Amber Heard has revealed she doesn't blame the jury for siding with her ex-husband Johnny Depp in her first interview since the verdict.
The jury returned their verdict in the high-profile defamation case on June 2 ruling Heard had defamed Depp. The result came after a six-week trial that featured explicit and graphic evidence and testimony detailing how the former Hollywood couple's relationship soured.
The jury also ruled in favour of Heard in some aspects of her countersuit against Depp.
Depp was awarded US$15 million in damages from Heard, while Heard was awarded US$2 million in damages for one proven defamation claim.
Now in her first interview since the verdict, Heard told NBC's Today she understands why the jury ruled in favour of Depp.
"I don't blame them," Heard told NBC in an interview that aired on Monday (local time).
"I actually understand. He's a beloved character and people feel they know him.
"He's a fantastic actor."
But she did hit out at the social media frenzy surrounding the case, calling it "unfair" because much of the commentary on TikTok and Twitter favoured Depp.
"I don't care what one thinks about me or what judgments you want to make about what happened in the privacy of my own home, in my marriage, behind closed doors. I don't presume the average person should know those things. And so I don't take it personally," Heard told the outlet.
"But even somebody who is sure I'm deserving of all this hate and vitriol, even if you think that I'm lying, you still couldn't look me in the eye and tell me that you think on social media there's been a fair representation," she continued. "You cannot tell me that you think that this has been fair."
The TikTok hashtag "Justice for Johnny Depp" raked in a massive 20 billion views, while the one for Heard got just 27 million.
In a statement after the verdict Depp, who wasn't in court for the result, said he was humbled and grateful to the jury for giving him his life back.
Meanwhile, in her statement, Heard said she was heartbroken and disappointed.
"I'm even more disappointed what this verdict means for other women... It sets back the clock to a time when a woman who spoke up and spoke out could be publicly shamed and humiliated."
