Johnny Depp v Amber Heard: Heard slams social media trolls

Amber Heard has slammed social media trolls. Photo / AP

Amber Heard has slammed social media trolls over the "hate" she received during her legal battle with Johnny Depp and insisted she "doesn't blame" the jury for deciding against her.

The 36-year-old Aquaman actress was found by a jury in Fairfax, Virginia, to have defamed her ex-husband in an article in which she claimed she was a victim of domestic abuse and Depp was awarded US$15 million (NZ$22.5m) in compensatory and punitive damages.

Heard has now given her first TV interview since the trial and told TV presenter Savannah Guthrie she was astounded by the "vitriol" on social media, saying, "I don't care what one thinks about me."

"What judgements you make about what happened in the privacy of my own home, in my marriage behind closed doors ... I don't presume the average person should know those things so I don't take it personally."

Heard went on, "But even somebody who is sure I'm deserving of all this hate and vitriol, even if you think that I'm lying, you still couldn't look me in the eye and tell me — that you think on social media there's been a fair representation. You cannot tell me that you think that this has been fair."

Guthrie then asked Heard about the jury's decision, pointing out they listened to her evidence and concluded she must have been lying.

Amber Heard seen with her lawyer Elaine Bredehoft during the trial. Photo / AP

Heard then responded, "How could they not come to that conclusion? They had sat in those seats for three weeks and heard testimony from paid employees and towards the end of the trial randos (random people) ...

"I don't blame them (the jury) I actually understand. He's a beloved character and people feel they know him. He's a fantastic actor."

Depp was initially seeking US$50m ($78m) after Heard implied he abused her in a 2018 Washington Post op-ed. Although she did not name him, he claims her allegations are false and cost him lucrative movie roles.

However, despite Depp's win, the jury also found in favour of Heard, who countersued Depp for US$100m ($134m).

Heard claimed said she was defamed by Depp's lawyer when he called her abuse allegations a hoax. The jury agreed to a lesser degree, awarding her just US$2m ($3.2m) of the hefty sum first requested in damages.