LONDON (UK) – Hollywood star Johnny Depp will find out on Nov. 2 the consequence of his libel action against a British newspaper which labelled him a “wife beater”. The ruling could largely affect the actor’s career.
Depp, 57, sued News Group Newspapers, publishers of the Sun, and one of its journalists, Dan Wootton, over a 2018 article which alleged that he had been violent towards his ex-wife, actress Amber Heard, 34.
Both Depp and Heard gave evidence before Judge Andrew Nicol during a three-week hearing at London’s High Court, divulging their private lives and accusing of serious domestic abuse, drug-taking and affairs.
Nicol will deliver his judgement on Nov. 2 at 10 a.m. (1000 GMT), the Judicial Press Office said. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the judgment will be handed down in a low-key circumstances.
If Depp wins, his lawyers have argued he would be “entitled to very substantial damages as only a substantial award can start to compensate him for the damage and distress the Defendants’ appalling allegations have had and ‘nail the lie’.”
If he loses, it would taint his reputation and he may struggle to land major film parts in future, according to commentators.