Drew Barrymore Criticized Over Comments About Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard Trial

Drew Barrymore and Anthony Anderson drew flak online over the way they discussed the ongoing defamation trial between Johnny Depp and his ex-wife Amber Heard on the former's talk show.

On Friday's episode of "The Drew Barrymore Show," the 47-year-old host asked the "Law & Order" actor if there's "anything that's out in the current zeitgeist" that he would want to be approached on the police procedural and legal drama series.

Anderson first mentioned Blac Chyna's ongoing defamation case against the Kardashian-Jenner family before he brought up Depp and Heard's ongoing trial. The "Pirates of the Caribbean" actor is suing Heard for $50 million over a 2018 Washington Post op-ed in which she wrote about surviving domestic abuse.

"Oh my god!" Barrymore screamed as she got out of her seat, before adding of Depp and Heard's trial, "It's like one layer of crazy. It's a seven-layer dip of insanity."

"It's truly amazing to just sit back and read the transcripts of what they've done to each other. ... This needs to be on TV. He lost a fingertip," Anderson chimed in, referring to Depp's allegation that Heard threw a vodka bottle at him which shattered and severed his finger during an argument.

Barrymore then commented that the trial was "so fascinating," adding: "I know that these are two people's real lives and I know what it's like to have your life put out in public. I understand all the feelings, but they are actually offering up this information that nobody had to know. This is crazy!"

"It is crazy, so I would like to see that on television," Anderson noted, before laughing along with the audience. Barrymore replied, "And I would watch that episode."

However, their conversation didn't sit well with some viewers and social media users, who expressed disappointment over the way Barrymore and Anderson's discussed such a serious subject.

"After going through her own serious ordeal growing up, you [would] think Drew would be a little more sympathetic in regards to a situation where a man was pushed to the point of self-harm and could have been killed after contracting MRSA due to an injury his spouse caused. This is disgusting. Glad you found a bit of time to laugh it up at domestic violence on your show," one person commented on YouTube, where a clip of the interview was shared.

"I get that the trial has had some awkward funny moments, but Drew laughing at what Johnny went through [was] beyond messed up and sickening. ... There were better ways to get her idea across than laughing," another wrote.

"Making fun of such an awful situation is disgusting!! He didn't 'want to offer this information.' He HAD to do that in order to have his reputation back! His whole career was greatly affected by all this for YEARS, so it is fair he wanted to find justice in some way," a third user commented.

One Twitter user commented, "Hearing @DrewBarrymore gossip about Johnny Depp's trial like it's entertainment only drove home this feeling. Even as men calmly explain the ways they've been hurt, their pain is immediately glossed over by people's belief that it's inconvenient."

Another netizen suggested that Barrymore and Anderson could have used the moment to discuss that men could be victims of domestic violence as well.

Depp has accused his ex-wife of defaming him in her 2018 op-ed and ruining his career, though he was not named in the piece. He has denied her allegations of domestic abuse.

The "Aquaman" actress, for her part, has insisted that she is telling the truth regarding the alleged abuse and filed a countersuit against Depp seeking $100 million.

Depp and Heard's trial is currently underway in Fairfax County Circuit Court in Virginia. His cross-examination concluded on April 25. Heard has not yet testified yet, though she is scheduled to do so in the coming days.