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Amber Heard Makes The Next Move In The Johnny Depp Case, Cites 16 Grounds For Appeal & Calls The Verdict “Inherently & Irreconcilably Inconsistent”

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5 months ago

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Amber Heard Has Filed A Brief Explaining Her Appeal Following The Johnny Depp Case ( Photo Credit – IMDb )

The actor, who was recently spotted in Spain, retained David L. Axelrod and Jay Ward Brown of Ballard Spahr for the appeal.

On Tuesday, Amber Heard filed an appellate brief, listing 16 grounds for appeal, four months after a jury awarded her ex-husband, Johnny Depp, $10.3 million in damages.

During the trial, which ended in June, Depp claimed he had been defamed by a 2018 op-ed Heard wrote at the behest of the ACLU in support of victims of domestic abuse. The opinion piece did not refer to Depp by name, but he successfully argued that readers could infer she was talking about him in two of its sentences, and in its headline, “Amber Heard: I spoke up against sexual violence—and faced our culture’s wrath. That has to change.” The jury also awarded Heard $2 million in damages for her countersuit over a statement that Depp’s lawyer, Adam Waldman, made, in which he called her claims of abuse a “hoax.” From the end of the case, it was expected that Heard would appeal.

According to documents obtained by Vanity Fair, the grounds for appeal include everything from lack of “clear and convincing evidence” for actual malice, the standard whereby defamation cases are decided, to the trial court’s failure to invalidate the damages that the jury assigned after it found both Heard and Depp had defamed each other, an “inherently and irreconcilably inconsistent” thing.

Some of the grounds had already been mentioned either in court or in posttrial interviews by her former representation Elaine Bredehoft, so there were few surprises. Several of the points have to do with evidence admitted that should not have been, and evidence that was not admitted that should have been, including various communications with medical professionals as well as with employees, friends, and family.

In another point, the filing reads, “The trial court erred in allowing Mr. Depp to argue or suggest at trial that the jury could award damages based on statements or conduct occurring prior to the publication of the challenged op-ed.” That is, Depp was suing over the op-ed and thus claiming he lost work and was owed damages because of it, but Depp led members of the jury to believe that Heard was on trial for statements or events prior to that article’s publication in the Washington Post in 2018 (they reached a settlement for divorce in 2016).

In August, a spokesperson for Heard announced she had parted ways with Bredehoft and had retained David L. Axelrod and Jay Ward Brown of Ballard Spahr to handle the appeal, while Ben Rottenborn of Woods Rogers would stay on as cocounsel. Ballard Spahr defended The New York Times against former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin’s defamation case, and won, suggesting that they would help frame the appeal more firmly around First Amendment rights.

A spokesperson for Heard told Vanity Fair in August that “a different court warrants different representation, particularly as so much new evidence is now coming to light.”

The filing arrives in the Virginia court on the heels of Depp’s appearance stateside. He was photographed signing autographs in New York, while here with Jeff Beck for a North American tour. He played in New Jersey on Tuesday night.

Heard was last photographed in Spain.

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Keira Knightley Ponders a Swashbuckling Comeback in the Next Pirates of the Caribbean Installment

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7 hours ago

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March 20, 2023

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In a recent interview with Collider,Knightley was asked about the possibility of reprising her role as Elizabeth Swann in the upcoming “Pirates of the Caribbean” films. She responded by saying that she has not yet been approached about the project, but would definitely consider it if the opportunity arises.

“I don’t know if it’s happening,” Knightley said. “I haven’t heard anything about it. But, you know, I would always be open to the idea of revisiting Elizabeth Swann. It was a huge part of my life and career, and I’m very fond of the character.”

Knightley first appeared as Elizabeth Swann in the original “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” in 2003. She continued to play the character in the following two sequels, “Dead Man’s Chest” and “At World’s End,” before sitting out the fourth installment, “On Stranger Tides.”

While Knightley’s character was not present in “On Stranger Tides,” the film still managed to gross over $1 billion worldwide. The most recent entry in the franchise, “Dead Men Tell No Tales,” was released in 2017 and also went on to earn over $794 million globally.

It remains to be seen what the future holds for the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise, which has seen its fair share of ups and downs in recent years. Johnny Depp, who played the lead role of Captain Jack Sparrow, was dropped from the series following allegations of domestic abuse. The studio has since announced that it is planning to reboot the franchise with a new cast and crew.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding the future of the franchise, Knightley’s potential return to the series would undoubtedly be a welcome sight for fans. Her portrayal of Elizabeth Swann was a key factor in the success of the early “Pirates of the Caribbean” films, and her absence from the later entries was felt by many.

Knightley has remained busy in the years since her last “Pirates” film, taking on a variety of roles in both independent and big-budget productions. She has been nominated for two Academy Awards for her performances in “Pride & Prejudice” and “The Imitation Game,” and has also appeared in films such as “Atonement,” “Anna Karenina,” and “The Nutcracker and the Four Realms.”

Whether or not Knightley ultimately returns to the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise, her fans can look forward to seeing her in a variety of upcoming projects. She is set to star in the upcoming biographical drama “Silent Night,” as well as the action thriller “The Essex Serpent

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Willow Smith Says She & Brother Jaden Felt “Shunned” By Black Community

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16 hours ago

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March 20, 2023

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Willow Smith has made a huge revelation.

The singer has revealed on ‘Red Table Talk‘that she and he brother Jaden felt “shunned” by the black community growing.

Her words below:

“With the African American community, I kind of felt like me and Jaden were shunned a little bit.”

Willow then went on to describe her and her brother’s unconventional presentations as a reason saying:

“We’re not gonna take pride in them because they’re too different. They’re too weird.”

Both she and Jaden began adopting more of an androgynous approach to their presentations in the early 2010s.

Their mom, Jada Pinkett Smith, then recalled the “firestorm” that occurred when Willow cut her hair.

To watch the latest episode of ‘Red Table Talk,’ click here.

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Jaden Smith Turns Heads in New Louis Vuitton Commercial

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16 hours ago

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March 20, 2023

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Jaden Smith has long marched to the beat of his own drum.

And it’s a trajectory that continues in his starring role in Louis Vuitton’s latest commercial.

Smith rocks the LV Mansion line by Louis Vuitton, which reveals a gothic influence in the form of an ankle boot, and a loafer.

Check it all out after the jump…

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