October 31, 2019 | Christine Tran

42 Bombshell Facts About Amber Heard


“I've worked really hard to bring something more to 'pretty girl' roles over the years. I consider it a challenge. “—Amber Heard.

When it comes to Hollywood blondes, Amber Heard is among the most essential. As an actress, a model, a LGTBQ activist, and ex-partner to some of the most eccentric figures in the world, Heard’s personal life rivals her filmography—at least in terms of public interest. Although not a singer, Heard makes sure her voice is heard when she talks about social issues in the industry. She’s worked in horror movies, drama thrillers, and even TV; although some of these projects weren’t exactly “blockbusters,” these roles show that Heard has the experience to back up her opinions.

These days, Heard’s tumultuous relationships seem to attract more attention than her movies. But it goes without saying that she’s more than a pretty face. Get star-struck to these 42 surprising facts about Amber Heard.

Amber Heard facts


Amber Heard Facts

42. School’s Out Forever

Amber Heard is a high-school dropout. Instead, she opted to complete her diploma via a home study course. Who need degrees when you know what you want?

Amber Heard facts Massage Magazine

41. Why Put a Name On It?

Although Heard came out of the closet at the 2010 GLAAD anniversary, she hesitates to label her sexuality definitively. She has said, "I don't label myself one way or another—I have had successful relationships with men and now a woman. I love who I love; it's the person that matters."

Amber Heard facts Marie Claire

40. Was There Some Overlap?

Before she came out of the closet in 2010, Heard had been dating photographer Tasya van Ree since 2008. They broke up in 2012. Coincidentally, Heard met her future husband, Johnny Depp, while filming The Rum Diary in 2011. They began dating the following year.

Amber Heard facts NY Daily News

39. Working Relationship

At the time, Heard described shooting The Rum Diary with Johnny Depp as the “best experience I’ve ever had.” The two were married in a private civil ceremony at their Los Angeles home in February 2015.

Amber Heard facts Notizulia

38. Down the Rabbit Hole, Along with the Ratings

In 2011, Heard starred as a Playboy Bunny in the controversial NBC crime drama, The Playboy Club. Despite the scandalous content and press attention, Heard’s drama was canceled after just three episodes due to low ratings.

Amber Heard facts Pinterest

37. Better Out Than In

Coming out isn’t easy for anyone. But in 2010, people told Amber Heard that she would be “throwing away her career” if she came out of the closet. Starring in roles opposite Nick Cage and Johnny Depp, would the image of holding hands with a woman really ruin the straight fantasy? While going public did affect her prospects, as Heard herself admitted, she has no regrets. In her words, "I [was] holding her hand, and I realized that I have two options: I can let go of her hand and, when asked about it, I can say that my private life is my private life. Or I could not let go and own it."

Amber Heard facts PinkNews

36. When Atlas Shrugged

Amber Heard is an Ayn Rand fan. After losing her best friend to a car crash at the age of 16, Heard fell into despair and decided there was no God. Another friend introduced Heard to the atheistic-objectivist works of Ayn Rand and the future actress was hooked. I guess Rand’s principles of extreme self-sufficiency appealed to her, as reflected in Heard saying, “I've read all of her books. Ever since then, I have been obsessed with her ideals. All I've ever needed is myself."

Amber Heard facts ARI Campus

35. Hold ‘Em Up

Born and raised in Austin, Texas, Heard (naturally) still owns guns. When she left Texas for Los Angeles, her father gave her a .38 gun with a fine pearl handle as a goodbye gift. In addition to the memento from home, she also owns a .357 Magnum.

Amber Heard facts The Level MY

34. Lady of Many Tongues

As an avid communicator, Amber Heard is fluent in Spanish and sign language.

Amber Heard facts Fluentin3months

35. Baywatch

Amber Heard is a certified lifeguard. We’re not sure she has time for that these days, so don’t hold your breath for CPR.

Amber Heard facts Total Croatia News

34. Burn Your Ticket

In the wake of abuse allegations against husband Johnny Depp, Heard’s fans planned a boycott of Depp’s latest film, Alice Through the Looking Glass. While the film did falter in its opening weekend, the $170 million budget feature made almost $300 million back. So much for grassroots movements…

Amber Heard facts AWN

33. Degrees of Separation

On May 23, 2016, Heard filed for divorce from Johnny Depp—but just five days later, she also had to file a restraining order against him on the grounds of his verbal and physical abuse against her throughout the duration of their relationship. While Depp’s lawyers accused her of falsifying accusations to secure a quick settlement, Heard’s lawyers spent the next three months releasing information about Depp’s alleged violent outbursts to the media. In one instance, People magazine was able to acquire images of Heard’s bruises after one altercation. The latest incident apparently occurred just two days before Heard filed for divorce.

Amber Heard facts Us Weekly

32. Parting Gifts

During their divorce proceedings, Heard publicly announced her plans to donate her settlement to charity.  When Heard was awarded $7 million, some naysayers were doubtful that she’d part with that much money to charitable causes.

To date, she’s proving them wrong; after settling some delays due to tax laws, Heard pledged the millions to L.A. Children’s Hospital and the American Civil Liberties Union to help with causes related to domestic violence.

Amber Heard facts Bellecotedivoire

31. Making Her Own Way

In the wake of her divorce from Johnny Depp, many people accused her of being a gold-digger. When it comes to raw numbers, this was perhaps unfair. With a $9 million net worth in her own right, Heard’s earnings pale a little bit to her ex-husband’s estate (valued at $400 million). But Heard’s value is expected to rise with her role in the Justice League and Aquaman franchises. She’s doing fine.

