NEWSAmber Heard Says She Felt Like She 'Lost Ability to Speak' Following Distressing Johnny Depp Legal Battle
Amber Heard and Johnny Depp were embroiled in an intense defamation lawsuit battle in 2022.
Jan. 25 2026, Published 12:43 p.m. ET
Amber Heard opened up in a new documentary about the aftereffects of her intense legal battle with ex-husband Johnny Depp.
The Aquaman star, 39, got candid during her rare appearance in the doc Silenced, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 24.
Amber Heard and Johnny Depp Were Involved in a Legal Battle in 2022
Johnny Depp sued his ex-wife for defamation.
Heard was married to the Pirates of the Caribbean actor, 62, from 2015 until 2016. The former flames were later embroiled in an infamous defamation court case in 2022 after Depp sued his former wife.
The Danish Girl actress was found liable and was ordered to pay Depp $1 million.
“This is not about me. I have lost my ability to speak. I am not here to tell my story. I don’t want to tell my story. In fact, I don’t want to use my voice anymore. That’s the problem," Heard said in the documentary.
Amber Heard was married to the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' actor from 2015 until 2016
Depp's defamation suit stemmed from a 2018 op-ed Heard wrote that was published by The Washington Post. She claimed the Sweeney Todd star physically abused her during their relationship.
"What has happened to me is an amplified version of what a lot of women live through," Heard added.
“I remember at the close of the trial, the idea that I could say something to the press came up. [human rights lawyer Jennifer Robinson] asked if I was sure about that. [I thought], ‘If they throw things at me, it will make this point more obvious.’ I didn’t understand it could get so much worse for me as a woman, using my voice," the mom-of-three noted.
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Amber Heard Moved to Europe After the Trial to 'Start Fresh'
The defamation suit stemmed from a 2018 op-ed Amber Heard wrote.
“It gives me strength seeing other people take on the fight. Women brave enough to address the imbalance of power. Looking at my daughter’s face as she grows up and slowly starts to walk into this world… I believe it can be better," she went on about the bravery of women speaking up against abusers.
Heard has stepped away from Hollywood in recent years, having moved to Spain in 2022 shortly after the court's verdict was reached.
She also announced in May 2025 that she welcomed twins — son Ocean and daugher Agnes —and they also join big sister Oonagh Paige, who was born in 2021.
The actress has stepped away from Hollywood in recent years.
“The trial was beyond stressful, and she wanted to start fresh,” a source told People in April 2023, adding that Heard "couldn't wait to leave the U.S. with her daughter" after the trial.
"She has been living in Spain, where she gets more privacy. The trial was beyond stressful for her and she just wanted to start fresh out of the country," the insider continued. "She is excited about working and filming again. She was exhausted and disappointed about the trial. She felt she was mistreated."
