Celebrities' Reactions To The Depp Vs. Heard Trial

As the legal battle waged on, the Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard defamation trial only continued to gain attention. With the proceedings being live-streamed from Virginia, everyone with internet access could easily follow the case, so unsurprisingly, the public has been tuning in to get minute by minute updates about the trial, even while court was in session — and so have celebrities. With serious allegations (including domestic violence, sexual violence, and drug use) being brought up in the courtroom, it's no surprise that stars are eager to speak out about the legal proceedings, as well as give opinions on the former couple.

While some celebs, like Drew Barrymore, Lance Bass, and the cast of SNL, have all faced backlash for their responses to the lawsuit, other stars have chimed in to offer their support to the party that they believe is telling the truth. For example, after the audio of Heard admitting to hitting Depp was played in court, Julia Fox sided with "The Danish Girl" actress, alleging that Heard's behavior wasn't abusive. On the other hand, Ireland Baldwin publicly expressed her support for the "Alice and Wonderland" actor. With plenty of celebrities offering their takes on both the defamation case and the actors involved in it, there are plenty of varying opinions involved in this high-profile trial.

As noted by Entertainment Weekly, on the 16th day of the Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard defamation trial, former N'SYNC member Lance Bass shared a since-deleted video on TikTok depicting an exaggerated re-enactment of Heard's testimony. Using a voice-over of the actor's allegations, Bass stumbled around. First, he sat on a couch before tumbling down onto a rug as Heard's voice stated, "I was just sitting there on this carpet, looking at the dirty carpet, wondering how I wound up on this carpet and why I never noticed that the carpet was so filthy before." Then, while on the ground, a hand threw what appeared to be leaves at the singer. In his caption, Bass wrote, "I've heard of dirty pop, but dirty carpet ... that's a new one."

The reactions were mixed, with Entertainment Weekly saying that some individuals on social media took offense to Bass' video due to the serious claims connected to the testimony. For example, one individual on Twitter stated, "This trial is about domestic violence, emotional abuse, and sexual assault." However, the outlet noted that other users' responses were positive. According to Page Six, comedian Jenny Johnson wasn't bothered by the star's take on the situation and even responded to the clip and its reaction, saying, "as if I needed another reason to love @lancebass anymore." Johnson also called the clip an "Oscar performance." Still, after receiving backlash, People stated that Bass ultimately decided to delete the video.

During an episode of "The Drew Barrymore Show," the host decided to discuss the Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard trial with her guest, Anthony Anderson. Referring to the stars' legal battle as "a seven-layer dip of insanity," the "Ever After" actress made light of some of the evidence revealed during the trial, and brought up some of Depp's publicly-released text messages. "How about the burnt body, and why a Honda Civic?" Barrymore questioned while Anderson replied by laughing. The talk show host went on to say that she realized these statements reflected two individuals' "real lives," but stated that she didn't understand why they had exposed so much of their personal information and commented, "This is crazy!"

Due to the defamation trial's allegations (which include claims of domestic violence and sexual assault), many viewers felt that Barrymore had taken things too far and was insensitive to the situation. As a response to the backlash, E! News stated that the "50 First Dates" star had issued an apology for her remarks in a video on Instagram. "I just want to deeply apologize and appreciate everyone who spoke out because this can be a teachable moment for me and how I move forward and how I conduct myself," Barrymore said to her fans. The talk-show host additionally declared that in holding herself accountable, she hoped to be a "more thoughtful and better person moving forward."

With plenty of celebrities eager to offer their takes on the Johnny Depp and Amber Heard defamation trial, it comes as no surprise that Julia Fox wanted to share her opinion as well. In response to a comment on Instagram, Yeezy's former flame claimed that Heard "never had the power in the relationship" and alleged that hitting wasn't abusive, writing, "Did she hit him? Yes. Was it abuse? No. You need to have power to be able to abuse it. ... He clearly was always way more powerful including physically and financially." While Marca reported that some agreed with the model's statement, many others found Fox's comment to be quite cringey. One Twitter user strongly disagreed with the star's remark and even stated that Fox needed "a reality check," while another wrote that the model "represents the voices of idiots."

Similarly, as noted by the New York Post, singer-songwriter Aubrey O'Day was one of the critics quick to respond to Fox's controversial statement. On Twitter, O'Day called the "Uncut Gems" actor's opinion a "trash take," writing that "plenty of broke, short, skinny, non-famous people have abused their partner," before adding that she believed "cruel and violent treatment" was abusive no matter who was dishing it out. The artist also said that a person's status isn't the deciding factor when it comes to experiencing domestic violence, claiming that plenty of influential individuals are hurt by their significant others due to "jealousy."

