It’s been almost three years since Johnny Depp and Amber Heard finalized their divorce, but the actors are still duking it out in court with big money on the line.
Ironically, the current battle is being waged over a non-disclosure agreement that was designed to prevent further legal wrangling.
Depp is suing Heard for $50 million, alleging that she violated the NDA with a recent op-ed piece she wrote for The Washington Post.
Though Heard never mentioned Depp by name, she identified herself as an abuse victim in the essay, and Johnny’s legal team is arguing that there was a clear implication that she was referring to her most high-profile relationship.
The suit was filed in March, but there’s still no end in sight.
Normally, when an A-list movie star files a multimillion-dollar lawsuit, the real goal is to punish the defendant, not to score a big payday.
But if there’s any truth to the rumor that Depp is broke, he might really be looking to get into his ex’s Aquaman earnings.
In all likelihood, however, Johnny is motivated mostly by revenge — which makes this latest rumor a twist worthy of Shyamalan.
The situation was drenched in irony to begin with, and adding to the Faustian bargain/reversal of fortune motif is the fact that it’s Depp, not Heard, who’s being run through the emotional wringer here.
The suit has resulted in all sorts of damaging claims by Heard, whose lawyers filed papers that basically claim Depp is an alcoholic monster.
According to a new report from Radar Online, the court case and the resulting scrutiny of his messy marriage and divorce have taken a tremendous psychological toll on the famously private Depp.
And one source claims the actor is dealing with the stress by hitting the bottle harder than ever.
The account is light on specifics, but it seems the cash-strapped actor did some traveling for a paid appearance recently, and he lived up to his rock-and-roll reputation by getting smashed at his hotel.
“Johnny was still ordering vodka to his room by the bottle at 3 a.m. the night before a recent red-carpet event,” said an insider.
“He was gulping the booze during the event from a coffee cup. It was wild! His security guys had to try and keep him steady on his feet.”
After complaining about his room at the hotel, Depp allegedly quipped, “It’s fine because I’ll trash it anyway.”
It’s no great surprise that a guy who used to spend $30,000 a month on wine might have a serious drinking problem.
But if Radar’s report is to be believed, then the 56-year-old has taken his boozing to new heights, which is especially worrisome given recent concerns about Depp’s health.
Here’s hoping that either the story is bogus, or Johnny was just having an off night.
We’re sure even the guy’s harshest critics — including Amber — don’t want to hear the news that he drank himself into an early grave.