Amber Heard Says She Has ‘Lost Her Ability to Speak’ After Johnny Depp Trial

25 January 2026

Amber Heard; Johnny Depp.

At the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, Amber Heard broke a long silence about one of the most talked-about legal battles in recent Hollywood history when she appeared in the new documentary Silenced, offering rare and deeply personal reflections on the defamation trial she faced with her ex-husband Johnny Depp. In the film, which premiered on January 24 in Park City, Utah, Heard explained why she has largely retreated from public life and why revisiting the painful saga has taken such an emotional toll. Her words, delivered with a mixture of vulnerability and resolve, reveal a woman grappling not only with her own past but with broader questions about power, voice and the consequences of speaking out in the glare of global scrutiny.

The documentary, directed by Selina Miles, is not solely about Heard or Depp. Instead it explores the use of defamation laws in ways that critics say can suppress survivors of abuse and silence their stories. Heard appears alongside international human rights advocates and other women who have faced similar legal and societal pushback after going public with their experiences. Still, it was Heard’s own admission that she feels she has “lost her ability to speak” that resonated most strongly with audiences and ignited fresh discussion around her personal journey since the hugely publicised trial.

Heard, now 39 and a mother of three, said in Silenced that her participation in the documentary was not an attempt to retell her own story or settle old scores. “This is not about me,” she said, explaining that the experience of reliving the fallout from the legal battle had been exhausting. She added that she is no longer interested in using her voice to recount the drama, a striking remark from someone once at the centre of a courtroom spectacle watched around the world. The implication was clear: the emotional cost of speaking out in that context was far greater than she anticipated, and it left her hesitant to revisit those memories for public consumption.

Her comments underscore the personal strain that followed the defamation trial, which began after Depp sued her for $50 million over a 2018 op-ed she wrote for The Washington Post in which she referred to herself as a survivor of abuse. Depp denied the allegations and countersued. The 2022 trial ended with a mixed verdict and was followed by protracted legal manoeuvring, ultimately resulting in a settlement. The case drew intense media attention and polarised public opinion, leaving both actors at the centre of cultural debates around gender, celebrity and the #MeToo movement.

In Silenced, Heard reflects not just on the legal battle but on the broader implications of her public ordeal. She discusses how defamation laws, intended to protect reputations, can also be wielded in ways that chill speech and deter survivors from speaking out about their experiences. The film features voices from activists, lawyers and other women who have faced similar challenges, placing Heard’s experience within a larger global context. Her commentary emphasises that her involvement was motivated by a desire to shine a light on these systemic issues, even as she expressed weariness with the personal toll the process has taken.

The Silenced documentary also features insights from Australian human rights lawyer Jennifer Robinson, who worked with Heard during the earlier UK trial in which Depp sued a British newspaper over allegations he was a “wife-beater.” Heard spoke about moments from that case and how she believed that enduring public hostility might make her point more apparent, only to discover how profoundly damaging the experience would be to her mental health and sense of self. In the film she recalls contemplating speaking to the press at the close of that trial, hoping it would clarify her position, only to have that choice compound her distress.

Several outlets reported on Heard’s appearance and her choice of words, noting that her comment about losing her ability to speak was both a commentary on her personal journey and a broader statement on how legal systems and public opinion can converge to stifle voices. Some commentators have framed her remarks as a poignant reflection on the unintended consequences of high-profile legal controversies and the lasting impact they can have on those involved.

Since the trial and its aftermath, Heard has remained largely out of the spotlight, choosing to live a quieter life with her children in Spain. Her reappearance at Sundance for Silenced marked her first significant engagement with the public narrative since the trial concluded, and it was accomplished in a way that drew attention not to the sensational details of the past but to the enduring emotional and societal ramifications for survivors and advocates.

Even as Heard shared her reflections, she also expressed a degree of hope, noting that seeing other women and individuals take on the fight against systemic power imbalances gave her strength. Her remarks suggest that while she may feel silenced in one sense, she also recognises the resonance of collective voices and the importance of solidarity in challenging entrenched structures that can suppress truth and accountability.

The Sundance premiere of Silenced thus provided a platform for Heard to speak on her own terms not to rehash the drama of the courtroom or relitigate every detail of what unfolded, but to articulate how that chapter of her life shaped her understanding of speech, power and vulnerability. In doing so, she invited viewers to look beyond the headlines and engage with the deeper issues at play in a world where legal battles and public perception can alter the course of a life in profound ways.