Throwback to when rumors claimed Amber Heard borrowed lines from The Talented Mr. Ripley during her Johnny Depp trial testimony

In 2022, the defamation trial between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard sparked global attention. The duo remained married from 2015 to 2016 and then parted their ways. During her testimony, rumors circulated that Heard allegedly compared Depp to The Talented Mr. Ripley, mentioning that Depp's behavior was intoxicating and unpredictable, like in the film. Eventually, it became clear that the comparisons made by social media users were baseless.

Heard testified in Fairfax, Virginia, on May 6, 2022. The Aquaman actress was accused of quoting the film to describe Depp. Fact-checking platforms like Snopes quickly disproved this. Her attorney opened the testimony for Heard, who never made such statements.

Despite going viral, these claims were unsupported by court transcripts or footage. The claim that Amber Heard mentioned the film The Talented Mr. Ripley during her testimony is inaccurate; she did not say those phrases.

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Amber Heard and Johnny Depp: The alleged comparison to The Talented Mr. Ripley

During her testimony, Amber Heard was accused of saying:

"The thing with Johnny... it's like the sun shines on you, and it's glorious. And then he forgets you and it's very, very cold ...."

The quote from the movie is:

"The thing with Dickie... it's like the sun shines on you, and it's glorious. And then he forgets you and it's very, very cold ... When you have his attention, you feel like you're the only person in the world, that's why everybody loves him so much."

Social media users suggested this mirrored a line from The Talented Mr. Ripley, spoken by Gwyneth Paltrow’s character about Dickie Greenleaf (Jude Law). Heard reportedly likened Depp’s charm and unpredictability to the movie character, describing moments of enchantment followed by emotional detachment.

However, Heard never delivered these lines. This accusation amplified the narrative of Heard's alleged “acting” during her testimony, a claim debated by Depp's supporters and critics alike.

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Key moments in the hearing

On the fifth day of the trial, Amber Heard accused Johnny Depp of abuse and recounted their early love and turbulent marriage. Depp sued Heard for $50 million for defamation over her 2018 Washington Post op-ed. Heard that the Pirates of the Caribbean star would allegedly swing between affectionate and volatile. Depp's reported substance use and relationship dynamics were looked at in the testimony.

The courtroom proceedings highlighted intricate legal and personal details. Lawyers presented evidence from texts, photos, audio recordings, and witness testimonies.

The jury determined that all three statements in Amber Heard's op-ed were false, defamatory, and made with actual malice towards Johnny Depp after 13 hours of deliberation on June 1, 2022.

Depp received $10 million in compensatory damages and $350,000 in punitive damages. The jury determined that two of Adam Waldman's statements were not defamatory in Heard's counter-suit; however, the second statement was. Consequently, Heard was awarded $2 million in compensatory damages.

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The Talented Mr. Ripley: About the character

The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999) film stars Matt Damon as morally ambiguous Tom Ripley. For wealth and status, Ripley manipulates, deceives, and murders with charm. Duplicity makes him captivating and chilling. The intoxicating but destructive relationships Heard described in his testimony mirror Ripley's with Dickie Greenleaf.

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Johnny Depp’s career

Johnny Depp is an American actor and musician known for his eccentric film roles. He became famous in the late 1980s with 21 Jump Street and became a global star with Tim Burton in Edward Scissorhands and Sweeney Todd.

Depp became famous for playing Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean. Donnie Brasco, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Chocolat, and Finding Neverland are among his other films.

Johnny Depp was recognized with numerous accolades, such as a Golden Globe Award and nominations for three Academy Awards and two BAFTA awards.