Amber Heard

Amber Heard
Born	(1986-04-22) April 22, 1986 Austin, Texas, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	2003–present
Known for	Roles in All the Boys Love Mandy Lane, The Ward, Drive Angry, London Fields, Pineapple Express, Never Back Down, The Joneses, The Rum Diary, Paranoia, Machete Kills, 3 Days to Kill, Magic Mike XXL, The Danish Girl, Justice League, Aquaman, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom

Amber Laura Heard (born April 22, 1986) is an American actress known for her work in both film and television. She secured her first starring role in the horror movie All the Boys Love Mandy Lane (2006) and went on to feature in movies such as The Ward (2010), Drive Angry (2011), and London Fields (2018).

Her filmography also includes numerous supporting roles in titles like Pineapple Express (2008), Never Back Down (2008), The Joneses (2009), The Rum Diary (2011), Paranoia (2013), Machete Kills (2013), 3 Days to Kill (2014), Magic Mike XXL (2015), and The Danish Girl (2015). From 2017 until 2023, Heard portrayed the character Mera within the DC Extended Universe, appearing in films such as Justice League (2017), Aquaman (2018), and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023). Her television credits include roles in The CW’s teen drama series Hidden Palms (2007) and the fantasy miniseries The Stand on Paramount+ from 2020 to 2021.

In 2016, Heard was appointed as an ACLU Artist Ambassador, championing civil rights causes, and also served as a Human Rights Ambassador for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Heard’s marriage to actor Johnny Depp spanned from 2015 to 2016. Their relationship became the center of widely publicized legal battles involving accusations of domestic violence and defamation. The verdict in the Depp v. NGN case concluded that Depp had committed domestic abuse against Heard, whereas the highly publicized Depp v. Heard trial determined that Heard was liable for defaming Depp.

Early life

Amber Laura Heard was born on April 22, 1986, in Austin, Texas. She is the middle child among three sisters born to Patricia Paige (née Parsons; 1956–2020), an internet researcher, and David Clinton Heard (born 1950), who owns a construction business. The family resided near Austin. Heard’s father was an avid horse trainer during his leisure time, and she spent much of her childhood horseback riding, hunting, and fishing alongside him. Although she initially participated in beauty pageants, she later distanced herself from them due to their objectifying nature. Raised in a Catholic household, Heard identified as an atheist by age sixteen following the death of her closest friend. At seventeen, feeling out of place in conservative Texas, she left Catholic high school to move to Los Angeles to pursue acting, eventually completing her education via a home-study program.

2003–2007: Initial roles

Heard’s early career involved appearances in music videos such as Kenny Chesney’s "There Goes My Life" and Eisley’s "I Wasn't Prepared." She also held minor parts in television series including Jack & Bobby (2004), The Mountain (2004), and The O.C. (2005). Her film debut came with a small role in the sports drama Friday Night Lights (2004). This was followed by supporting appearances in films like Drop Dead Sexy (2005), North Country (2005), Side FX (2005), Price to Pay (2006), Alpha Dog (2006), and Spin (2007). Additionally, she guest-starred on an episode of the crime drama series Criminal Minds.’’ Heard’s first leading role was in the slasher film All the Boys Love Mandy Lane,’’ which premiered at the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival. However, its release was postponed until 2008 in Europe and 2013 in the United States due to distribution complications.

In 2007, Heard took on a lead romantic role in The CW’s teen drama series Hidden Palms,’’ which aired during summer reruns targeting a young audience. That same year, she appeared in the short film Day 73 with Sarah,’’ starred in the teen drama ‘‘Remember the Daze,’’ and featured in an episode of Showtime's ‘‘Californication.’’

2008–2016: Rise to Mainstream Prominence

Amber Heard first achieved widespread recognition in 2008 through supporting roles in the Judd Apatow-produced stoner comedy Pineapple Express and the martial arts drama Never Back Down. That year, she also featured in the ensemble adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis's novel The Informers. The following year, Heard took a leading role in The Joneses (2009) alongside David Duchovny and Demi Moore; Variety remarked that she "essentially steals the show" from Moore. Apart from a minor part in the commercially successful Zombieland (2009), her other projects were mostly limited-release independent films or poorly received horror movies such as The Stepfather and The Ward.

