Amber Heard makes rare comments on Johnny Depp trial in new documentary

Amber Heard has spoken publicly about her legal battles with Johnny Depp in rare remarks featured in a new documentary titled Silenced, which premiered at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival.

The 39-year-old actress appears in the film alongside director Selina Miles, reflecting on the aftermath of her highly publicized defamation trials and the personal toll they took. Rather than recounting her own experiences in detail, Heard explains why she no longer feels compelled to speak for herself.

“This is not about me,” she says in the documentary. Heard adds that the years-long legal fight left her feeling stripped of her ability to use her voice, noting that speaking out as a woman only intensified the backlash she faced.

Silenced examines how defamation laws can be used against abuse survivors and also highlights other global cases involving press freedom and institutional power, including journalist Catalina Ruiz-Navarro in Colombia and Australian political staffer Brittany Higgins.

International human rights lawyer Jennifer Robinson, who previously worked with Heard during Depp’s lawsuit against The Sun in the U.K., also appears in the documentary. Heard recalls being warned about the risks of speaking publicly during the trial, admitting she underestimated how severe the consequences could be.

Despite stepping back from the spotlight, Heard says she draws strength from watching others continue to challenge powerful systems. She expresses hope for a more equitable future, particularly as she raises her three children, twins Ocean and Agnes, and daughter Oonagh Paige.

Heard and Depp’s legal conflict began after their 2016 divorce, when Heard accused the actor of domestic violence and obtained a temporary restraining order. While the pair reached a divorce settlement that year, Depp later sued Heard for defamation over a 2018 op-ed she wrote.

Following a six-week trial in 2022, a jury found Heard liable on multiple defamation counts, ordering her to pay damages. Depp was also ordered to pay damages after Heard prevailed on one claim in her countersuit. The case ultimately ended in a settlement, with Heard paying Depp $1 million, which he pledged to donate to charity.

Though Heard remains largely out of public view, Silenced marks a rare moment of reflection, not to retell her story, but to underscore the broader impact of speaking out.