Johnny Depp Hints at Amber Heard Trial as He Says His Life Turned 'Into a Soap Opera, Televised in Fact'

Mar. 15, 2025

Johnny Depp on Sept. 24, 2024.Photo:Carlos Alvarez/Getty

Carlos Alvarez/Getty

Johnny Deppalluded to his highly publicized court battle with ex-wifeAmber Heardat a press conference for his latest project.

The star, 61, is debutingModi: Three Days on the Wing of Madness, the new film he directed, at the 72nd San Sebastian International Film Festival in Spain. During a press conference held Sept. 24, Depp explained how he personally related to the film’s subject, Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani.

“I think we’ve all been through a number of things, ultimately. Maybe yours wasn’t, didn’t turn into a soap opera, televised, in fact,” added Depp, seemingly referring to his 2022 Virginia defamation trial, which had its proceedings live-streamed to millions each day.

He continued, “But we all experience and go through what we go through. And those things that we are able to live and remember and use, these are your stripes. You never forget them. So to see these people all on the, teetering on the verge of earning their stripes, desperate to speak but unable to … in a way.”

Heard, 38, who now lives aquiet life in Madrid, Spain, with her 3-year-old daughter, paid Depp $1 million in a settlement to conclude the defamation lawsuit after a jury sided mostly with Depp.

Johnny Depp at San Sebastian International Film Festival on Sept. 24, 2024.Carlos Alvarez/Getty

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

One of Depp’s lawyers from the case, Camille Vasquez, told PEOPLE earlier this yearthat Depp was the one who wanted cameras in the courtroom for the trial.

“I know how personal and how invasive some of the topics that we talked about were for both of them, for both Mr. Depp and Ms. Heard,” she said, adding that it was “incredibly important” Depp be able to reach his fans “and show them the evidence that the jury was evaluating.”

Heard’s former attorney from the trial, Elaine Charlson Bredehoft, told PEOPLE at the same time that she “fought hard” against having cameras present and feels “social media completely hijacked that trial.”

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard during their 2022 defamation trial in Fairfax, Virginia.Kevin Dietsch/Getty ; Ron Sachs/Consolidated News Pictures/Getty

Johnny Depp and Al Pacino behind the scenes on the set of “Modi”.Sam Sarkar

Sam Sarkar

“Modiseeks advice from his art dealer and friend, Leopold Zborowski — however, after a night of hallucinations, the chaos in Modi’s mind reaches a crescendo when faced with an American collector, Maurice Gangnat, who has the power to change his life.”

As he continues to screenModi, Depp is set to receive a lifetime achievement award at the Rome Film Festival in October. He is alsoopening an art exhibit in New York Citythat month.

source: people.com