TV star Angie Kent weighs in on Johnny Depp v Amber Heard case

Reality TV star Angie Kent has let fly about the outcome of Johnny Depp’s defamation trial against his ex Amber Heard, declaring the case ‘a waste of a tank of gas’.

TV and radio star Angie Kent has let rip at Johnny Depp after he won his defamation trial against former partner Amber Heard.

A jury in the United States ruled against Heard in the six-week trial, and she was ordered to pay costs of $US15 million ($A21 million).

Heard, 36, has said she is heartbroken at the verdict that she claimed was a ruling against freedom of speech and women’s rights.

“What a waste of a tank of gas,” Confidential on Nova radio host Kent said. “And he wasn’t even present for (the verdict), he was in the UK, which the whole case was that he was losing work because of her story.

“I am beside myself. This makes a joke of the whole situation and will deter other people from speaking up about abuse.”

Amber Heard and Johnny Depp attending a movie premiere in 2015. Picture: AFP

Pirates of the Caribbean star Depp launched the proceedings against Heard after she claimed in a 2018 Washington Post article to have been in an abusive relationship with the 58-year-old. The jury agreed the article was false, defamatory and with malice on all counts.

While Depp was successful overall, Heard won one of her three defamation counterclaims and was awarded $US2 million.

Angie Kent believes the outcome of the case will stop others from speaking up. Picture: Jonathan Ng

“I think there are good and bad humans in the world and I think that they have both done really questionable things and he still wins because apparently she has slandered him in this article that she wrote,” Kent said.

“I am just really worried about future victims of violence not going to ever want to come out now. We have come so far and now we have taken about 400 steps back.”

In his statement after the verdict, Depp said “the jury gave me my life back”.

“I am truly humbled,” he said.

“Six years ago, my life, the life of my children, the lives of those closest to me, and also, the lives of the people who for many, many years have supported and believed in me were forever changed. False, very serious and criminal allegations were levied at me via the media, which triggered an endless barrage of hateful content, although no charges were ever brought against me. It had already travelled around the world twice within a nanosecond and it had a seismic impact on my life and my career.”

In a statement to News Corp Australia, Heard said she was disappointed “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,” the actor said.

“I’m even more disappointed with what this verdict means for other women.

“It is a setback. It sets back the clock to a time when a woman who spoke up and spoke out could be publicly shamed and humiliated. It sets back the idea that violence against women is to be taken seriously.

“I believe Johnny’s attorneys succeeded in getting the jury to overlook the key issue of Freedom of Speech and ignore evidence that was so conclusive that we won in the UK.

“I’m sad I lost this case. But I am sadder still that I seem to have lost a right I thought I had as an American — to speak freely and openly.”