The story of the courtroom drama between Amber Heard and Johnny Depp never stops making headlines, especially when it comes to such high-profile allegations. While the courtroom proceedings continue and Depp’s lawyers are cross-examining Heard, Internet users have found a new cause for controversy.
Amber Heard Faces Backlash Over Alleged Copying of Rihanna’s Words
This time a wave of criticism has fallen on Heard for the fact that part of her testimony allegedly coincided with the revelations of Rihanna about her experience of violence from Chris Brown. Many are convinced the similarities go beyond coincidence.
It’s worth remembering that Johnny Depp sued Amber Heard for 50 million dollars for defamation after her article in The Washington Post in 2018, where she talked about domestic violence (without naming names, but the hints were transparent). In response, Heard demanded $100 million from Depp, claiming he was the aggressor.
During the court hearing, Amber recalled one of the episodes where she said Depp was violent:
“He was lying on top of me and I looked him in the eye and I never saw him again. It wasn’t him. It was some kind of darkness. I’ve never been so scared in my life,” she said.
It was this quote that instantly sparked a wave of discussion. Social media users compared it to Rihanna’s interview with ABC News in 2009 when she talked about Chris Brown’s assault:
“This was not the man who said he loved me. His eyes were empty. There was no soul there…”
The comparison went so viral that a video clip of the two statements garnered nearly two million views on TikTok and Twitter. The public was divided: some accused Heard of copying, others considered the coincidence a coincidence or subconscious influence.
The Ethical Debate Around Violence Stories in Media and Social Networks
It should be said that earlier, online discussions had already compared the external signs of violence, recorded at Heard with photos of Rihanna’s beatings. It’s worth remembering that in 2009, Rihanna was the victim of an attack by then-boyfriend Chris Brown. For this, he received a suspended sentence, assigned community service, and mandatory domestic violence counseling.
Meanwhile, despite the barrage of criticism against Amber, there were those who called for a stop. Some reminded: regardless of Herd’s own attitude, turning stories of violence into memes is a blow to real victims.
Actress and writer Tova Lee spoke out very clearly on the matter:
“I’ve seen the audio from Heard’s testimony being used to make humor videos. A lot of these people are women! It shocked me. Even if you don’t believe her, sexual assault is not something to joke about,” she emphasized.
According to Lee, joking about topics of sexual violence can hurt not only the heroine of the scandal, but also anyone who has faced similar tragedies in real life:
“Imagine what it’s like to be a victim of abuse and see people laughing at the pain you once endured. It’s terribly wrong.”
The lawsuit situation between Amber Heard and Johnny Depp continues to be in the spotlight and has fueled interest in the topic of domestic violence and how it is perceived in society. Interestingly, this time the dispute went far beyond the courtroom, taking over social media and forcing a discussion not only about the specific allegations, but also about the ethical boundaries of publicly discussing such topics.
It seems that this scandal will resonate in the media and in the minds of viewers around the world for a long time to come.