Johnny Depp to donate $1 million from settlement case to various charities

Renowned Hollywood actor Johnny Depp, known for his role in Pirates of the Caribbean, is reportedly planning to donate $1 million of his settlement from the defamation case against his ex-wife, Amber Heard, to various charitable organisations, reports The Independent. The settlement, reached in December of the previous year, includes a substantial amount awarded to Depp and Heard.

Heard, the star of Aquaman, was previously ordered to pay over $10 million in damages to Depp, while he was directed to pay $2 million to Heard following her countersuit, which accused him of defamation after his lawyer referred to her abuse allegations as a "hoax." As part of his charitable efforts, the actor is reportedly planning to donate $200,000 to each of the following five charities: the Make-A-Film Foundation, Red Feather, The Painted Turtle, the Tetiaroa Society, and the Amazonia Fund Alliance.

The Make-A-Film Foundation collaborates with professionals from the film industry to fulfil the wishes of children suffering from life-threatening medical conditions. Red Feather focuses on developing housing solutions for indigenous communities in the United States. The Amazonia Fund Alliance aims to safeguard and preserve indigenous communities in the Amazon region. 

The Tetiaroa Society is dedicated to conserving the natural and cultural heritage of Tetiaroa, an atoll located near Tahiti. Additionally, The Painted Turtle is a summer camp that provides a safe environment for children with serious medical conditions, founded in 1999 by actor Paul Newman, philanthropist Page Hannah, and music and film producer Lou Adler. Depp has expressed admiration for the late actor Paul Newman and Marlon Brando, the latter of whom worked closely with the Tetiaroa Society. Both Newman and Brando are believed to be Depp's personal heroes.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, a source has confirmed Depp's intention to make these charitable donations. Depp's lawyers expressed their satisfaction with the settlement, stating, "We are pleased to officially close this painful chapter for Mr Depp, who consistently emphasised throughout the process that his priority was to shed light on the truth."

The defamation lawsuit, filed by Depp against Heard in March 2019, stemmed from allegations that she implied he had abused her during their relationship in her 2018 op-ed published in The Washington Post, where she shared her experiences of sexual assault and domestic abuse. In a ruling on June 1, 2022, a Virginia jury favoured Depp in the case.

Heard recently posted a lengthy statement on Instagram, explaining that she agreed to settle the case to avoid another arduous and expensive legal battle. She revealed that she had nearly depleted all her resources during the trial and had lost faith in the American legal system, describing how her testimony became a form of entertainment and social media fodder, lacking adequate protection.

The resolution of this case comes two years after Depp's unsuccessful libel lawsuit against the publisher of The Sun newspaper, which referred to him as a "wife beater." Depp's attempt to appeal the ruling was also denied in March 2021.

Amidst these developments, Heard was filmed fluently speaking Spanish with reporters outside her Madrid home, confirming that she has permanently relocated to the city with her two-year-old daughter. She mentioned having film projects in progress when asked about Depp's presence at Cannes and whether she would attend, responding, "I move on. That's life."

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