Still on the messy trial between Amber Heard and her ex-husband Johnny Deep, American film production company Warner Bros. Pictures has come out to testify, denying claims that the company considered replacing actress Amber Heard for Aquaman 2 over her domestic violence backlash.
Walter Hamada the head of DC Films, took the stand virtually on Tuesday morning in the Johnny Depp defamation case, and his testimony was shocking.
Hamada said Heard’s role in “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom,” slated for a 2023 release, was never reduced from how it was originally written in the script.
“From the early stages of development of the script, the movie was built around the character of Arthur and the character of Orm,” Hamada said. “Arthur being Jason Momoa and Orm being Patrick Wilson, so they were always the two co-leads of the movie.”
Hamada added there were never plans to make Heard’s character Mera a co-lead in the upcoming fantasy adventure film and that it was “always pitched as a buddy comedy between Jason Momoa and Patrick Wilson.”
Heard’s team yesterday claimed the actress lost out on a major raise for a sequel to Aquaman.
The movie executive said Heard’s salary for a second film was already set.
Depp’s attorneys asked,
“Was Amber Heard’s compensation affected by anything said by [Depp’s then-lawyer] Adam Waldman?”
“No,” Hamada replied.
“What role if any did Ms. Heard’s dispute with Johnny Depp affect concerns casting her for Aquaman 2?” the attorney asked him.
“None,” Hamada replied.
Hamada also agreed that there were conversations with director James Wan about replacing Heard in her role of Mera in the sequel.
“There was a concern of chemistry,” Hamada testified, adding, “… it took a lot of effort to get it to work” onscreen with Momoa.
“It’s movie magic, and with editing, and score,” you can “fabricate” chemistry, the exec said. “A good editor can put the right takes together.”
Having good chemistry is “what makes a movie star a movie star,” Hamada said, in the most pronounced swipe at Heard.
Earlier in the proceedings, Judge Penney Azcarate denied Depp’s team’s motion to dismiss Heard’s counter-suit against the former Johnny Deep, leaving it up to a jury to decide its merits.
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