Jack Whigham, Depp's talent manager, failed to convince Pirates of the Caribbean producers to continue to employ Depp. Video / AP
A legal expert has revealed the social media support for Johnny Depp "means nothing".
Entertainment litigator and defamation expert Daniel Gutenplan spoke to People for its Every Day podcast this week and revealed the star's social media support, while "very pro" Depp, "frankly means nothing for the case".
"But it gives you an idea of how the public is signing on this," Gutenplan said.
The legal expert also believes Depp's defamation case against his ex-wife Amber Heard is less about the US$50 million (NZ$78m) he is seeking in damages and more about public opinion.
He said Depp's "reputation and his career has been irreparably tarnished because of this, these allegations, these incidents that have come to light".
"As much as he'd like to go get money in that pot of gold at the end of the lawsuit, I think he also has been taking this case all the way because he's trying to regain his image in the court of public opinion."
"What you're seeing day to day in the trial in terms of the dirty laundry that's being aired ... I think it doesn't necessarily bear on the defamation case so much, but it bears on the public's opinion of [Depp]," he said.
Amber Heard has alleged Johnny Depp abused her multiple times during their relationship. Photo / AP
Gutenplan told People Magazine last month the actor "has an uphill battle" ahead of him as defamation is very hard to prove and added Heard's 2018 Washington Post op-ed is "incredibly general" and "doesn't detail any specific alleged events of specific conduct".
Heard and Depp met while filming The Rum Diary in 2011 before tying the knot in 2015. However, the former couple broke up a year later in May 2016 when Heard took out a temporary restraining order against the actor and claimed the reason was because he allegedly abused her.
Depp has consistently denied the claims, but lost his highly publicised UK libel lawsuit against The Sun, who called him a "wife-beater". The court ruled the claims were "substantially true" after Heard testified and the Pirates of the Caribbean actor's attempts to overturn the decision were overruled.
Heard is being sued by Depp for US$50 million (NZ$78m) for implying 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.
The New York Post has reported closing arguments are set for May 27, which could lead to the jury's deliberation shortly after.
Regardless of the jury's decision, Heard will not face the option of jail time as there are no criminal charges laid against the Aquaman actress, only civil claims.