In 2011, Heard starred opposite Nicolas Cage in the supernatural action thriller Drive Angry, which did not meet commercial expectations. Critic Roger Ebert commended her performance, noting she "does everything possible" with her role. That same year, she appeared on the British television show Top Gear as a "star in a reasonably priced car," finishing 33rd out of 41 participants. Heard also led NBC's crime drama series The Playboy Club, which was canceled after three episodes amid low ratings and backlash from feminist and conservative groups. Additionally, she portrayed Johnny Depp’s romantic interest in the Hunter S. Thompson adaptation The Rum Diary (2011), which underperformed financially, grossing $30 million against a $45 million budget and receiving mixed critical responses. In 2011, Heard was also featured in an advertising campaign for fashion brand Guess.

By 2013, Heard appeared in several films including the thriller Paranoia, exploitation movie Machete Kills, satire Syrup, and the limited U.S. release of All the Boys Love Mandy Lane. Her portrayal in the latter was described by the Los Angeles Times as her "most definitive to date" and deemed "psychologically intriguing" by The Washington Post. In 2014, she had a supporting role in the action-thriller 3 Days to Kill.

In 2015, Heard played a significant role as the love interest of the protagonist in the comedy-drama Magic Mike XXL. She also held a supporting part in Tom Hooper’s period drama The Danish Girl, and starred alongside James Franco and Ed Harris in the independent crime thriller The Adderall Diaries. Although considered somewhat "miscast," IndieWire recognized her promise for more serious roles. Furthermore, Heard appeared with Christopher Walken in the television film One More Time, where she undertook singing lessons as well as piano and guitar training; her performance received praise from the Los Angeles Times as "superb". In November 2015, she was featured on an episode of automotive reality series Overhaulin' where her Ford Mustang underwent a makeover, which included a prank orchestrated by Depp.

Heard took on the lead female role in London Fields, adapted from Martin Amis's novel about a clairvoyant femme fatale. The film premiered at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival, but was subsequently withdrawn from release due to conflicts between director and producers that resulted in legal disputes. Heard faced a $10 million lawsuit alleging breaches of performance and promotional commitments; she countered with claims of contract violations related to nudity clauses. A settlement was reached in September 2018 without any financial exchange, and the film was eventually released to overwhelmingly negative reviews. Heard later described this project as one of her most challenging and admitted to not fully doing justice to her character. Critics noted that her performance was insufficient to redeem the adaptation, and she received a Golden Raspberry Award nomination for Worst Actress in 2019.

2017–present: DC Extended Universe involvement and additional ventures

In 2017, Heard became part of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) portraying Mera, the princess of Atlantis, in Justice League. She continued this role in Aquaman (2018), marking her debut in a major studio production alongside Jason Momoa. Heard was attracted to Mera's portrayal as a strong-willed, self-reliant figure who rejects the title Aquawoman. Although Aquaman garnered mixed critical responses, it achieved significant box office success, earning more than $1 billion globally. Critics praised Heard’s engaging interpretation of Mera. Additionally, in 2018, she was appointed as a worldwide ambassador for the cosmetics company L'Oréal Paris.

In 2019, Heard took roles in independent films such as Her Smell and Gully. Her sole project in 2020 was the miniseries The Stand, adapted from Stephen King's novel, where she portrayed Nadine Cross. This series debuted on CBS All Access in December 2020. In 2021, she once again played Mera in Zack Snyder's Justice League, a director’s cut featuring additional footage from the 2017 release.

Heard reprised her role as Mera in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023). Amidst her former spouse Johnny Depp’s legal controversies and his subsequent replacement in the Fantastic Beasts series, an online petition aimed to remove Heard from this sequel amassed over two million signatures by early 2022. Heard dismissed these efforts as "paid rumors," while co-producer Peter Safran affirmed her continued participation. She reported that her screen time was considerably reduced during production. Former DC Studios head Walter Hamada and director James Wan clarified that the focus on lead characters led to this reduction.

