Have your eyes been glued to the Amber Heard / Johnny Depp defamation lawsuits? The jury reached a decision in early June 2022. How does that affect Johnny Depp’s net worth?
A Complicated Defamation Lawsuit
We discussed the lawsuit a lot already in last week’s post about Amber Heard’s net worth. So, we’ll just give a brief rundown again here:
- The couple married in 2015.
- In 2016, Amber Heard filed for divorce. She also filed for a restraining order, alleging domestic violence.
- In 2018, she published an op-ed piece on domestic violence. In response, Johnny Depp filed a lawsuit against her for defamation.
- In 2021, she filed a counter lawsuit, saying that he and his attorneys were guilty of defamation against her.
- They went to trial in early 2022. He was asking for $50 million. She was asking for $100 million. Ultimately, he won a little over $10 million from her. She received only $2 million. This put her, as of now, at a celebrity net worth of NEGATIVE $6 million. We’ll look at how it’s impacted Johnny Depp’s net worth.
Johnny Depp and Amber Heard at the Art Of Elysium’s 9th Annual Heaven Gala held at the 3LABS in Culver City, USA on January 9, 2016.
Lawsuits Are (And Are Not) About Money
Ultimately, lawsuits are about money. When you sue someone for defamation, you try to prove that they maliciously lied about you. So, you’re debating the facts of the case, but the decision that the jury makes is a financial one. They determine how you were damaged and award you money accordingly. In this instance, Depp was awarded $10 million in compensatory damages and another $5 million in punitive damages. However, the state of Virginia places a cap on the latter at $350,000, so that’s all he’s entitled to out of the $5 million in punitive damages.
If you watched the trial, though, you probably weren’t watching because you cared about the financial outcome. Sure, that’s interesting, especially when you’re talking about damages in the millions. But people were transfixed by this case because it’s about domestic abuse, sexual violence, the #MeToo movement, relationships, mental health, and the power of celebrity. Vox.com has a comprehensive article about the details of the case if you’re not all caught up.
How the Trial Impacts Johnny Depp’s Net Worth
So, technically, Johnny Depp won a little over $10 million in this 2022 lawsuit. Since the two are already divorced, and the settlement for that is long complete, they no longer share income. So, in theory, he should be $10 million richer now. However, it might not be that simple. Amber Heard reportedly doesn’t have the money to pay for this. She has a few options including appealing to reduce the debt and filing for bankruptcy. So, ultimately, how this impacts Johnny Depp’s net worth is yet to be fully seen. That said, he’s worth a significant amount of money, so much so, in fact, that this $10 million is but a drop in the bucket.
Johnny Depp Net Worth and Income
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Johnny Depp earns about $20 million per film. In other words, he earns twice what Amber Heard owes him each time he stars in a movie. (Of course, due to the controversy surrounding the trial, his job offers and the salary that comes with them could shift.)
It says that he is one of the “highest-paid actors on the planet.” He’s earned over $100 million in a single year. In the three-year period from 2013 – 2016, he reportedly earned $650 million. Remember that it was during this time period that he married and divorced Amber Heard. They settled their divorce out of court; she reportedly received just $7 million.
Johnny Depp’s Acting Career
Johnny Depp has been an A-list actor for many, many years. Of course, he didn’t always earn $20 million per film. Nevertheless, he’s done well for himself for a really long time. Born in 1963, his first huge role was in the television series “21 Jump Street,” which started in 1987. (He had already been in several other shows, shorts, and films including “Nightmare on Elm Street.”) Celebrity Net Worth reports that he earned about $45,000 per episode for that show.
Just as “21 Jump Street” was coming to an end, Depp starred in “Edward Scissorhands.” He has consistently starred in outstanding movies since the 1990s. These include, among many more:
- “Benny and Joon”
- “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?”
- “Donnie Brasco”
- “Sleepy Hollow”
- “Chocolat”
- “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”
- “Sweeney Todd”
- “Alice in Wonderland.”
- “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”
- “Murder on the Orient Express”
- “From Hell”
- “Finding Neverland”
Of course, he’s also famous for his role as Captain Jack Sparrow in several versions/sequels of “Pirates of the Caribbean.” These roles contributed greatly to Johnny Depp’s net worth.
IMDB lists his most recent role as Johnny Puff in the TV mini-series “Puffins Impossible,” and says that he’s currently filming a series called just “Puffins.” It also has him listed as in pre-production for the film “Jeanne Du Barry.”
Johnny Depp’s Other Income
Like many celebrities, Depp has diversified his income, although most of Johnny Depp’s net worth does come from his acting. He’s a longtime musician, fronting bands before he even started making a name as an actor. He co-wrote and performed on two albums with Hollywood Vampires, a group he formed with Alice Cooper and Joe Perry.
He is the founder and CEO of a production company that he started in 2004.
Johnny Depp’s Net Worth
So, what is this famous actor’s net worth? According to Celebrity Net Worth, Johnny Depp is worth about $150 million. This is in spite of the fact that he’s infamous for lavish spending. Celebrity Net Worth reports that he’s been known to spend over $3.6 million per year. The costs include dozens of staff including bodyguards, extensive travel on private jets, wine and art. Of course, some of what he spends is on assets that are worth money. He reportedly owns more than 45 cards, for example, as well as 14 homes. So, Johnny Depp earns a lot, he spends a lot, he has assets, and he’s ultimately worth about $150 million.
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Kathryn Vercillo is a professional writer who loves to live a balanced life. She appreciates a good work-life balance. She enjoys balance in her relationships and has worked hard to learn how to balance her finances to allow for a balanced life overall. Although she’s only blonde some of the time, she’s always striving for total balance. She’s excited to share what she’s learned with you and to discover more together along the way. Learn more about her at www.kathrynvercillo.com.
