Fact Check: Are Amber Heard’s Parents On Johnny Depp’s Side?

Johnny Depp’s relationship with Amber Heard’s parents has become a topic of conversation in recent days, after the actress testified in her libel trial last week that the actor had used drugs with her father.

Depp, 58, is locked in a high-profile court battle with Heard, 36, after filing a $50 million lawsuit accusing her of defamation over an opinion piece published by washington postin which he said he was a victim of domestic abuse.

While Heard did not name Depp in the article, his lawyers argued that it was obvious he was referring to the star. Heard is countersuing for $100 million.

Testifying in the Fairfax County Circuit Court in Virginia on May 5, Heard recounted how Depp had used drugs with his father, David Heard, during the couple’s engagement party in 2014. Depp and Heard were married a year later. Next. Heard filed for divorce in 2016 and their union was officially dissolved in 2017.

the claim

After the fourth week of the trial ended on May 5, a slew of Twitter users alleged that evidence showed that Amber Heard’s parents, Paige Heard and David Heard, blamed their daughter’s attorneys for the allegations of domestic abuse.

Screenshots of text messages shared on the microblogging platform appeared to have been presented in a way that would suggest the aquaman Star’s parents somehow admitted that their daughter was not honest.

In messages dated May 27, 2016, hours after Amber Heard filed for a restraining order against Depp, Paige Heard was shown writing to her then-son-in-law: “It’s the lawyers on both sides that are doing this, not Amber.” .heard the whole story so tearful if i could just talk to johnny she didn’t want this damn lawyers on BOTH sides this wasn’t her idea not her wishes she was told she would be evicted and out in 30 days if she didn’t didn’t this”.

Paige Heard, who passed away in 2020, added: “Her dumb lawyer is possibly the only way she’s going to have a place to live in 30 days. She did NOT want to do this, I swear. Lawyers are messing things up.” “

It was also suggested that Amber Heard’s parents “[want] nothing to do with her”, while they “admire” pirates of the Caribbean Depp star.

The claim is one of many that fans of each of the stars have shared as fact as they debate the proceedings on social media.

Did you know that Amber Heard’s parents and sister want nothing to do with her and admire Johnny Depp… it says a lot about his character?

—Tony Ruse (@TonyRuse) May 7, 2022

The facts

Amber Heard’s parents, in fact, had a good relationship with Depp, with a number of text messages over the years showing that the actor had a particularly strong connection to David Heard. news week has reviewed the messages, which were presented as evidence during Depp’s 2020 libel case in London.

The aforementioned text message was sent to Depp by Paige Heard, prompting the actor to reply, in part. “If she didn’t want to file a restraining order against me and send a message to the world that I’m some kind of violent wife beater…then why would I go to court with a picture of her that looks like it’s been abused???”

“His attorney told him he had to do it and he had to do it today,” Paige Heard responded. “That’s why she wanted to talk to you. We don’t talk, so please don’t ever bring this up. But I swear this wasn’t her idea and she didn’t do it willingly or happily.”

“She was told it was her ONLY option not to be expelled. I’m not making excuses, but that’s what she believed. She didn’t want to do it. She felt like she was betraying her only love, but the lawyers said so.” “

“Please don’t broadcast this if you ever speak to Amber again. I love you son,” he added.

However, as the screen stars’ relationship became more strained, Paige Heard messaged her daughter on December 17, 2015 to tell her that David Heard sent Depp a “scathing message” and added : “He really made fun of him. He compared you to Lily Rose.” [Depp’s daughter] and how JD would feel. Your father’s blood is boiling.”

After Amber Heard sent her mother photos of the injuries she had allegedly sustained at the hands of Depp, Paige Heard wrote in a May 21, 2016 message to her daughter: “I’d like to give you a [piece] off my mind, but don’t worry, I won’t. He is crazy.”

On December 21, 2015, David Heard messaged Depp to tell him that while he wanted to mend his daughter’s broken relationship with the actor, he also loved him “like a brother or father to whatever.”

David Heard added that his daughter “should never hit you or call you by another name and the same goes for you and if that was the case, they could be happy together for the rest of their lives.”

The patriarch went on to state in the lengthy message that his daughter “is not innocent and I know it, but she is my daughter and I love her unconditionally.”

failure

False.

While the text messages show that David and Paige Heard had a good relationship with Depp, it was made clear that they had not turned their backs on their daughter. Amber Heard’s parents had never disparaged her daughter with Depp in text messages.

NEWSWEEK FACT CHECK