Observers noted that numerous scenes featuring Heard were omitted from Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, aligning with her statement about a smaller role. Business Insider emphasized her minimal dialogue and screen presence. Some critics suggested her performance appeared to be inserted during post-production and insinuated potential bias within the industry. Actor Dolph Lundgren confirmed that both his and Heard’s parts were scaled back owing to studio reshoots that altered the original screenplay.

Following her trial, Heard starred in In the Fire, directed by Conor Allyn, which premiered at the Taormina Film Fest in June 2023 before its October release.

In June 2025, Heard was cast in Jeremy O. Harris's theatrical production Spirit of the People, which debuted on July 17 at the Williamstown Theatre Festival.

Activism

Heard partnered with Amnesty International on a bilingual initiative focusing on U.S. immigration policies at the Mexico–United States border. She lent her support to the United Nations' Stand Up for Human Rights campaign and delivered remarks at the UN's 9th Annual Social Good Summit in 2018, underscoring principles of equity and justice consistent with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Later that year, she spoke at HagueTalks' Imagine the World We Want event.

In 2018, Heard participated in medical missions with the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) to refugee camps located in Jordan and Lebanon. Her involvement included funding treatments for children diagnosed with thalassemia and backing psychosocial and educational initiatives benefiting women and children. Additionally, she visited Smile Train programs in Mexico, engaging directly with both pediatric patients and healthcare providers.

In 2016, Heard featured in a public service announcement for the #GirlGaze Project addressing domestic violence, advocating for improved survivor empowerment and emphasizing society's role in confronting violence against women. She contributed an essay to Porter magazine that highlighted the struggles of women suffering quietly. At The Economist’s Pride and Prejudice event in 2017, she drew attention to Hollywood’s lack of LGBTQ representation and called for increased transparency, also producing a video discussing gender pay disparities and female underrepresentation in the industry. Heard was appointed an ambassador for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in 2018, promoting gender justice causes.

In August 2016, Heard committed to donating her $7 million divorce settlement from Johnny Depp to both the ACLU and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA). Although initial reports suggested delays in fulfilling these donations, CHLA listed her among major contributors for fiscal year 2017. Depp completed his settlement payments by October 2018. Heard publicly confirmed donations totaling $7 million; however, subsequent legal disclosures revealed partial payments—$250,000 to CHLA by 2021 and $1.3 million to the ACLU between 2016 and 2018—with additional installments anticipated over a ten-year period. She attributed these delays to legal fees incurred due to Depp’s lawsuits but affirmed her intention to honor the pledge fully.

In May 2019, Heard advocated for the SHIELD Act on Capitol Hill, legislation aimed at preventing nonconsensual image sharing after her private photos were leaked in 2014. She also penned an op-ed for The New York Times urging stronger privacy protections. That same month, she was honored by the Hetrick-Martin Institute for her activism supporting marginalized youth. Ahead of the 2020 U.S. presidential election, Heard appeared in an ad endorsing Planned Parenthood and took part in social media efforts raising awareness about voter ID requirements.

Personal life

Heard publicly identified herself in 2010 by stating, "I don't label myself one way or another – I have had successful relationships with men and now a woman. I love who I love; it's the person that matters."

From 2008 until 2012, she was romantically involved with photographer Tasya van Ree and legally adopted van Ree’s surname during this period before reverting to Heard in 2014. In 2009, Heard was arrested on misdemeanor domestic violence charges after allegedly striking van Ree but was never formally charged; this incident surfaced publicly during her divorce proceedings with actor Johnny Depp. Van Ree later characterized the event as "misinterpreted and over-sensationalized," emphasizing their ongoing close relationship. The arresting officer—who identified as lesbian—confirmed that intervention was prompted by witnessing an assault and denied any homophobic or misogynistic motives.

Heard was among those affected by the 2014 celebrity nude photo hack, where over fifty private images were stolen and disseminated; she spoke out against these breaches of privacy.

Following her divorce from Depp, Heard dated tech entrepreneur and Tesla CEO Elon Musk for roughly one year until early 2018. Subsequently, she was involved with actress and cinematographer Bianca Butti from January 2020 through December 2021.

In April 2021, Heard welcomed her first child through surrogacy. In December 2024, she announced expecting a second child; on May 11, 2025, she revealed the birth of twins—a daughter and a son. As of June 2023, Heard resides in Madrid, Spain.

