Hearing Amber Heard: The Failings of Pop Culture’s Perfect Victim
On Monday, April 11, 2022, dozens of fans gathered outside of the Fairfax County Circuit Court to stand in support of actor Johnny Depp. They carried protest signs and waved pirate flags to commemorate his iconic role as Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean films. One fan, Jacina, traveled all the way from Australia. When asked by reporter Victoria Bekiempis about her support for Depp, she said, “Because I believe he’s innocent, and I don’t think that men’s reputation should be able to be ruined on the say-so of one person when it’s not true. He’s suffered very bad consequences that he didn’t deserve, because I think he’s a pure soul and he deserves redemption.” This is, of course, in reference to his ex-wife, Amber Heard, and the accusations of domestic violence she’s levied against him, the validity of those claims making up the reasoning for this very trial.