Celebrity
DC Chief Says Amber Heard’s Aquaman 2 Role Was Not Affected By Johnny Depp As They Were Looking For “Someone More Natural”
The show was thinking about casting a new actress.
On Tuesday, Amber Heard’s legal team rested their case without calling Johnny Depp to the stand. And during their trial, a video deposition from Warner Bros. Pictures Presiden Walter Hamada revealed that Heard’s role as Mera in ‘Aquaman 2’ was never affected by the trial nor anything Depp and his legal team said.
However, there were indeed discussions on switching the actress who would give better chemistry with Jason Momoa on the screen.
The president told Elaine Berdehoft, Heard’s lawyer, during the cross-examination, “‘It’s not uncommon for two leads to not have chemistry. It’s movie magic and editorial – the ability to put performance together. You can fabricate that chemistry.”
“If you watch the movie they look like they had great chemistry. It took a lot of effort to get there. Sometimes it’s very easy and sometimes it’s hard.”
“It’s like what makes a movie star a movie star. You know it when you see it and it wasn’t there,” said the president.
The lawyer continued probing into what they meant to “fabricate” the chemistry and Hamada easily explained.
“It’s editorial. Pick the right takes, the right moments, and put scenes together. The music in the scene makes a big difference. Just the magic of post-production, editing, sound, music etc.”
And when Bredehoft asked if they were “falsifying” the chemistry in a movie, Hamada added, “That’s what we do in post-production. On any production, you’re doing that.”
“This one was more difficult because of the lack of chemistry but they were able to get it to a place where the end result works and it’s great.”
Warner Bros. appeared to have considered increasing Heard’s pay for the sequel movie and her legal team established that she could’ve negotiated for $6 million for the second movie. Hamada denied that they’ve taken any action scene away from her nor chopped her screentime.
He continued explaining, “From the early stages of development of the script the movie was building around the character of Arthur (Jason Momoa) and Orm (Patrick Wilson).”
“The movie was always pitched as a buddy comedy between Jason Momoa and Patrick Wilson,” he continued, emphasizing that romance was never the center of the attention.
Judge Penney Azcarate has rejected a request to strike the counterclaim Heard made against Depp in the defamation lawsuit.
The judge ruled that Adam Waldman, who was working as Depp’s personal attorney, made multiple claims that Heard’s allegations of domestic abuse as a “hoax”. Waldman spoke in 2019, “Ms. Heard continues to defraud her abused hoax victim Mr. Depp, the #metoo movement she masquerades as the leader of, and other real abuse victims worldwide.”
He added that Heard also “painted on ‘bruises’ to obtain a temporary restraining order”. Upon being called over to testify in court last week, Waldman refused to answer over 75 questions from Heard’s lawyers.
Benjamin Chew argued that not enough “clear and convincing evidence” pointed that Waldman was defaming Heard without knowing they were false.
Hand surgeon David Kulber who worked on Depp’s severed finger admitted that it could’ve been possible for Depp to trash Heard’s wardrobe the next day after the surgery.
Depp had a pin for 12 days after the surgery and was on antibiotics due to infection. Dr. Kulber explained that if he had hit somebody with the cast on, “It probably would have damaged the cast.”
Richard Marks, a Hollywood and entertainment industry lawyer, was called to share his opinions.
In his view, it didn’t seem like Heard’s career was affected by Depp’s claim that her words were a “hoax.” He explained, “My opinions are that she’s very slick and smooth but she’s not an expert in deal-making. Her assessment of damages is built on nothing and is wildly speculative.”
And that she cannot be compared to her co-star, Jason Momoa, who also appeared in ‘Game of Thrones.’
