Unless you live on Mars, by now you know that Hollywood actor Johnny Depp sued his former wife Amber Heard, a little “never heard of her before” wannabe “product” (cause I can’t bring myself to call her actress) of the Hollywood acting scene.
By now, unless you live on Jupiter, you should also know that Depp won the case for $15 million. I have a strong opinion of the case, because like millions like me, I got sucked into it and wouldn’t miss one word of this circus-court case, which was televised worldwide.
I would wash dishes with my phone placed on the edge of the sink while hearing Depp being deposed; listen to Amber’s cross-examination while soaking in my bath; load the washing machine with my phone balanced between the softener and the stain remover and listen to uber lawyer, Camilla Vasquez, defend Depp from insane accusations from his ex-wife.
Suddenly I found myself answering my kids in lawyer’s vocabulary like, “overruled darling, you may speak,” “sorry darling lack of foundation you can’t go out tonight,” or “objection, your honor, supper is not ready yet.
That’s when my husband lovingly asked me if maybe this whole thing was becoming a bit too much for me.
It was never enough though, for me. Too good to watch, live, real, rough!
I TRIED to understand why this court case became such an obsession with half of the world. Although my friends made fun of me, and said that with two actors on the stand we will never know the real truth, I never felt the need for the truth to be known to the world so much as in this case.
I started realizing that this is not about Depp. It’s a closer look at humanity and how in the end if there is truth, it will come out; and when you fight for your truth, you will win.
Twenty years ago, Johnny Depp broke all the hearts of my female generation. You see Depp now making his way in court dressed in a serious suit, with his longish hair nicely organized in a small ponytail, his chunky rings totally out of place in court, and a belly he never had, kept secured under a formal vest.
He is now 58 and suddenly I feel so old.
Then you see this diva wannabe Amber Heard dressed like she is a university professor, her hair made up every day in a different and complicated updo, as if she came straight from the set of Downton Abbey, and you are confused as to what image is she trying to sell you. In the few pictures I had seen of her up to now, she had a lot of flesh and legs exposed, always.
Here is a case where at first glance you see a rough-looking powerful actor who had a drug and drinking addiction, who was accused of inflicting the most horrible actions on his wife while covering it up to the world with smiles and gorgeous clothes in front of the cameras.
If you dig in, it was the complete opposite. Depp, with his enormous heart and kind soul, seems to have been known in Hollywood as a charity powerhouse, giving donations without fanfare, visiting young cancer patients in hospitals dressed up as his famous character Jack Sparrow, bringing them a smile and a kiss.
Depp, who speaks slowly but evaluates every word before he says it, opens up to the world about his suffering for the past six years at the hand of a woman who made him fall in love so badly while making a movie together, and then became a monster to him.
He left his partner of 14 years, Vanessa Paradis, the mother of their two children, and fell into Heard’s trap.
Their conversation and fights, often taped by one of them, played for all in court to hear, and made me embarrassed to be a woman. Heard’s terrible acting while telling the terrible abuse she suffered from Depp, producing no tears, made everyone shiver with embarrassment for her. She never produced one piece of evidence nor any medical document which could prove what she had been through.
While Depp’s team of lawyers seemed like a tight and happy family by the end of the trial, Heard’s team looked like they were on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
Heard thought she had victory in her hands, standing up for the #MeToo movement and victims of abuse. In truth, she became an uncomfortable image for those who really suffered abuse. She made a joke out of them, using their call for her own satisfaction.
But truth always shines in the end and the nine jurors, after almost six weeks of this circus, showed the world that this woman had been lying under oath. They awarded victory to Depp, who seemed to have no chance as a man, a powerful man, to win.
Men can be abused too.
As I listened to the reading of the sentence from the car, I was hoping to hear the truth prevail. As the jurors were reading all the answers with a “yes” in favor of Depp, I got out of the car and let out a loud scream on Jerusalem’s Gaza Street at 1 a.m.
I WANT to dedicate this article to the real victims of abuse, who need a voice, a good lawyer but can’t afford it, and a new life. Also, to a woman like Camille Vasquez, an amazing, young “out of nowhere” lawyer, who with her sweet and poised manner fought her case like a lion and won against all odds, and now has become a star.
And to Johnny, for showing us that if you fight for truth you will get it out, and when you speak from the heart it goes straight to the heart. Your kind soul was revealed to us all.
There is one problem. What do I watch now, when I am doing the dishes or laundry? Question sustained.
My family is happy though. Mami is back to normal. ■
The writer is from Italy, lives in Jerusalem with her husband and four children, and heads HadassahChen Productions. She also hosts a weekly talk show on Arutz7.