Aquaman 2: Petition to fire Amber Heard gets over 1.5M signatures
Petition to fire Amber Heard from Aquaman 2 reaches more than 1.5MILLION signatures as ex-husband Johnny Depp resigns from the ‘Fantastic Beasts’ movies after losing his libel case
- More than 1.5 million people have signed a petition to fire Amber Heard, 34, from Marvel’s Aquaman franchise
- Petition organizers alleged that Heard ‘systematically crusaded to ruin [Johnny] Depp in Hollywood’
- Heard and Depp, 57, have accused each other of domestic abuse and violence during their two year marriage
- Depp lost a libel case against The Sun publisher News Group Newspapers and executive editor Dan Wootton for referring to him as a ‘wife beater’
- He was recently denied permission to appeal the decision made in London’s high courts and ordered to pay legal fees
A petition to fire Amber Heard from Aquaman 2 has more than 1.5 million signatures as fans of Johnny Depp claim she ‘systematically crusaded’ to ruin his career.
Heard’s role as ‘Mera’ in the Marvel franchise series continued to upset fans this week and 1.53million made clear their feelings about the actress – despite a judge ruling Depp had attacked his ex-wife a dozen times.
‘Since Heard’s divorce from Johnny Depp, she has systematically crusaded to ruin Depp in Hollywood,’ the petition claimed.
Marvel fans have called for Amber Heard’s (left) termination after her ex-husband, Johnny Depp (right), resigned from his role in the ‘Fantastic Beast’ franchise
The petition created on Change.org has amassed more than 1.53 million signatures as Heard confirmed she would remain part of the Aquaman cast
The petition also alleged that Heard ‘created false accounts of him being the abuse’ before demanding Warner Brothers and DC Entertainment remove Heard from production.
‘Do the right thing. Remove Amber Heard from Aquaman 2,’ the petition read.
The backlash comes after Heard’s ex-husband, Johnny Depp, lost his libel case against The Sun publisher News Group Newspapers and executive editor Dan Wootton for calling him a ‘wife beater’ in a 2018 article.
Heard, 34, and Depp, 57, have repeatedly accused each other of domestic abuse during their two-year marriage that ended in 2017.
‘Gone Potty: How can JK Rowling be ‘genuinely happy’ casting wife beater Johnny Deppin the new Fantastic Beasts film?’ the headline read.
But Justice Nicol last month determined that claim was ‘substantially true’ and ruled the libel case in the publisher’s favor – a massive blow to Depp’s million dollar case.
Fans have demanded Heard (right), pictured as ‘Mera’ in Marvel’s Aquaman, be fired after she and Depp launched domestic abuse allegations at each other
The fallout has dented his career, which recently resulted in his departure from author JK Rowling’s Fantastic Beasts movie franchise.
Depp, who played Gellert Grindelwald, announced is departure from the role after studio executives reportedly requested his resignation.
The Pirates of the Caribbean star said he stepped down from the role ‘in light of recent events.’
‘I wish to let you know that I have been asked to resign by Warner Bros. from my role as Grindelwald in ‘Fantastic Beasts’ and I have respected and agreed to that request.’
Depp reportedly only shot a single scene for the upcoming film, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, but will still receive his $10million payday, Deadline reports.
Production started on Fantastic Beasts 3 on September 20 in London, though the studio had waited to see how Depp’s defamation lawsuit against British tabloid The Sun
Actor Mads Mikkelsen, who played the antagonist in James Bond’s Casino Royale, will take over the role in Depp’s place.
As a result, Depp’s fans have since called for Heard’s termination from the Aquaman franchise.
Heard addressed rumors she wouldn’t reprise the role this month with Entertainment Weekly, noting: ‘Paid rumours and paid campaigns on social media don’t dictate [casting decisions] because they have no basis in reality.
‘Only the fans actually made Aquaman and Aquaman 2 happen. I’m excited to get started next year.’
Most recently, Depp was denied permission to appeal against the high court’s ruling on the libel case.
Johnny Depp (pictured) was recently denied permission to appeal the ruling on the libel case he brought against The Sun publisher News Group Newspapers and executive editor Dan Wootton for labeling him a ‘wife beater’
Justice Nicol said in his ruling: ‘I do not consider that the proposed grounds of appeal have a reasonable prospect of success.’
The judge also ordered the actor to make an initial payment to NGN of almost $840,000 for the publisher’s legal fees.
Nicol said in his ruling: ‘In substance, the claimant disagrees with my findings of fact, but for the reasons summarised by (NGN’s barrister Adam Wolanksi QC) the findings of fact by a first instance tribunal – particularly one, such as myself, who has heard oral evidence – are rarely open to challenge on appeal.
‘In any event, I do not consider that the proposed grounds of appeal have a reasonable prospect of success – and that is also the case so far as the grounds of appeal suggest that I erred in principle or in law – and there is not some other compelling reason why permission to appeal should be granted.’
Amber Heard (left) and Johnny Depp (right) were married for two years before filing for divorce in 2017
In the ruling, Nicol gave Depp until December 7 to apply directly to the Court of Appeal to overturn his judgment.
In his main judgment, Nicol concluded that 12 of the 14 alleged incidents of domestic violence relied on by NGN did occur.
The judge found that Depp assaulted Heard on a dozen occasions and put her in ‘fear for her life’ on three occasions, including one the actress described as a ‘three-day hostage situation’ in Australia in March 2015.
Nicol found Heard was also in fear for her life during incidents on the Eastern and Oriental Express in South East Asia in August 2015 and again in LA in December of the same year.
The judge said ‘a recurring theme in Depp’s evidence was that Heard had constructed a hoax and that she had done this as an ‘insurance policy”, and that Heard was a ‘gold-digger’.
But he added: ‘I do not accept this characterisation of Heard.’
His solicitor Jenny Afia, from the Schillings law firm, had said the High Court ruling was ‘as perverse as it is bewildering’, adding: ‘The judgment is so flawed that it would be ridiculous for Depp not to appeal this decision.’
But Heard’s US lawyer, Elaine Charlson Bredehoft, said: ‘For those of us present for the London High Court trial, this decision and judgment are not a surprise.
‘Very soon, we will be presenting even more voluminous evidence in the US.’
Depp is currently embroiled in a separate libel battle in the US, having sued Heard personally over a 2018 Washington Post opinion piece in which she claimed to be a victim of domestic abuse.
The actor is reportedly seeking 50 million US dollars in damages from his ex-wife over the article, which did not mention him by name – but Heard is countersuing for twice that amount, claiming Depp orchestrated a smear camp against her.
That case is due to be heard in Virginia, where the Washington Post is published, some time in 2021.
