Amber Heard Net Worth (Money & Salary)

What is Amber Heard’s Net Worth and Salary?

Amber Heard, an American model and actress, has a net worth of $500 thousand. She is well-known for her roles in films such as “Aquaman,” “The Rum Diary,” “Never Back Down,” and “Drive Angry.” Additionally, Heard has participated in various television shows and is recognized for her activism work, particularly concerning LGBTQ rights.

Amber’s notoriety has increased in recent years owing to her connection with her ex-husband, Johnny Depp. Despite their divorce in 2016, the two continued to engage in legal battles and media disputes for several years thereafter.

In 2019, Depp initiated a $50 million defamation lawsuit against Heard in Virginia in connection to an Op-ed she wrote for the Washington Post the previous year. In response, Heard filed a $100 million counter-defamation lawsuit concerning remarks made by one of Depp’s attorneys. A jury in June 2022 largely sided with Depp, ordering Heard to pay him $15 million in damages, while the same jury also mandated Depp to pay Heard $2 million. By December 2022, Depp agreed to settle the matter for a reduced payment of $1 million. More details regarding these defamation lawsuits will follow in this article.

$10 Million Judgment

As many are aware, in June 2022, a Virginia jury found Amber Heard liable for defaming Johnny Depp in relation to her 2018 Washington Post Op-ed. The jury awarded Depp $15 million in total damages, which included $10 million for compensatory damages and $5 million for punitive damages. However, the punitive damages were subsequently lowered to $350,000 to align with Virginia law capping such damages. Amber was awarded $2 million by the same jury, leading to total damages Amber must pay to Depp amounting to approximately $8.35 million.

Before the verdict, estimates suggested Amber’s net worth was around $2.5 million. Numerous reports indicate that her legal expenses leading up to the verdict were mostly covered by her homeowners insurance. It’s unclear whether her insurance will cover the entirety of the damages awarded. Additionally, the damages could potentially be lowered on appeal. If it turns out that her insurance does not cover the damages, it is believed that Amber would face significant difficulties in paying them.

On the morning of June 2, 2022, immediately following the verdict, Savannah Guthrie from “The Today Show” inquired directly of Amber’s attorney whether she could afford the judgment. The reply was, “Oh no. Absolutely not.”

Amber might consider filing for an appeal, although this could necessitate posting a bond for the full $10.35 million judgment. Her lawyer indicated that covering this amount with her personal funds would be unlikely.

Should she be unable to pay the judgment and if it isn’t covered by insurance, another alternative for Amber would be to declare bankruptcy. However, within the existing legal framework, a bankruptcy filing may not affect the $10 million compensatory damages aspect.

Ultimately, Amber consented to make a substantially reduced payment to Johnny.

on more notable films, further solidifying her presence in Hollywood. She featured in The Rum Diary, which was a significant project alongside Johnny Depp. This collaboration marked a turning point in her career, enhancing her visibility in the industry.

Amber continued to build her career with a mix of independent and mainstream films, landing a prominent role in Magic Mike XXL in 2015, which garnered positive attention. She was also cast in Aquaman, where her role as Mera expanded her fanbase and showcased her action-hero capabilities.

Throughout her career, Amber Heard has demonstrated versatility and resilience, navigating the ups and downs of the entertainment industry while continually striving to evolve as an actress. Despite facing various challenges and controversies, she has remained a figure of interest and discussion within Hollywood and beyond.

For the first time, Amber Heard worked with Johnny Depp on The Rum Diary. Adapted from Hunter S. Thompson’s book, the film ultimately garnered mixed reviews and failed to create much of a stir at the box office. Following this, similar disappointments were experienced with movies such as Drive Angry, Paranoia, Machete Kills, and Syrup.

The year 2015 proved to be more fruitful for Heard, as she featured in Magic Mike XXL, The Danish Girl, The Adderall Diaries, and One More Time. Most of these four films enjoyed critical and commercial success. However, she also starred in the disastrous London Fields, which faced allegations of fraud, as both the director and cast expressed their dissatisfaction with the final version shown to audiences. The film earned extremely negative reviews, leading to Heard being sued for $10 million for making unauthorized alterations to the script and not completing her voice-over work. She subsequently countersued, resulting in a settlement.

In the years that followed, Heard took part in various independent films while gaining recognition as the Atlantean queen Mera in the DC Extended Universe. She made her debut as Mera in Justice League and reprised her role in 2018’s Aquaman along with its sequel that came out in 2013.

(Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)

Johnny Depp Divorce

Amber Heard filed for divorce from Johnny Depp in 2016. She also secured a restraining order and claimed to have been a victim of domestic abuse during their marriage. Depp strenuously denied these allegations amid a media frenzy. After providing evidence and testifying in court, Amber Heard received a $7 million settlement from Depp upon the conclusion of their divorce. She pledged to donate the settlement to charity, specifically the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles and the ACLU.

In January 2021, Johnny alleged that Amber was deceptive regarding her charitable donations. Reportedly, Depp’s legal team contacted both the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles and the ACLU to ascertain the actual amount received from Heard. The Daily Mail reported that the ACLU refused to disclose the figures, while the Children’s Hospital stated they only received $100,000—around $3.4 million less than her claimed donation. The hospital even reached out to Heard to inquire whether her pledge would be fulfilled.

Testimonies in April 2022 revealed that the ACLU had received a total of $1.3 million of Amber’s pledged $3.5 million. Additionally, it was confirmed that Amber had intended to make the donation over a span of ten years. Furthermore, it came to light that of the $1.3 million, Amber contributed only $350,000 directly, while Depp contributed $100,000 and $500,000 originated from Elon Musk, a former romantic partner of Amber’s. Another significant detail was that when the ACLU inquired about the remaining half of her pledge, Heard communicated that she was experiencing financial difficulties.

Defamation Lawsuits

In 2018, Johnny Depp initiated a lawsuit in the United Kingdom against News Group Newspapers, the publishers of The Sun, after the publication referred to him as a “wife beater” in an article released in April 2018. This lawsuit went to trial in 2020, where both Depp and Heard provided testimony over several days. A judge ruled in November 2020 that 12 out of the 14 violence incidents Heard claimed to have experienced were “substantially true.” Depp’s appeal was unsuccessful in March 2021.

In 2019, Depp took legal action against Amber Heard for defamation in Virginia, seeking $50 million in damages. This was a direct reaction to an op-ed she published in The Washington Post in December 2018, which recounted the alleged abuse she endured. Although Depp was not named in the piece, he believed that Heard strongly insinuated he was responsible for various acts of violence, despite earlier statements from both parties asserting that “there was never any intent of physical or emotional harm” from either side.

Furthermore, Depp asserted that he was, in fact, a victim of domestic abuse due to Heard’s actions, which he claimed included punching, kicking, throwing objects, and even defecation. His legal team presented evidence supporting these allegations, and Heard’s attempts to dismiss the case were rejected.

In August 2020, Heard filed a counter-suit. The defamation trial commenced on April 11, 2022, in Fairfax County, Virginia.

Defamation Verdict

On June 1, 2022, the Virginia jury ruled in favor of Depp, ordering Amber to pay him $15 million in defamation damages, which consisted of $5 million in punitive damages and $10 million in compensatory damages. However, the punitive damages judgment was promptly reduced to $350,000 due to the state’s cap on punitive damages.

Notably, Amber was awarded $2 million for partial liabilities.

Amber’s legal expenses, which undoubtedly ran into millions, were largely compensated by an insurance policy from a homeowners insurance umbrella policy. It remained uncertain whether her insurance would cover the full damages, either entirely or partially:

In December 2022, when Johnny agreed to a $1 million settlement, the payment was facilitated by Amber’s insurance company.

Spousal Support

After separating from Johnny Depp in 2016, Amber Heard sought spousal support. Court documents presented during the 2022 defamation trial indicated that in May 2016, Amber’s attorneys proposed to “keep this matter out of the spotlight” in exchange for Johnny allowing her to utilize a Range Rover, reside in three of his penthouse apartments in Los Angeles, and receive $125,000 to cover legal and accounting fees.

Following this, Amber allegedly requested $50,000 per month from Depp to handle various expenses. Court filings disclosed that Heard claimed her monthly costs encompassed $10,000 for rent, $2,000 for dining out, and $10,000 for pet care and legal expenses. She supported her request by stating she had a minimal income, including only $27,000 in royalties from different films.

Documents also uncovered that while sheIn 2014, Amber Heard earned $250,000 from her various endeavors, yet her expenditures amounted to approximately $210,000, resulting in a mere net income of $40,000 for that year. Additionally, she presented documentation indicating that her savings were only $25,000 at that time.

Eventually, Amber Heard decided to withdraw her request for spousal support.

Other Relationships

During her divorce from Johnny Depp in 2016, Amber began a relationship with billionaire Elon Musk. They reportedly met in 2013 when Musk visited the set of “Machete Kills.” Their relationship was confirmed in April 2017, although they later announced their breakup in the same year, only to reportedly reignite their romance in early 2018.

Real Estate

In January 2019, Amber purchased a house in Yucca Valley, California, for $570,000, located not far from Joshua Tree. She subsequently sold this property in July 2022 for $1.05 million.