Paul Bettany Opens Up About His Involvement In The Johnny Depp Libel Case
Paul Bettany recently opened up about his involvement in the Johnny Depp libel suit. The former's texts were read as part of the proceedings.
This article is more than 2 years old
Johnny Depp’s long-time pal, Paul Bettany says it was an unpleasant feeling having his texts read out in court during the Pirates of The Caribbean star’s libel case against The Sun. Depp sued the newspaper after they described him as a wife-beater when referring to his relationship with Amber Heard.
In a recent interview with The Independent, Paul Bettany was asked about his texts to Johnny Depp becoming public. The actor replied cautiously, saying it’s a really difficult subject to talk about. “It was very strange. What was strange about it was you suddenly have one of the most scabrous newspapers in London and their lawyers pouring through your texts for the last 10 years.” The 50-year-old said he didn’t address it at the time because he felt it would’ve poured fuel on the fire.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Bettany’s communications with Johnny Depp were included in the 132-page ruling on the case in 2020. The pair texted about Heard, with Depp suggesting they burn her, among other grotesque and graphic things. The WandaVision star suggested a drowning test instead – to determine if she was a witch.
“Having thought about it, I don’t think we should burn Amber,” Paul Bettany texted Depp. “She’s delightful company and easy on the eye, plus I’m not sure she’s a witch. We could of course try the English course of action in these predicaments. We do a drowning test. Thoughts? You have a swimming pool.”
“Let’s drown her before we burn her!!!” Johnny Depp replied. “I will f*** her burnt corpse afterward to make sure she’s dead.” When the horrific texts were read out, 58-year-old Depp just shrugged them off by saying his sense of humor is slightly skewed. He also said that he used drugs with Paul Bettany, after being asked if the actor was one of his “drug buddies”.
Johnny Depp ended up losing his lawsuit against The Sun, with the judge ruling that he assaulted Amber Heard on a dozen occasions and put her in “fear of her life” three times. Following the court’s decision, Warner Bros asked him to leave the Fantastic Beasts franchise. But the actor has repeatedly denied physically assaulting Heard during their four-year relationship.
Although he lost his appeal in March this year, Johnny Depp filed a new $50 million defamation lawsuit against his ex-wife after she wrote an article for The Washington Post in 2018. In the piece, Heard described how she was a victim of domestic violence. She also talked about becoming a public figure representing domestic abuse, and how she felt the full force of our culture’s wrath for women who speak out. While he’s not named in the article, the actor says Heard implied that he was her abuser, an accusation that’s damaged his reputation.
Meanwhile, Johnny Depp’s latest offering, Minamata has finally made its way to American audiences. The film was directed by Andrew Levitas from a screenplay by David Kessler. It is based on the book of the same name by Aileen Mioko Smith and Eugene Smith. The movie premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival on February 21, 2020.
According to Deadline, Iervolino and Lady Bacardi Entertainment (ILBE) teamed up with Samuel Goldwyn Films to give the movie a North American release in theaters. After the first screening took place on December 15th, the platformed launch will extend across the U.S and Canada into 2022. The new team is also looking to position the Johnny Depp film for awards consideration.
