Jurors said that following allegations of domestic violence against Depp in 2016, his film work and profits plummeted. Depp’s agent, Jack Wigham, testified that in 2017 the actor shot three studios and two independent films for about $ 35 million, but in 2018 he made only two independent films for $ 4 million. Whigham said that for one of these films, Minamata, funding went “shaky” and Depp was forced to drop his pay “to save the film.” Disney, which had planned Depp for the sixth installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, was “going in a different direction,” Whigham said. Depp, who was to be paid $ 23 million plus a share of the profits, was to be replaced by Margot Robbie. “I could not save the Pirates for Johnny,” Whigham said. “After the op-ed it was impossible to give him a studio film,” Whigham said, referring to a Washington Post article focusing on defamation, in which Heard said he had survived a domestic and sexual assault. “It was devastating for Johnny,” Whigham said. Under controversial scrutiny, Whigham said the article became “a deadly, disastrous thing for Mr. Depp in the Hollywood community.” Depp had not made a film, he said, since July 2020. Richard Marks, a dealmaker at the film company whose job, he said, is to help clients “get to the yes” and sign a successful contract, said Herd’s allegations against Depp eventually created a “cancellation situation” for Depp. Marks said the studios have always tolerated the peculiar behavior of his stars. “Johnny Depp has a reputation for being Johnny Depp. “When you hire Johnny Depp, you get all of Johnny Depp – and that includes being late.” Hollywood, he said, “tolerates ‘diva and drugs’ only when money, big stars and the arts are involved.” But Herd’s accusations made him virtually unemployed. For the last five years, especially with the #MeToo movement, you would not want to hire an actor who was “canceled”. “Right now, the peak of negativity in Hollywood is being accused of domestic or sexual abuse,” Marx said. “You would not want to pay to hire an actor with negativity to follow them. “You would not want to pay to reduce your brand,” he added. Earlier, the testimony of Travis McGivern, a member of Depp’s security team who often worked night shifts, was presented in court. The choreography of the differences in Depp and Herd’s five-pent band in Los Angeles once again came to the fore as McGovern testified that he saw Herd hit Depp in the face after he and Depp’s nurse were called at 4 a.m. a day in April 2016. McGivern said Herd threw a Red Bull box at Depp from the second level, hitting him in the back. “He tossed a bag or purse, spat on him, very verbal vitriol,” McGovern said. “Usually, Mrs. Herd directed her feelings to Mr. Depp,” he added, as the frequency of quarrels increased to “several times a week.” McGovern said Depp never responded physically. As the verbal insults continued, Depp “gave as much as he got,” he said. The abuse, he said, could include “anything and everything; the word f is my favorite word, but it was thrown to the point where I felt uncomfortable.” That night, McGivern said, Heard left and returned with her sister, Whitney, while trying to get Depp out. By then, he said, Depp had tossed shelves of Herd’s clothes and accessories from a third-floor balcony. McGovern said both Herd and Depp were “upset.” Usually, he said, Depp would get framed letters from Hunter S Thompson or Marlon Brando before returning to his home in North Sweetzer, which once belonged to Bela Lugosi. McGovern said he was standing between Depp and Herd when “in the corner of my eye, I saw a fist and a hand coming to my right shoulder. “I heard and saw a closed fist coming in contact with Mr. Depp on the left side of his face.” McGovern testified that it was Herd who threw the punch and that Depp had a “shocked” look on his face. The actor had a “nice little sheen”, he said. Depp’s lawyers will complete their presentation on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Herd is expected to take a stand in her defense against Depp’s $ 50 million defamation claim and refute her own $ 100 million claim for harassment. Heard reported on Sunday that it had fired its Precision Strategies team. He has reportedly hired another company, Shane Communications. One source told the New York Post about the change, while another said the Aquaman actress was “disappointed that her story was not told effectively.” In the US, the domestic violence hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). In the UK, call the National Domestic Violence Helpline on 0808 2000 247 or visit Women’s Aid. In Australia, the National Domestic Violence Counseling Service is located at 1800 737 732. You can find other international helplines at www.befrienders.org.
