Amber Heard has spoken about the high-profile defamation trial verdict for the first time, criticising the role the social media played in the six-week trial that began on April 11 in Virginia, US.
Earlier this month, a jury unanimously found that Ms Heard defamed ex-husband Johnny Depp and awarded him more than $10 million in damages. The Aquaman star, on the other hand, was awarded $2 million in damages via a counterclaim.
The 36-year-old has shared statements about the trial online, but now she has spoken about the verdict for the first time in a sit-down interview with Today's Savannah Guthrie, which will air on NBC later this week.
According to a preview clip shared on Twitter, Ms Heard has said that she understands why the Virginia jury reached their verdict in favour of Mr Depp. "I don't blame them," she said, adding, "I actually understand. He (Mr Depp) is a beloved character and people feel they know him. He's a fantastic actor."
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However, referring to the extended negative social media coverage she faced, Ms Heard said that she believed that her treatment had been unfair. "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," she said.
"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. You cannot tell me that you think that this has been fair," Ms Heard added.
On social media, people overwhelmingly supported Mr Depp throughout the defamation trial. Hashtags including #justiceforjohnnydepp and #amberheardisguilty had taken the internet by storm during the highly publicised trial.
Jurors in Virginia were ordered strictly not to read about or research the case, and they were also ordered to stay off social media. However, Ms Heard's legal team insisted that social media did impact the case.
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As per Today, Ms Heard's attorney Elaine Charlson Bredehoft said that there was no way the jury couldn't have been influenced by social media. "It was horrible," she said. However, Mr Depp's attorneys, Benjamin Chew and Camille Vasquez, said there was "no reason to believe the jurors violated their oath" by engaging on social media.
Ultimately, on June 1, a seven-person jury unanimously found "clear and convincing evidence" that Ms Heard defamed Mr Depp.