Relationship with Johnny Depp

Heard first encountered actor Johnny Depp in 2009 when they starred together in The Rum Diary. Their romantic relationship began in 2012, culminating in a civil marriage ceremony in February 2015.

Australian biosecurity violation

In April 2015, Heard and Depp violated Australia's biosecurity regulations by not declaring two dogs upon entering Queensland, where Depp was working on Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. The animals were removed from the country just hours before a euthanasia deadline in May 2015. By July, only Heard faced charges related to this infraction.

The case saw four postponements by December 2015. Heard directed her legal team to plead not guilty and expressed her intention to challenge the charges. In April 2016, she admitted guilt for submitting false quarantine paperwork, attributing the error to lack of sleep. While criminal charges were dismissed, she was placed on a one-month A$1,000 (US$700) good behaviour bond for falsifying documents. Both Heard and Depp released an apology video emphasizing the importance of adhering to biosecurity laws.

Divorce

In May 2016, Heard initiated divorce proceedings against Depp and secured a temporary restraining order, alleging ongoing verbal and physical abuse during their marriage. She sought $50,000 per month in spousal support to maintain their established lifestyle. Depp's legal representatives denied these abuse claims but consented to the restraining order, with Depp agreeing to avoid contact with Heard.

By August 2016, the divorce was settled, with Heard committing to donate the $7 million settlement equally between the ACLU and CHLA. She withdrew her request for an extended restraining order. Both parties released a joint statement describing their relationship as "intensely passionate and at times volatile, but always bound by love," rejecting allegations of false accusations made for financial gain.

Finalized by January 2017, the agreement stipulated that Depp would pay Heard $7 million by February 2018, cover $500,000 of her legal fees, and grant her custody of their two dogs, a horse, and two vehicles. Depp retained ownership of all real estate holdings and 42 automobiles; no spousal support payments were exchanged. Heard later revealed that without a prenuptial agreement, she could have claimed half of Depp’s $65 million income earned during their marriage had she chosen to pursue it.

Depp v News Group Newspapers Ltd

In June 2018, Depp initiated a libel action in the United Kingdom against News Group Newspapers (NGN), publisher of The Sun, over an article published in April 2018 that described him as a "wife beater". Amber Heard served as a principal witness for NGN during the trial held in July 2020.

The judge ruled against Depp in November 2020, determining that most of the alleged assaults (12 out of 14) satisfied the civil standard of proof. The court dismissed Depp’s claim that the allegations were fabricated and acknowledged that Heard’s accusations had adversely affected her professional career and advocacy work. Depp’s appeal seeking to overturn the decision was denied in March 2021.

Depp v. Heard

In February 2019, Johnny Depp initiated a defamation lawsuit against Amber Heard concerning a December 2018 op-ed published in The Washington Post. Depp asserted that the article contained three defamatory assertions, notably highlighted in the headline:

• "Amber Heard: I spoke up against sexual violence — and faced our culture's wrath. That has to change."
• "Then two years ago, I became a public figure representing domestic abuse, and I felt the full force of our culture's wrath for women who speak out."
• "I had the rare vantage point of seeing, in real time, how institutions protect men accused of abuse."

Depp maintained that Heard was the actual aggressor and labeled her claims as fabricated. In response, Heard filed a counterclaim in August 2020, alleging that Depp had orchestrated harassment efforts aimed at undermining her professional reputation. Her counterclaim concentrated on statements made by Depp's attorney Adam Waldman to the Daily Mail in April 2020, which accused Heard of inventing allegations of sexual violence as a "hoax."

The defamation trial took place in Fairfax County, Virginia, from April through June 2022. The jury determined that all three contested statements in Heard’s op-ed were false and defamatory with evidence of actual malice. Consequently, Depp was awarded $10 million in compensatory damages and $350,000 in punitive damages (the latter reduced according to Virginia law). Regarding Heard’s counterclaim, the jury found one of Waldman’s remarks defamatory and granted her $2 million in compensatory damages.

Throughout the trial, public opinion largely sided against Heard; her testimony encountered significant doubt and online backlash. She reported enduring daily harassment and humiliation during the proceedings.

