“He just wants to move forward”: Johnny Depp wishes no ill will for Amber Heard as he prepares for upcoming music tour 

The Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard defamation trial ended earlier this month, with the former winning a high-profile lawsuit against his ex-wife.

More recently, a source close to the Pirates of the Caribbean star told Hollywood Life that the actor does not have any ill will against Heard and only wishes to move forward with his life:

“After all is said and done, Johnny wishes no ill will for Amber. He isn’t going to jump on the social media hate band wagon and he just wants to move forward with his own life.”

The insider also revealed that Depp is ready to go on tour with his band Hollywood Vampires next year and is happy to start a new chapter of his life:

“Johnny can’t wait to go on tour next year and even though it’s a ways away he has a ton of projects lined up to keep him very busy in the meantime. Johnny is happier than he has been in a long time and he feels like this is a whole new chapter for him.”

The source also mentioned that the actor is looking forward to expanding his career in music in the days to come:

“Music has always been cathartic for Johnny and this is really what he needs right now after all the stress and drama he’s dealt with for the past several years.”

On June 22, Johnny Depp announced that he would be going on tour with his band Hollywood Vampires, consisting of members Joe Perry, Alice Cooper, and Tommy Henriksen.

Reports suggest that the actor and musician is currently filming Puffins, where he will play the role of Johnny Puff. He is also set to play Louis XV in the upcoming historical drama Jeanne du Barry.

---

What is next for the Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard legal battle?

Amber Heard is likely to appeal Johnny Depp defamation hearing (Image via Getty Images)

Johnny Depp filed a $50 million defamation lawsuit against Amber Heard after the latter published a 2018 Washington Post op-ed, referring to herself as a domestic abuse survivor.

Although the article did not name Depp directly, his legal team claimed that the story damaged his public image and negatively impacted his career. Heard countersued Depp for $100 million, alleging the actor assaulted her on multiple occasions.

The sensational defamation trial between the stars began in Fairfax County court on April 11 and continued for over seven weeks. On June 1, a seven-body jury ruled the verdict in Depp’s favor and announced that Heard defamed him through her Washington Post article.

The court ordered Heard to pay $8.35 million to Depp in damages for winning all his claims and awarded $2 million to Heard for winning a claim related to Depp’s former lawyer Adam Waldman defaming her through his statements to the press.

As the trial ended, Heard’s lawyer Elaine Bredehoft appeared in a televised interview and mentioned that the Aquaman star could not afford to pay the judgment fee due to her financial woes.

She also mentioned that Heard had “excellent grounds” to appeal the decision and that her team was planning to do the same.

On June 24, Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s lawyers met in the courtroom again as Judge Penny Azcarate entered the high-profile defamation lawsuit into the docket. However, both the teams failed to settle as Bredehoft attempted to arrange a briefing for a proposed appeal.

The judge then announced that Heard would have to file an official motion with the court and post a $8.35 million bond with 6% interest per year if she wished to appeal the defamation verdict.

The case will reportedly be moved to the Court of Appeals of Virginia in 21 days, and a notice of appeal can be filed within the next 30 days.