What was Amber Heard thinking when the verdict of the defamation suit against her was read in court?
How did it impact her? A body language expert explains Amber Heard's reaction to her legal loss.
The jury has reached a verdict in the trial of Amber Heard and Johnny Depp. The jury,
which began deliberating on Friday, May 27, found both Heard and Depp liable for
defamation against each other, though Depp did win more in monetary damages than Heard.
Since Depp and Heard met back in 2009, their relationship has been fraught and very public.
After dating for years, the two tied the knot in 2015, though 15 months later,
Heard filed for divorce. At the time of the divorce, Heard claimed she and Depp suffered
from irreconcilable differences. Yet while the two agreed on their divorce finalization in 2016,
the pair's differences were on display again when Depp sued Heard over the 2018 Washington Post
article she wrote. In the opinion piece, Heard claimed that she was a survivor of abuse, calling
herself "a public figure representing domestic abuse." Though Depp was never named in Heard's
article, the actor said the article damaged his career, causing him to sue Heard for $50 million.
Now, after a six-week-long trial, the jury sided with Depp,
finding that Heard did defame Depp in The Washington Post piece on all
counts. With that, Depp was given $15 million altogether in damages. For Heard,
the jury found that Depp's attorney did make a defamatory statement, giving Heard $2 million
in compensatory damages. However, she failed to prove defamation on any count against Depp
specifically. When the verdict was read, Depp was not present, though Heard was, leaving fans and
body language experts to decipher what the actor was thinking during the culmination of the trial.
Sitting next to her legal representation, Amber Heard waited with bated breath
to learn the verdict in the trial against her. With Johnny Depp not in the courtroom,
due to his work schedule in the United Kingdom, all eyes were on Heard as the verdict was read.
"As against Amber Heard, we the jury award compensatory damages
in the amount of $10 million."
As the jury gave their verdict, Heard sat on the defense's side, appearing mostly stoic. However,
what stood out to Austin Iuliano, a body language expert and public speaker, was
"...the clear defeat on Amber Heard's face. I feel that Amber is only upset that the
house of cards is falling down around her, not genuine remorse or sadness."
Jess Ponce III, a body language expert, communication coach,
and author of "A.W.E.S.O.M.E.," said that Heard showcasing an aloof demeanor during
the verdict was because she didn't want to reveal the impact the verdict had on her. But
Ponce noted that Heard's body language shifted. Before the verdict, Ponce commented that Heard,
"Seemed very solemn, yet very aware that the camera was on her. She was contemplative and,
at the same time, resolute to show little emotion."
Yet once the verdict was read, Heard became "very distant" and "non-reactive." Ponce explained,
"She looked down throughout the entire reading of the verdict. She was not only solemn,
but seemed disconnected from the experience."
Throughout the six-week trial pinning Johnny Depp and Amber Heard against each other,
not only were the details of their relationship out in the open, but their body language
was dissected. According to these experts, actions sometimes speak louder than words.
For the most part, Depp was at ease during the trial while Heard was more
expressive on the stand. As far as their individual reactions to the decision,
Depp's reception was contained to social media. Heard, though, did not want fans to know what
she was thinking during the decision reading, according to Jess Ponce III. Ponce suggested that,
"It leads us to wonder what was on her mind. Was she contrite, embarrassed, in denial, resistant?"
Taking to Instagram following the verdict, Heard wrote,
"The disappointment I feel today is beyond words. I'm heartbroken that the mountain
of evidence still was not enough to stand up to the disproportionate power, influence, and sway
of my ex-husband. I'm even more disappointed with what this verdict means for other women.
It is a setback. It sets back the idea that violence against women is to be taken seriously."
Austin Iuliano disagreed, however, saying,
"Justice happened today."
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