A recent episode of "Saturday Night Live" opened with a short bit parodying the Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard trial. The sketch began with Kate McKinnon playing a reporter introducing coverage of what they called the "cuckoo trial" before cutting over to the courtroom, featuring Kyle Mooney playing Depp and Aidy Bryant playing his lawyer. After airing, People reiterated the parody, noting that the late-night show's cold open also included Cecily Strong as Judge Penney Azcarate, Heidi Gardner as Elaine Bredehoft (Heard's lawyer), as well as Kenan Thompson, Ego Nwodim, Melissa Villaseñor, and Chris Redd, who played various members of Depp's staff.

Still, despite its comedic intentions, many people weren't amused with what they saw on television (at one point in the sketch, Strong's Judge Azcarate approves evidence declaring that it "does sound fun — and this trial is for fun"). As reported by Buzzfeed, in the aftermath of the parody, SNL faced heavy backlash, with many viewers upset that a case involving domestic violence allegations was treated like a joke. One Twitter user referred to the bit as "grotesque." Similarly, another called out, "so y'all saw a case involving testimonies about domestic violence, substance abuse, sexual assault, emotional trauma, mental illness, and medical emergencies including people losing actual body parts ... and your first thought was 'this would be a funny sketch for our comedy show!'"

With plenty of famous faces sharing their opinion on the defamation trial, Johnny Depp has continued to have strong public support from his ex-partner, actor and author Sherilyn Fenn. Back in May 2016 (when the domestic violence allegations against the "Pirates" star first began), Fenn posted an old photo of the former couple on Twitter along with the caption, "I know JCD is not capable of the things being written." While the comments on her post were mixed, with both sides voicing their opinions, Fenn proved that she wasn't deterred by any backlash she received, as she continued to make social media posts offering her support to her ex.

Similarly, Fenn has shared various throwback photos of her and Depp on her Instagram, and has even referenced the defamation trial. "Sending love, light & prayer to JohnChristopher," she posted on April 28th. As the legal battle continued, Fenn has continued to offer supportive posts in rotation with her other pics. "When I love somebody truly, I do so for life. And I will continue to support JCD my first love at 19," she wrote on May 4th, sharing her caption along with another throwback of the former couple. More recently, the "Twin Peaks" actor has also referenced one of Depp's lawyers Camille Vasquez, proclaiming that Vasquez's cross-examination of Amber Heard was helping to expose the truth in court.

While some celebrities aren't very transparent about their feelings regarding the defamation lawsuit, radio and television personality Howard Stern definitely wasn't shy about offering up his very blunt opinions on the matter. During a recent episode of his well-known radio series, "The Howard Stern Show," the comedian and author chatted with co-host Robin Quivers about the stars' legal battle. "I was completely unaware how entertaining the Johnny Depp, Amber Heard trial is," Stern stated. Quivers replied, "I wish I had watched the first season, you know, the trial over in London."

As the pair began to chat about Depp's testimony, Stern said that "the key issue" in the lawsuit is Depp's infamous claim that Heard left her own feces on his side of their bed. "There's nothing funnier than this," Stern stated before diving deeper into his feelings on Depp's live testimony. "The reason I think he wanted that on — he wanted that televised is that's what narcissists do," Stern said. "On the narcissism scale, I think Johnny Depp is a huge narcissist — and what I mean by that is, he figured 'I'll put this on TV,'" he declared. Stern then added that he believed the "Edward Scissorhands" actor did so to try and charm the public with his statements. Us Weekly recapped Stern's discussion, noting that the radio host didn't believe the trial was "going well" for either party.

With plenty of opinions on the high-profile case floating around, it's no surprise that mentions of the Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard trial has made its way to comedy shows. More recently, Lad Bible reported that Chris Rock had spoken about the pair's lawsuit during a comedy show in London for the U.K. portion of his "Ego Death" tour. During one part of his show, Rock reflected on having sex, stating that his partner would have to communicate their preference if they wanted it "rough." The star then touched on the publicized trial, allegedly saying, "Believe all women, believe all women ... except Amber Heard." 

The comedian also went in on the claims that Heard had defecated in the couple's bed. After questioning Heard's alleged behavior, Rock exclaimed, "she s*** in his bed! She's fine, but she's not s***ing fine." He then repeated Depp's allegation before adding that anyone who was willing to do that was "guilty of everything." The actor then shared a few more of his thoughts on the situation and expressed shock that Depp and Heard had continued to have a relationship after the supposed incident occurred, declaring that their sexual relationship must have been phenomenal. The outlet added that the audience seemed to enjoy Rock's take on the former couple. 

