Johnny Depp Would Have Earned $22.5 Million for 6th ‘Pirates’ Prior to Amber Heard’s Op-Ed, Agent Testifies

As Johnny Depp’s defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard continues, more information about the aftermath of Heard’s Washington Post op-ed is being revealed. 

On Monday, Depp’s agent, Jack Whigham, testified that Heard’s piece in the newspaper—in which she claimed she was a victim of domestic abuse but did not name Depp specifically—had a “catastrophic” impact on the actor’s career, per Variety. As Whigham explained to the court, it became “impossible to get him a studio film” after the 2018 op-ed. 

Whigham claimed that Depp would have earned $22.5 million if he starred in the sixth Pirates of the Caribbean film, but Disney opted to head “in a different direction” after the allegations. 

“It was a first-person account coming from the victim,” the agent said of Heard’s allegations. “It became a death-knell catastrophic thing for Mr. Depp in the Hollywood community.”

Heard’s attorney, Elaine Bredehoft shared that the $22.5 million price tag was not inked, and that Disney was hesitant to recast Depp in the movie prior to the op-ed. Whigham argued that Jerry Bruckheimer, the film’s producer, was still pushing for his client. 

“It was trending badly in the late fall on behalf of Disney,” Whigham said. “But Jerry Bruckheimer and I were lobbying to make it happen, and so we had hope. And it became clear to me in early 2019 that it was over.”

As for Heard, NBC News confirmed over the weekend that she hired a new crisis management firm to represent her amid the trial, when she tapped Shane Communications in place of her previous firm, Precision Strategies, for the job. The news comes before she is expected to testify in court on Wednesday. 

Sources familiar with the situation told the New York Post that Heard was upset by media coverage that was favorable to Depp. An expert on Heard’s side is expected to take the stand on Tuesday, assisting in defending Heard as her ex-husband seeks $50 million in damages.

Also this week, Drew Barrymore has issued an apology after comments she made about the trial, when she claimed that the televised case was “a seven-layer dip of insanity,” per Variety. 

“It has come to my attention that I have offended people with making light of Johnny Depp and Amber Heard and for that I just want to deeply apologize and appreciate everyone who spoke out because this can be a teachable moment for me and how I move forward and how I conduct myself,” the actress wrote on social media. “All I want to do is be a good person. I can be a more thoughtful and better person moving forward because all I want to do is be a good person and I very much appreciate the depth of this and I will grow and change from it…And I thank everyone helping me grow along the way and teaching me. Thank you.”