Amber Heard condemns ‘paid campaign’ to remove her from Aquaman sequel

Petition, set up by Johnny Depp fans, accuses actor of ‘crusade to ruin him’

Amber Heard has condemned a “paid campaign” to have her removed from the Aquaman sequel.

Heard’s role as Aquaman’s love interest Hera has been at the centre of speculation following the launch of a petition to have her dropped from the forthcoming movie.

The petition, which has received more than a million signatures, was set up by fans of Heard’s ex-husband Johnny Depp, and accuses the actor of a “systematic crusade to ruin Depp in Hollywood”.

Heard has long accused Depp of domestic violence, something Depp has denied. After suing The Sun publisher News Group Newspapers and its executive editor Dan Wootton for referring to him as a “wife beater” in a column, Depp lost the case earlier this month. A British judge declared that the claim was “substantially true”.

Heard’s role in Aquaman 2 has since come under fire from Depp’s supporters, particularly in the wake of Depp’s requested resignation from the Fantastic Beasts franchise.

Heard has denied that the outcome of the Depp trial has had any impact on her own franchise, however, and confirmed that she will film the sequel in 2021.

“Paid rumours and paid campaigns on social media don’t dictate [casting decisions] because they have no basis in reality,” Heard said in a statement to Entertainment Weekly. “Only the fans actually made Aquaman and Aquaman 2 happen. I’m excited to get started next year.”

Amber Heard in ‘Aquaman' (Warner Bros)

In a statement last week, Depp called the UK court’s decision over his case “surreal” and said that he plans to appeal the verdict. “My life and career will not be defined by this moment in time,” he added.

Despite being dropped from Fantastic Beasts 3, after filming just one scene, Depp will still receive his entire $10m (£7.6m) salary. Mads Mikkelsen, meanwhile, has been lined up to replace him in the role of Gellert Grindelwald.