As photographs and audio connected to their claims continued to be revealed during the live streams of the legal battle, some of the evidence in the Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard trial left some celebs looking to speak out on the case. As noted by Newsweek, Ireland Baldwin shared a screenshot of a Twitter clip showing Depp listening to an audio of Heard admitting to putting her hands on him. "I'm sorry that I didn't hit you across the face in a proper slap," Heard says on the audio before continuing, "I was hitting you, I was not punching you. You're not punched."

While her post has since disappeared since Baldwin shared it on her Instagram story, Newsweek shared that Baldwin's message condemned Heard while showing support for Depp. "I know women who are exactly like this. They are manipulative and cold and they use their very womanhood to play victim and turn the world against the man," Baldwin wrote on the screenshot. The model continued to say that abuse can happen to anyone, before adding, "Amber Heard is a terrible person." The rest of the message expressed hope for Depp, with Baldwin saying that she wanted the actor to be able to fix his public image and be able to appear in additional "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies.

As celebrities continue to weigh in on the defamation trial, controversial comedian and podcaster Joe Rogan decided to offer his opinion on Johnny Depp and Amber Heard during a recent episode of his show, "The Joe Rogan Experience." As reported by the New York Post, Rogan and his guest, comedian Jessica Kirson, discussed the lawsuit, with the host stating, "I'm watching this trial, and, like, it's a cautionary tale." As the pair dove into some of the claims in the defamation case, they discussed the defecation allegation, as well as the Milani makeup controversy.

As he continued, Rogan also brought up comedian Doug Stanhope, who Heard sued for writing an article for TheWrap alleging that the "Aquaman" actor was trying to blackmail Depp during their divorce. "He knows her," Rogan stated in reference to Stanhope before claiming that the comic had said that Heard was "out of her f***ing mind." The podcaster went on to say that "the only good thing" that would happen if Depp did end up winning the defamation trial would be that people would know what happened. "Everyone knows now, like, there's something wrong with her," he expressed. Rogan also touched on Disney's choice to sever ties with Depp was "a big loss for 'Pirates of the Caribbean' ... you got rid of the best f***ing pirate you ever had! For a crazy lady!"

During a recent episode of his series, "Monday Morning Podcast," comedian Bill Burr offered his thoughts on the Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard trial and shared his support for "The Ninth Gate" star, saying, "I'm too big a Johnny Depp fan to watch that [the court case]." Burr then went on to clarify that his feelings for the actor made him reluctant to "hear all these personal details" but added that he believed Depp was doing very well in the trial based on the "bits and pieces" he had viewed. The podcaster also noted that he was curious if those who initially supported Heard would offer public apologies if the actress was revealed to have lied about her allegations.

Additionally, Burr stated that he was baffled by the reactions from women's groups and questioned why they wouldn't be upset if Heard did end up being exposed for lying by the end of the trial because it "really hurts their position." The "F Is for Family" co-creator likewise expressed further disappointment saying, "for someone to go out and lie about it, it hurts the people that are actually in it." Burr then revealed some advice he once received about what he should do if he ever found himself on the receiving end of physical violence from a woman. The comedian stated that he was told to "lock yourself in the bathroom," to remove himself and de-escalate the situation.

With plenty of focus on the Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard trial, it's no surprise that Jennifer Aniston's subtle gesture of support towards the "Dark Shadows" star was quickly noticed by eagle-eyed fans. As noted by Radar, the "Friends" actor was reported to have followed Depp sometime around May 5th. The outlet additionally stated that "The Morning Show" star was not following Heard on Instagram at the time that she followed Depp (and still hasn't to date). While Aniston hasn't made any public statements regarding the lawsuit, the high-profile status of the case has made even modest gestures like Aniston's quite noteworthy.

Similarly, according to Geo News, the actions of the "Horrible Bosses" actor didn't go unnoticed by the "Public Enemies" star. Depp was said to have followed back not long after Aniston followed him on Instagram. The outlet additionally noted that since the defamation trial began, Depp's account has seen a notable rise in followers on the app. Additionally, Aniston's choice isn't the only celebrity action on Instagram that made headlines in regards to the actors' legal battle in Virginia. Around the start of the trial, the Independent reported that Heard's co-star Jason Momoa had also followed Depp on Instagram (in addition to already following Heard). At the same time, FandomWire stated that the "Aquaman 2" director James Wan unfollowed Heard on Instagram amid the legal proceedings.

