14-6-2023 (LOS ANGELES) Actor Johnny Depp has revealed the charities he has chosen to donate the US$1 million (S$1.34 million) settlement owed by Amber Heard following their high-profile defamation trial. The Make a Film Foundation, The Painted Turtle, Red Feather, Teitaroa Society, and Amazonia Fund Alliance have all been selected to receive US$200,000 (S$268,000) each from the Pirates of the Caribbean star.
According to CNN, these organisations benefit sick children, aid indigenous communities and help conserve island sustainability. The Virginia jury originally awarded Depp US$10 million in compensatory damages and US$5 million dollars in punitive damages in June 2022. Meanwhile, Heard was awarded US$2 million in compensatory damages and no money for punitive damages.
Ultimately, the damages that Heard owed to Depp were reduced to US$1 million in December, when the former couple reached a settlement agreement. Heard posted a statement on her verified Instagram page at the time announcing that they had reached a settlement. She wrote that she had “made no admission” and that the settlement is “not an act of concession.”
Depp’s lawyers, Camille Vasquez and Benjamin Chew, also released a statement, saying: “We are pleased to formally close the door on this painful chapter for Mr. Depp, who made clear throughout the process that his priority was about bringing the truth to light.”
After winning the lawsuit, Depp made his acting comeback at the Cannes Film Festival with Jeanne Du Barry while Heard moved to Spain with her daughter. The donation to these charities is expected to make a significant impact on the lives of those who benefit from their work.
