Johnny Depp speaks out about Amber Heard trial two years after it happened

Johnny Depp has spoken out about the 2022 defamation trial against his ex-wife Amber Heard at a recent press event for his upcoming movie.

Depp had been in Spain promoting a new movie that he had directed, called Modi.

Modi is a biopic which follows the life of Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani, who Depp also portrays in the film. This is his third directorial feature after 1997's The Brave and 1993's Stuff.

The Pirates of the Caribbean star attended a press event to promote the movie, where he compared his own life to that of Modigliani, and he also appeared to include a thinly-veiled reference to the 2022 trial between him and his ex-wife Amber Heard.

In 2018, the Aquaman star wrote an op ed in The Washington Post, titled: "I spoke up against sexual violence - and faced our culture's wrath. That has to change."

Although she did not name Depp directly, his lawyers believed that it falsely implied that he'd been abusive to Heard during their relationship, and in 2022, he sued her for defamation - which she, in turn, countersued him.

The trial ultimately went in Depp's favor, and jurors gave the Ed Wood star $15 million in compensatory and punitive damages, as per the BBC.

Heard was also given $2 million in compensation after winning one of her three counter-claims against her ex-husband.

Since the trial's conclusion, it was reported that the Zombieland star had relocated to Madrid, Spain with her three-year-old daughter, and has also reportedly spoken out about Depp's appearance at the San Sebastian Film Festival.

In a video captured by The Hollywood Reporter, Depp joked about the trial at the press event, telling reporters: “Each [character] has their story because I’m sure we can say that I’ve been through number of things here and there. … Maybe yours didn’t turn into a soap opera."

He added: "I mean, literally, televised," drawing a laugh from the audience.

Depp continued: “But we all go through what we go through. So to see these people on the verge of earning their stripes.

"There’s something beautiful to me about those days living in a tiny studio apartment just off Hollywood Boulevard in a dangerous neighborhood.

"They were tough. They were rough, ugly; they were weird, all kinds of stuff, but they were beautiful.”

Johnny Depp addresses the legal frenzy surrounding his public split with Amber Heard while at the ‘Modi’ press conference at the #SanSebastianFilmFestival: "I think we've all been through a number of things ultimately. Maybe yours didn't turn into a soap opera" pic.twitter.com/rUcKEkyRh7

— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) September 24, 2024

Depp went on to say that the film had come about following a suggestion from Al Pacino.

Putting on his impersonation of Pacino, the Edward Scissorhands star recalled how the veteran star had said: “Hey, you remember that Modi thing I was on about a few years ago, I think you should direct it.”

He added: “For some reason, they saw me driving this strange machine. I mean, when Pacino speaks, you must listen.”