As noted by the New York Post, one of Johnny Depp's former flames, actress Ellen Barkin, previously provided a statement on behalf of Amber Heard during Depp's 2020 libel lawsuit against The Sun newspaper. At the time, Barkin's testimony claimed that Depp was abusive during their relationship and exhibited questionable behavior. In response to her claims, Depp reportedly said that Barkin's statement was false. "She wanted a proper relationship with me and I did not want that," said Depp, adding that her allegations were a result of her holding a grudge. Similarly, for the Depp vs. Heard defamation trial, Barkin again testified for Heard in a pre-recorded deposition.

After attesting that the actors initially had a strictly platonic friendship, Barkin said that the pair's relationship became romantic sometime around 1994 before revising her declaration: "Can you change that to sexual [relationship]?" she questioned. The actor then spoke about Depp's behavior, alleging that he was intoxicated "a lot of the time" and describing him as "controlling" and "jealous." When asked if she could recall an instance of Depp exhibiting "out of control" behavior, Barkin replied, "Mr. Depp threw a wine bottle across the room, the hotel room, in one instance in Las Vegas, while we were shooting 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.'" She said that the instance resulted from a fight between Depp and someone else, "his friends in the room or an assistant." Barkin added that she couldn't specifically recall who.

With plenty of media attention on the live-streamed Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard defamation trial, even former president Donald Trump has decided to chime in and offer his opinion on the legal battle — as well as the actors' relationship. As noted by the Daily Mail, on his own platform, Truth Social, Trump asked his followers if they were tuning in for the case in Virginia before stating, "what a lovely couple!" Trump then recanted the events that led to the exes current legal situation in his own words. "First of all, Johnny sued her for writing an article in a tiny 'outlet', that practically nobody read, because he didn't want to get bad publicity," he said, referring to Heard's op-ed in The Washington Post over which Depp is suing her. 

The businessman then went on to mock the actor's decision saying, "how did that work out?" before adding that as a result of his choices, Depp was then "countersued for $100 million." The former commander-in-chief also noted that the charges in the defamation case were "many and salacious," adding that the "nicest" allegation was the claim that Heard severed the tip of Depp's finger with a bottle. "She must have a Sandy Koufax type of arm," Trump wrote, comparing the "Zombieland" actress to the former American baseball pitcher. The former president finished his statement by questioning, "Will they get back together and live happily in PEACE?"

As noted by Page Six, Paul McCartney recently appeared to show his support for his good friend Johnny Depp during his Seattle stop for the former Beatle's Get Back tour. During the performance, McCartney sat at a piano singing his song, "My Valentine," while a black and white video of Depp playing acoustic guitar was projected behind the musical artist. The outlet stated that the visuals playing in the background were initially created in 2012 after McCartney asked Depp to star in the video along with Natalie Portman. In the recording, Depp also does sign language for the song's lyrics after he initially plays his instrument.

The news source added that philanthropist Jill Vedder (who attended the concert) posted a clip of the performance to her Instagram account and addressed the actor's legal battle with his ex-wife. "Might be controversial to post this video with J.D," she wrote before adding, "don't care." Vedder then shared her own experience with the "From Hell" actor, declaring that she'd always found him to be a "gentleman" during her interactions with him. Vedder continued to offer her opinion on the situation, saying, "I also know some women who have destroyed the lives of innocent & good men." She finished by appearing to touch on some of the evidence that has come out during the trial, directly addressing Depp and saying, "p.s verbal abuse is not cool either ... watch your tongue."

While plenty of celebrities and everyday citizens are razor-focused on the proceedings of the Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard defamation trial, there's at least one star who has no interest in following the case and isn't afraid to make her feelings known. On May 17th, Kirstie Alley tweeted her take on the publicized legal battle, saying, "I don't quite understand this trial between Johnny Depp and Amber [H]eard." The "Cheers" star then stated that the case appeared to be a "s*** show" before adding that she didn't really understand how the lawsuit was beneficial to anyone involved.

"Just seems like a typical day in the life of an extremely talented drug addict and an extremely beautiful narcissist," Alley remarked. Shortly afterward, Alley addressed her fans again about the Depp and Heard situation on Twitter, sharing a clip of a train crashing along with the caption, "I have friends who are watching this Johnny Depp Amber heard trial all day long like it's a Novela ... I tried tuning in but ..." While Alley clearly isn't interested in the trial, it's worth noting that Page Six previously stated that the "Look Who's Talking" star remarked on Twitter that she believed those facing allegations should have the right to confront their accusers before facing consequences.