In a decision sure to reverberate in next year’s court battle in the United States, fading A-lister Johnny Depp  on Monday lost his UK libel case against tabloid The Sun that is sure to reverberate next year in the United States when the actor is set to appear in court against his ex-wife, Amber Heard.  The suit was originally brought after an April 27, 2018 column by The Sun writer, Dan Wootton, described Depp as a ‘wife-beater’ while going after JK Rowling’s decision to cast Depp on her Fantastic Beasts film franchise. “For a holier-than-thou Twitterati preacher, JK Rowling tries to present herself as a leading light for women in the entertainment industry,’ Wootton writes.

“But the author will need to use every trick in Harry Potter’s magic book to handle the growing outrage in Hollywood over her decision to stand by the casting of Johnny Depp in the lead role in her precious Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them franchise,” Wootton continued. “Today I reveal a significant backlash from within the #MeToo and Time’s Up movement because the Scot is hellbent on backing her famous pal – despite his clearly inexcusable behaviour towards ex-wife Amber Heard.”

During and since the summer trial in which Depp’s legal team sought to portray him as the actual victim of abuse, heralded ‘evidence’ leaked to the press and rumored to turn the tables on Amber Heard disappeared, faded away, or wasn’t used in the trial. Earlier this month Judge Bruce White, who will be presiding over round 2 of the famous ex-couple’s legal battle, dismissed Depp attorney Adam Waldman from the case after learning the lawyer had given the press confidential and possibly doctored/edited information covered under a protective order. Rumor is the part of that cache of leaked material was the infamous edited/manipulated audio recording between Amber Heard and Depp. The unedited audio is 2 hours in length and was selectively cut down to 46 minutes before the public heard it through various sources.

What’s Next?

In the wake of Heard’s December 18, 2018 op-ed in the Washington post in which the actress describes her experience as an abuse victim and encourages Congress to “reauthorize and strengthen” the Violence Against Women Act, Johnny Depp filed a second lawsuit involving his ex-wife, an accusation of defamation against the Washington Post. Filed in the Circuit Court of Fairfax, Virginia, Depp outlined that while he wasn’t named in the op-ed it was “clear” Heard was talking about him. Furthermore, Depp blamed the piece for costing him his role in the Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise. That trial, if Johnny Depp decides to move forward without his tainted lawyer and with a major court loss already in the books, is set to begin early next year.

“Very soon, we will be presenting even more voluminous evidence in the US. We are committed to obtaining justice for Amber Heard in the US court and defending Ms Heard’s right to free speech.” – Heard attorney Elaine Charlson Bredehoft.

Full Ruling in the UK Case:

Developing…