‘Depp v. Heard’ Showcases Fan Culture at Its Worst
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In the case of Johnny Depp v. Amber Heard, you could argue that nobody won.
The high-profile and highly-public defamation case between the formerly wed Hollywood couple took place in the spring of 2022, but what set it apart from any analogous predecessor was a secret third party: the internet, watching the case broadcast on court TV for six weeks. Netflix’s “Depp v. Heard” places both parties’ testimony side-by-side for the first time, but it also rehashes social media’s relentless participation and analysis, which turned the case more unpleasant by the day.
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“Depp v. Heard” is most easily classified as true crime or documentary, but it doesn’t actually offer new information. There are docuseries and investigations, productions that ultimately bring a lesser-known story to light or add additional interviews and context — and then there are recaps. While “Depp v. Heard” repackages the case in a digestible format that Netflix viewers will undoubtedly devour, it also revisits the ugliness surrounding the trial.
But if the series’ only goal is to combine legal testimony with internet response, it succeeds immensely. If the trial and surrounding headlines made your skin crawl, get ready to feel nothing but discomfort for the entire three-episode run of “Depp v. Heard.” A lot of the online commentary reads differently while intercut with courtroom scenes, a bizarre and almost unbelievable juxtaposition. Lines outside the courthouse resemble those at Comic Con or major concerts, with one user showing off his “spectator pass” — an actual wristband given to members of the public who were admitted into the courtroom. A podcast guest says of the public nature of Depp and Heard’s legal conflict, “That’s showbiz”; but this is emphatically personal, and never before has that side of showbiz included constant multi-platform dissection on this level.
The series includes influencer analysis in defense of both Depp and Heard, as well as third party observers who try to stay neutral and speak frankly about whose testimony they believe from moment-to-moment. There are several reiterations of what we knew in 2022, that support was overwhelmingly in Depp’s favor, particularly on TikTok (#justiceforjohnnydepp had over 20 billion views ahead of the verdict, while #justiceforamberheard had not even reached one billion), including clips of users reenacting, remixing, and responding to testimony. It’s jarring to see all of this at once, particularly the parts where Depp or Heard’s audio has been used for comedic purposes. Humor and trauma intertwine frequently in the internet era, but again: this kind of access into both celebrity affairs and an active court room is rare. Each element of the Depp v. Heard case heightens its intensity, as “Depp v. Heard” lays bare.
And in the end — because this isn’t a spoiler — “Depp v. Heard” can’t make any conclusions that the actual legal proceedings didn’t. It does include post-trial analysis from experts and influencers, many of whom note that the public response was unprecedented, whether it was fervor for Depp or vitriol against Heard. Irrespective of the verdict (announced to concert hall-levels of applause and cheers), the trial created a vortex of misinformation and mixed opinions, both of which continued well after the jury made a decision. When Heard settled in December of 2022, she claimed that online abuse factored into her decision.
The trial brought more to the surface than just the tumultuous relationship between two individuals: society’s fascination and investment with not just celebrity, but other people’s personal lives. “Depp v. Heard” is a discomfiting look at gossip gone wild, at how second and thirdhand opinions of someone’s expressions, body language, word choice, and memories add up to an incomplete yet larger-than-life image. It’s evidence of what happens when a story is too public — a story that no one outside the two people involved will ever truly know.
“Depp v. Heard” is now streaming on Netflix.
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