's outfits as a way to psychologically intimidate him.

On Twitter, some who back Depp have suggested that Heard isn't being held to the same standard as male domestic abusers and criticized her behavior during the couple's marriage.

In court filings before the trial, Heard said she hit Depp only in self-defense or in defense of her younger sister, according to The New York Times.

"Amber Heard got a free pass for her lies and violence for 6 years. This gender bias must end now. Make her accountable for her actions, Virginia, we trust you," Twitter user and Depp supporter Ayca Gurelman wrote.

Why has the court of social media sided with Depp?


Experts said there may be many reasons why so many people have used social media to declare their support for Depp, including recognizing him as the characters he's portrayed in films such as Captain Jack Sparrow from Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise and the titular "Edward Scissorhands" from the 1990 Tim Burton film.

"Amber, in my opinion, wasn't known too well until she started dating Johnny," said Becca Catherall, a TikToker who has posted videos about the case. "She became well known when she made the allegations against Johnny and because the world knows Johnny and loves him, I believe that everyone is going to be angry and upset that such allegations have been made towards him."

Other factors experts have theorized might play a role in the internet's devotion to Depp include internalized misogyny and the live spectacle of the courtroom, which some have claimed makes Depp look vulnerable.

Seth Lewis, the Shirley Pape chair in emerging media and director of journalism at the School of Journalism and Communication at the University of Oregon, said it can be hard to pinpoint one reason in particular as the internet's dominating attractor to Depp.

"Sometimes things become popular because they're already popular at a baseline level," Lewis said, adding, "I think we're in this moment where people are fascinated by authenticity. It's the reason people will find greater trust in what seems to be raw video footage on social media or on YouTube."

Lewis credits this desire for authenticity with why so many have been fascinated by the Depp case — and Depp's seeming vulnerability on the stand as a reason so many might be backing him.

Some have said Depp's quiet and calm responses while talking about previous drug use and other personal matters is a sign of his vulnerability during the case.

Lewis added that a platform like TikTok is benefiting from this obsession with authenticity, and it makes for a perfect venue to hash out the Depp-Heard case.

Still, he emphasized that for each person, there may a different reason why they latch on to Depp as the case plays out.

"For other people, it's maybe a feeling that somehow men haven't been listened to adequately in the Me Too era, and for other people it could be totally different reasons," he said.

While Lewis suggested that some may be backing Depp because they worry that the Me Too movement didn't represent male victims as much as it did female victims, others suggested that Depp might actually be benefiting from deeply ingrained societal misogyny.

David Schmid, pop culture expert and associate professor of English at the University at Buffalo College, State University of New York, said he feels that some people might "look at the Johnny Depp-Amber Heard situation for evidence" that misogyny is a thing of the past because the case has a man accusing a woman of domestic violence.

Schmid added that people, who might feel "cancel culture" has gone too far, may also find themselves rooting for Depp.

"I think a lot of people look at what's happened to Johnny Depp's career as a result of this situation and say this is exhibit A of cancel culture ... a lot of people who think cancel culture gets unfairly applied to men more than women will be following this very closely," Schmid said.

No matter the reason, TikTokers like Catherall said they feel the internet's mind has long been made up about when it comes to this case.

"I do believe that majority of the public have already sided with Johnny," she said.


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JohnRussell
Professor Principal
1  JohnRussell    2 years ago

I think Johnny Depp is a good actor but he has made some bad career choices and is on the downside of his career now.  As far as this court case goes, I cant remember a celebrity gossip story I've been less interested in. Havent read a word of it. 

 
 
 
Right Down the Center
Junior Guide
2  Right Down the Center    2 years ago

My question is why so many posters on Twitter and TikTok spend so much of their lives following and feeling the need to comment on every aspect of everything like they are experts that should actually be listened to?

Maybe if they spent a little more time living their own life they wouldn't have so much time being so invested in everyone elses life.  They are the real pathetic losers, not the people they tweet about.

 
 
 
JohnRussell
Professor Principal
2.1  JohnRussell  replied to  Right Down the Center @2    2 years ago

When Elizabeth Taylor had trouble with one of her 8 husbands it was news because someone like Elizabeth Taylor was "larger than life" , a product of a Hollywood that didnt really provide a glimpse into the stars innermost thoughts. There is no mystery to todays celebrities, and thus people like Johnny Depp and Amber Heard are just boring. 

 
 
 
devangelical
Professor Principal
3  devangelical    2 years ago

obviously a match made in heaven. I wonder why there's so much animosity?