After the verdict was announced, Heard’s legal counsel revealed that she lacked the financial means to pay the awarded damages and intended to pursue an appeal. Following this, one of her insurers filed a lawsuit to avoid covering up to $1 million in legal expenses, citing findings that implicated Heard’s intentional misconduct.

In December 2022, after both parties submitted appeals, Depp and Heard reached a settlement agreement. Heard emphasized that the settlement did not signify an admission of guilt but cited her inability to withstand another trial. Depp’s legal representatives confirmed that the original verdict remained valid and stated that $1 million from Heard’s insurer would be paid to Depp and subsequently donated to charity.

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2004	Friday Night Lights	Maria
2005	Side FX	Shay
	Drop Dead Sexy	Candy
	North Country	Young Josey Aimes
2006	Price to Pay	Trish
	Alpha Dog	Alma
	All the Boys Love Mandy Lane	Mandy Lane
2007	Spin	Amber
	Day 73 with Sarah	Mary	Short film
	Remember the Daze	Julia Ford
2008	Never Back Down	Baja Miller
	The Informers	Christie
	Pineapple Express	Angie Anderson
2009	ExTerminators	Nikki
	The Joneses	Jenn Jones
	Zombieland	406
	The Stepfather	Kelly Porter
2010	And Soon the Darkness	Stephanie	Also co-producer
	The River Why	Eddy
	The Ward	Kristen
2011	Drive Angry	Piper
	The Rum Diary	Chenault
2013	Syrup	Six	Also executive producer
	Paranoia	Emma Jennings
	Machete Kills	Miss San Antonio
2014	3 Days to Kill	Agent Vivi Delay
2015	The Adderall Diaries	Lana Edmond
	One More Time	Jude
	Magic Mike XXL	Zoe
	The Danish Girl	Ulla Poulsen
2017	I Do... Until I Don't	Fanny
	Justice League	Mera
2018	Her Smell	Zelda E. Zekiel
	London Fields	Nicola Six	Filmed in 2013
	Aquaman	Mera
2019	Gully	Joyce
2021	Zack Snyder's Justice League	Mera
2023	In the Fire	Grace Victoria Burnham	Also executive producer
	Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom	Mera

Television

Year	Title	Role	Details
2004	Jack & Bobby	Liz	Appearance in episode: "Pilot"
	The Mountain	Riley	Featured in episode: "A Piece of the Rock"
2005	The O.C.	Salesgirl	Guest role in episode: "Mallpisode"
2006	Criminal Minds	Lila Archer	Participated in episode: "Somebody's Watching"
2007	Californication	Amber	Role in episode: "California Son"
	Hidden Palms	Greta Matthews	Cast member in an 8-episode series
2010	The Cleveland Show	Herself (voice)	Voice role in episode: "Beer Walk!"
2011	Top Gear	Herself	Appeared in episode: "Episode#16.5"
	The Playboy Club	Bunny Maureen	Starred in a 7-episode series
2015	Overhaulin'	Herself	Featured in episode: "In Too Depp"
2020–2021	The Stand	Nadine Cross	Portrayed character across 7 episodes

Music videos

Year	Title	Artist
2003	"There Goes My Life"	Kenny Chesney
2005	"I Wasn't Prepared" (Version 1)	Eisley

Theater

• Spirit of the People (2025), portrayed Genevieve

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Work	Outcome
2008	Young Hollywood Awards	Breakthrough of the Year	Herself	Won
2009	Detroit Film Critics Society Awards	Best Ensemble Cast	Zombieland	Nominated
2010	Scream Awards		Won
	Dallas International Film Festival	Dallas Star Award	Herself	Won
2011	Hollywood Film Festival	Spotlight Award	The Rum Diary	Won
2014	Texas Film Hall of Fame	Inductee Honor	Herself	Won
2019	39th Golden Raspberry Awards	Worst Actress	London Fields	Nominated
	2019 MTV Movie & TV Awards	Best Kiss	Aquaman	Nominated
	45th Saturn Awards	Best Supporting Actress		Nominated
	2019 Teen Choice Awards	Choice Sci-Fi/Fantasy Movie Actress		Nominated