Jason Momoa and director James Wan were 'committed' to Heard
A witness for Amber Heard has told the court that the reason the actress kept her role in Aquaman 2 is because co-star Jason Momoa was "adamant" she remain in the franchise.
Entertainment industry expert Kathryn Arnold took the stand on Monday as the defamation trial between Heard and Depp entered its sixth and final week at Virginia’s Fairfax County courthouse.
Arnold said that Heard's reputation had been badly impacted by Depp's legal action against her in 2020 for defamation.
Arnold went on to say that
Aquaman's release in late 2018 should have been Heard's 'a star is born' moment but that the "negative social media campaign" against her discouraged brands and studios from working with her.
She explained to the court: “It was that moment where not only was she a good actor, but she was now world-renowned because she was in the most successful film... certainly for DC Comics,”
“It was just this extraordinary moment for her, for her career to take off.”
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When asked about how much statements from Depp and his attorney in recent years had affected the actress' career, Arnold replied: "In the public, it’s been very negative.
"In the industry, they like her work but they can’t work with her right now. Because every time her name is mentioned, the negativity flares up again.
“Her world has been silent in terms of opportunities. Even things she wanted to work on are no longer available to her.”
Arnold added that Heard was not able to land roles "for a longtime."
In particular there has been scrutiny from Depp fans about Heard's role in
Aquaman 2, with
a petition set up to remove her from the film having amassed millions of signatures.
But Arnold told the court that Jason Momoa, who plays Aquaman in the film, and director James Wan were “adamant” that Heard reprise the role of Mera in the film’s sequel.
The
Daily Mail reports that Arnold said both Momoa and Wan were "committed to her."
Last week, the court heard in a deposition from Heard's WME agent, Jessica Kovacevic, that the actress was on the verge of being cut from the franchise
because of a lack of chemistry with Momoa.
Kovacevic echoed Arnold's belief that Heard should have had more success following
Aquaman though and that a negative campaign affected the actress' career.
In a pre-recorded testimony she said she believed Warner Bros. wanted her out of the franchise due to the bad publicity stemming from her legal battle with Depp.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utXDmuvG6Nk
Heard has already told the court that
to stay in the
2, in which she plays Atlantean princess Mera.
She claimed that despite this, she has still ended up with a "very pared-down version" of the role, with reports suggesting she only features in the film for as little as 10 minutes.