 
 
 
Tacos!
Professor Guide
4  Tacos!    2 years ago

Everyone making their living off content creation for TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, etc. is flogging this story for everything its worth. It’s all about the clicks.

 
 
 
Paula Bartholomew
Professor Participates
5  Paula Bartholomew    2 years ago

I just saw AH's biggest lie by her and her lawyer.  They claim that she religiously used a certain make up to cover up the bruises as far back as 2016 but that make up didn't even exist until 2017.  Even the make up company basically called her a liar.

 
 
 
Ender
Professor Principal
6  Ender    2 years ago

They are both nuts,

I saw a couple of snippets of Depp talking.

He sounds like he is insane.

 
 
 
sandy-2021492
Professor Expert
6.1  sandy-2021492  replied to  Ender @6    2 years ago

Honestly, there are times when he sounds a bit crazy and like he was downplaying his drinking problem, and times when he sounds like he was trying to do the right thing - get away from her when he thought the arguments were going to turn violent.  And there were a few times when I felt really sorry for him, like when they played audio of him explaining that they needed to separate and cool down a bit, with her saying that he was running away from resolving a fight, and when he said he lied to ER docs about her severing his finger to protect her.

He needs to pull himself together and stay away from the bottle.

She should be in prison.

 
 
 
devangelical
Professor Principal
6.1.1  devangelical  replied to  sandy-2021492 @6.1    2 years ago

fortunately, my exposure to this cultural episode is fleeting, but they both seem to have past histories, and currently, severe cases of idle rich melancholy.

 
 
 
sandy-2021492
Professor Expert
6.1.2  sandy-2021492  replied to  devangelical @6.1.1    2 years ago

I didn't pay much attention until a few days ago, when I read that she cut off the tip of his finger.  I watched a few minutes of the courtroom video.  The evidence is pretty much in his favor.  He has a nasty temper and a drinking problem, but she caused him serious injury, and he never did the same in return.  She put a cigarette out on his face.

 
 
 
devangelical
Professor Principal
6.1.3  devangelical  replied to  sandy-2021492 @6.1.2    2 years ago

method acting can have such a dark side...

 
 
 
Paula Bartholomew
Professor Participates
6.2  Paula Bartholomew  replied to  Ender @6    2 years ago

Crazy like a fox.

 
 
 
Split Personality
Professor Guide
7  Split Personality    2 years ago

Meh...

 
 
 
devangelical
Professor Principal
7.1  devangelical  replied to  Split Personality @7    2 years ago

I didn't know who she was so I googled her. she seems to be a big fan of ... uh, er, ... artistic selfies ...

 
 
 
shona1
PhD Quiet
8  shona1    2 years ago

Morning..my my..how the chooks (chickens) have come home to roost...

Wonder where the mutts Pistol and Boo are these days...

 
 
 
devangelical
Professor Principal
8.1  devangelical  replied to  shona1 @8    2 years ago

okay, I'll bite. my guess for the oz to US translation of your second sentence is "you wonder who each of them are sleeping with now".

 
 
 
shona1
PhD Quiet
8.1.1  shona1  replied to  devangelical @8.1    2 years ago

Anoon Devan...well actually that could apply to both the humans and dogs... never thought of it that way...lol..

I was thinking of the time they smuggled their mutts into Australia bypassing our quarantine regulations because they thought they were above the law.

They got sprung and were told send the dogs back to the US or they would be put down... being the actors they were pleaded innocence and acted dumb..and they did it so well...

 
 
 
devangelical
Professor Principal
8.1.2  devangelical  replied to  shona1 @8.1.1    2 years ago

oops, I forgot about their attempts to get around the animal quarantines. chances are both of those pets are in urns now.

 
 
 
MonsterMash
Sophomore Quiet
9  MonsterMash    2 years ago

Depp is trying to send a message to the jury by dressing like a Mafia Don.

 
 
 
devangelical
Professor Principal
9.1  devangelical  replied to  MonsterMash @9    2 years ago

I can't decide if your comment is a lame attempt at humor or just extremely ignorant.

 
 
 
Paula Bartholomew
Professor Participates
9.1.1  Paula Bartholomew  replied to  devangelical @9.1    2 years ago

The latter.

 
 
 
MonsterMash
Sophomore Quiet
10  MonsterMash    2 years ago

People encumbered by low self-esteem feel the need to criticize others to boost their own feeling of importance.

 
 
 
Trout Giggles
Professor Principal
11  Trout Giggles    2 years ago

Call me Clueless

 
 

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