Celebrity marriages may be but a dream come true for many. It’s not every day you get to meet a star, right? These unions sure make our heads turn as every detail gets plastered on the dailies and trumpeted by the biggest TV networks in town. But as jaw-dropping as these marriages are, they offer greater curiosity when they fall apart. And none may have given us a taste of that spotlight better than Johnny Depp’s recent divorce from Amber Heard.
The 57-year-old Pirates of the Caribbean star is one global icon that has entertained us for years now. So much, people from the four corners of the globe are bound to recognize him if he ever decides to show up in their streets. For her part, Amber Heard, 32, is no stranger to the film industry too. Though not as famous as her ex-hubby, she starred in many films before and in DC’s first installation of Aquaman with Jason Momoa lately. To note, the couple got hitched in Los Angeles in February 2015 and separated a year after on May 23, 2016, a one-year union that is shredding to pieces one of Hollywood’s most bankable actors.
It’s worth noting that Johnny Depp’s fortune appears to be taking a dive these days. But for almost everyone, taking a legal lesson from it all would be befitting. After all, learning from it could be the best way to avoid such a mess.
The Filing
On May 23, 2016, Amber Heard files for divorce. In it, she cited “irreconcilable differences” as the cause. Truth be told, it was the beginning of the end of their 15-month tumultuous marriage.
On the day that this motion was officially forwarded to court, Johnny Depp on his own was attending the premiere of his movie “Alice Through the Looking Glass” an adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s world-renowned book Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland. A day after, Depp would fly to New York to be with the Hollywood Vampires.
From the looks of it, it would seem Depp was about to go down into a rabbit hole in real life.
In hindsight, details of their volatile relationship emerged. For one, it was reported that in the filming of the latest Pirates of the Caribbean iteration in Australia in 2015, Depp punched a wall while having an argument with Amber Heard.
But all the back-and-forth may have come to a head when Depp’s mother, Betty Sue Palmer, died on the 20th of May, 2016, days before the actual filing of the divorce. Depp was very fond of her mother, a love he expressed by keeping her name tattooed on his arm (upper left).
Denial of Spousal Support
Take note that when you talk about alimony or spousal support, a spouse may request for it so long as she meets the criteria of the state in question. Though alimony exists in all states of America, the criteria may differ from state to state.
As intricate as the legal proceedings in a divorce, consulting a competent divorce attorney is wise. Not only will one guide you through the legalities of it all, but he will also help you reach a workable solution to the separation that you’re seeking.
As for Heard, she also filed for a motion for alimony on the same day that she filed the divorce. Specifically, she filed a pendente lite spousal support. Such support provides the lesser-earning spouse financial means to maintain a comfortable life while the proceedings of the divorce are being heard.
Heard asked for $50,z00 a month support to continue enjoying the lifestyle she was enjoying while married. Depp’s lawyer countered that she didn’t need the money as she is also a successful actress capable of supporting herself. In the end, Amber Heard’s spousal support motion was denied.
No Prenuptial Agreement
Making matters worse for Heard, there was no prenuptial agreement signed for their marriage. To note, a prenuptial can speed up the divorce proceedings as it would address the most common legal hurdles in a failed marriage. Moreover, it saves a lot of money as the dissolution of the marriage can proceed faster.
As there are no prenuptial, alimony decisions for Amber Heard will have to be taken up by the court itself.
Making Matters Worse
But it seems Johnny Depp’s world is getting smaller and smaller by the day. Citing domestic violence, Heard filed a TRO or temporary restraining order which was granted in a Los Angeles court.
The model-turned-actress from Texas claims she was “violently attacked” showing photos of her face with a large bruise along with a chaotic scene: shattered glass and broken bottles. It would appear Depp attacked Heard days after he learned of his beloved mother’s death.
To date, Depp is facing financial troubles as reported. He claims most of his $650-million dollar earnings are gone. Factor the divorce proceedings which is bound to take a huge cut from his earnings, and it does not look good for one of America’s most loved actors.
Worse, his bankability as an actor took a dip. Days after losing his libel case in the UK (a case he filed against the Sun which reported him as a “wife-beater”), Warner Bros. has asked the actor to resign from filming the Fantastic Beasts franchise, a prequel of the Harry Potter series. And he did.
