Critics are clamoring for actress Amber Heard to be cut from the upcoming superhero film “Aquaman 2,” especially since she cost ex-husband Johnny Depp his spot in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise. As the defamation trial continues, a source claims that Heard’s part in the movie has been reduced to “10 minutes” total.
Film journalist Grace Randolph shared the news of Heard’s screen time getting cut. She’s known to have insider info on these types of decisions, the New York Post shared.
“I hear #AmberHeard has less than 10 min of screen time in #Aquaman2,” she tweeted. This news came as the change.org petition to have the 36-year-old actress removed earned over 3 million signatures. The original goal of 3 million was changed to 4.5 million after they achieved the first hurdle.
“Aquaman 2” producer Peter Safran said in July 2021 that removing Heard’s character would take more than an online petition and Twitter mob outrage.
“I don’t think that we’re ever going to react to, honestly, pure fan pressure. You gotta do what you feel is best for the movie. We felt that if it’s [director] James Wan and Jason Momoa, it should be Amber Heard. That’s really what it was,” Safran told Deadline at the time. It’s worth noting this was before the revelations of the trial cast Heard in a new light.
“Listen, one is not unaware of what is going on in the Twitterverse, but that doesn’t mean you have to react to it or take it as gospel or accede to their wishes,” the producer continued. “You have to do what you feel is right for the film, and that’s really where we landed on it.”
Since then, the movie’s release date was pushed from December 2022 to March 2023.
“Do the right thing. Remove Amber Heard from Aquaman 2,” petition creator Jeanne Larson wrote in the document. At other points in the petition, Larson writes how Heard has “been exposed as a domestic abuser” and is guilty of “many examples of domestic abuse.”
The petition noted specific incidents of abuse Depp allegedly suffered before getting labeled a domestic abuser and having his career decimated. The actor filed a $50 million defamation suit against his ex-wife because of it.
“About the incident during which she shattered the bones in Johnny Depp’s finger and nearly severed it, causing Depp to require surgery to reattach and repair it,” the petition says in part. “He will bear the scar from that for the rest of his life.”
“Men are victims of domestic abuse, just like women. This must be recognized, and action must be taken to prevent a known abuser from being celebrated within the entertainment industry,” Larson wrote.
During the trial, Heard admitted to “hitting” Depp but not “punching” him, and called her ex a “f***ing baby” for reacting strongly to being physically assaulted, The Daily Wire reported.