Actress Amber Heard could be required to repay a £5 million settlement to ex-husband Johnny Depp if she testifies against him in a British court over alleged domestic abuse. The sum was part of their 2017 divorce agreement, conditional on her signing a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) that barred her from discussing their split.
Heard is expected to appear as a witness in Depp's libel case against The Sun newspaper, which published an article questioning why J.K. Rowling cast Depp in the film Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Depp is suing the newspaper, and last week he successfully challenged attempts to delay the case until he confirmed he would not sue Heard for testifying.
Despite the financial risk, a source said Heard is determined to testify: 'She really wants to do what is right.' Her lawyer, Eric M. George, dismissed Depp's separate £38 million defamation lawsuit in the US as a 'frivolous action' and stated, 'She will not be silenced.'
Legal experts note that NDAs are typically not enforceable if a party is compelled to give evidence, but since Heard is voluntarily appearing, Depp could seek repayment. Heard previously donated part of the settlement to a children's hospital and a civil liberties group.
