Here's How Much Amber Heard Lost In Movie Income Due To Johnny Depp Trial: Witness

Amber Heard lost tens of millions in endorsements and TV and film income over claims that she lied when she accused ex-husband Johnny Depp of domestic violence, an entertainment industry expert testified Monday.

The actress is facing a $50 million defamation lawsuit brought against her by Depp over a 2018 op-ed she wrote in The Washington Post in which she described herself as a victim of domestic abuse. Depp is not named in the article, but the actor claimed that she destroyed his career by allegedly fabricating claims of domestic violence.

On Monday, Heard's witness Kathryn Arnold took the stand in the Fairfax, Virginia, courtroom where the trial is being heard — as the actress' team seeks to prove that her career suffered after Depp's lawyer, Adam Waldman, claimed in 2020 that Heard's abuse claims against his client were a "hoax," Variety reported.

Arnold, a former Hollywood producer who is now an entertainment industry consultant and expert, testified that Heard lost $45 million to $50 million in potential film, television and endorsement earnings because of the claims of Depp's camp.

Arnold also testified that Heard should have been able to renegotiate her "Aquaman 2" salary but could not because she had no leverage.

For the first "Aquaman" movie, Heard earned $1 million, and she was guaranteed $2 million for the sequel, which is set to premiere next year. Her "Aquaman" co-star Jason Momoa reportedly earned $3 million to $5 million for the first film and was guaranteed $5 million for the second.

After "Aquaman" earned over $1 billion at the box office, Momoa's representatives were able to break his contract and negotiate a pay bump to $15 million for the sequel, Arnold testified.

According to the expert, due to Waldman's negative statements "that caused a "snowball effect," Heard had to settle for the guaranteed $2 million pay for "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" instead of what could have been as much as $10 million.

Arnold also said that in the time that has passed since Waldman's remarks, Heard has not received a new major studio film role, endorsement contract or television show role.

Heard landed a two-year, $1.5 million contract with L'Oreal, but the brand apparently paused the campaign amid the controversies, the expert added.

"In the industry, they like her work," Arnold was quoted as saying by Variety. "But they can't work with her right now."

Heard has a net worth of $2.5 million, while Depp is estimated to be worth $150 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

This is the second defamation lawsuit filed by Depp related to his ex-wife. In 2018, he filed a suit in the U.K. against the publishers of British tabloid The Sun, which referred to him as a "wife beater" in an April 2018 article.

That lawsuit went to trial for several days in 2020. In November that year, a judge concluded that the tabloid was justified in its use of the phrase "wife beater" in the article about his relationship with Heard. Depp was denied an appeal last year.

Heard is countersuing Depp for $100 million because of Waldman's statements.