Johnny Depp is speaking out after winning his dramatic legal battle against ex-wife Amber Heard.
The Pirates of the Caribbean star, 58, was not in attendance at the Virginia courthouse on June 1 due to work obligations when, after 13 hours of deliberations, the jury found Heard liable for defaming Depp. However, from across the pond in the U.K., Depp thanked the jury in a statement issued by his spokesperson, sharing that they "gave me my life back."
"Six years ago, my life, the life of my children, the lives of those closest to me, and also, the lives of the people who for many, many years have supported and believed in me were forever changed," he said. "All in the blink of an eye."
He continued, "False, very serious and criminal allegations were levied at me via the media, which triggered an endless barrage of hateful content, although no charges were ever brought against me. It had already traveled around the world twice within a nanosecond and it had a seismic impact on my life and my career."
Now, six years later, Depp shared that he feels his life is finally getting back on track, adding, "I am truly humbled."
In March 2019, Depp filed his $50 million defamation lawsuit against Heard, who he was married to from February 2015 to January 2017, after she wrote a 2018 Washington Post essay in which she described herself as a "public figure representing domestic abuse."
While the article never explicitly named Depp, his attorneys previously said in court documents that Heard's piece "depends on the central premise that Ms. Heard was a domestic abuse victim and that Mr. Depp perpetrated domestic violence against her."
In August 2020, Heard filed a $100 million countersuit against Depp who she alleged "unlawfully targeted" her.
In his statement on June 1, Depp shared that his decision to pursue the case and go through "the inevitable, worldwide spectacle into my life" was "only made after considerable thought."
He added, "From the very beginning, the goal of bringing this case was to reveal the truth, regardless of the outcome. Speaking the truth was something that I owed to my children and to all those who have remained steadfast in their support of me. I feel at peace knowing I have finally accomplished that."
Elsewhere in the statement, the actor said he was "overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and the colossal support and kindness from around the world" that he's received over the course of the viral trial. He also hoped that his actions will encourage others to share their truth in the future.
"I hope that my quest to have the truth be told will have helped others, men or women, who have found themselves in my situation, and that those supporting them never give up," Depp said. "I also hope that the position will now return to innocent until proven guilty, both within the courts and in the media."
After thanking his legal team for doing "an extraordinary job," Depp also commended the judge, jurors, staff and sheriffs who "sacrificed their own time to get to this point."
"The best is yet to come and a new chapter has finally begun," he concluded his statement. "Veritas numquam perit. Truth never perishes."
The jury awarded $10 million to Depp in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages, which the judge lowered to $350,000 due to the state's cap. For Heard's countersuit, the jury awarded the actress $2 million in compensatory damages.