Amber Heard facts Papelpop

30. Seven Seas of Fashion

Regarding the costume for DCEU character, Mera, Heard described it as “strange.” In her defense, she was asked this while the half-armor/half-scales things was still in the design stage. Anything looks weird half-built…even a fish suit.

Amber Heard facts Hdqwalls

29. Just Do It

Armed with her GED, 60 bucks, and some headshots printed from a copy center—see, she prepared a little—Heard left home abruptly to pursue modeling and acting. Basically, she told her parents she was catching a plane that very day. She admits it was “kind of brash,” but it, hey, at least it paid off.

Amber Heard facts PersianUp

28. Hollywood Has a Lot of Blondes, But Still…

Just because you’re a movie star, doesn’t mean you’re memorable. Case in point: Richard Dreyfuss couldn’t keep Heard’s face and name straight for the entire time they were shooting Paranoia. To be fair to Dreyfuss, he has over 100 film and TV credits to his name—that’s a lot of co-stars!

Amber Heard facts Youtube

27. Pimp Her Ride

Heard restores classic cars as a pastime. Sitting in her collection are a 1968 Mustang and 1967 Mercedes 250SL. If you sell car parts off eBay, you might be selling them to Amber Heard.

Amber Heard facts Revology Cars

26. Small Worlds, Big Parts

To get her breakout role in The Rum Diary, Heard was alleged to have beat out the likes of Scarlet Johansson and Keira Knightley, who’d co-starred with Heard’s future husband in Pirates of the Caribbean.

Amber Heard facts AceShowbiz

25. We Tried.jpg

Heard starred in a film adaptation of Martin Amis’s novel of the same name, London Fields. The film was supposed to be released at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival, but it was pulled from the roster for legal reasons. The director, Matthew Cullen, sued the producers for fraud and for attaching his name to a cut of the film he couldn’t stand by. Those who’ve managed to see London Fields have given not only the film but also Heard’s performance truly terrible reviews. Not one to take it personally, Heard agrees it’s not her best output and has said “I was one of the most difficult movies to film and it has proven to continue to be difficult...I can’t say I did her [the character] justice."

Amber Heard facts GeekTyrant

24. Roll Over and Fire

Unsurprisingly for a girl who owns two guns, Heard named her golden teacup terrier dog “Pistol.”

Amber Heard facts Female First

23. Can’t Shapeshift Into Everything

Amber Heard was reportedly in the running to play Mystique in X-Men: First Class (2011). She lost out to another blonde, Jennifer Lawrence.

Amber Heard facts TV and Movie News

22. Gotta Die Fast

Heard had just two days to prepare for her role in Zombieland as the undead “406.”

Amber Heard facts Fanpop

21. Check Out this Checkpoint

In 2018, Amber Heard drew the ire of some people when she used social media to warn immigrants about an ICE checkpoint in Hollywood. Growing up in the border state of Texas, Heard has remained sympathetic to the plight of migrants. According to her, “Having been born north of this proverbial line in the sand, I have the privilege to be able to speak up on behalf of so many who can’t.”

Amber Heard facts The Sun

20. Miss Understanding

Heard was previously arrested for domestic violence against her ex-partner, Tasya van Ree. In 2009, it was reported that Heard grabbed van Ree’s arm, then was detained for misdemeanor domestic violence. To this day, however, van Ree has called the charges “misinterpreted” and motivated by homophobia. The charges were dismissed, and the exes remain close to this day.

Amber Heard facts DSC Attorneys

19. Shop ‘Til You Drop

According to court documents, Heard’s clothing budget amounts to $2,000 a month.

Amber Heard facts iGrad

18. Confession on Four Hooves

According to rumors, Johnny Depp proclaimed his love to Amber Heard by purchasing her a horse. He owns a horse farm in Kentucky and is notoriously eccentric in his spending habits, so it’s not outside the realm of possibility.

Amber Heard facts Wide Open Pets

17. Petite-Île

While the words “private civil ceremony” evoke something low-budget, the union between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard was far from a city hall quickie wedding. It took place on Depp’s property, a $3 million private island called Little Halls Pond Cay.

Amber Heard facts All Boats Avenue

16. Bait and Switch

To help Paranoia co-star Liam Hemsworth with his sex-scene anxiety, Heard played an X-rated prank on him. She discovered a mega-sized adult “toy” in the prop rack and asked the director if she could bring it to set. During the bedroom scene, Heard switched her arm for the toy, “surprising” Hemsworth.

Amber Heard facts Collider

15. Talk the Talk, Walk the Walk

In 2016, a comedian named Doug Stanhope published an essay titled, “Johnny Depp is Being Blackmailed by Amber Heard—Here’s How I Know.” In it, Stanhope argued that Depp would never abuse someone like the way Heard claims and called her “manipulative.” Heard promptly launched a defamation lawsuit. It was dropped, but it goes to show we should think before we hit “publish.”

Amber Heard facts The Daily Beast

14. Blockbuster Before Broken Hearts

Is it a bit awkward that both Heard and Depp went on to star in big Warner Bros. film franchises, the DC Comics and Fantastic Beasts movies, respectively? Warner Bros. felt the need to address it. With Depp, they released a statement in which they stated that “neither party has made false accusations for financial gain.” Does that really clear things up?

Amber Heard facts Polygon

13. Between the Ribs

Heard is a bookworm. Fittingly, she has lines from a Pablo Neruda tattooed on her side. They read, “te amo como se aman ciertas cosas oscuras, secretamente, entre la sombra y el alma,” which is Spanish for “I love you as certain dark things are to be loved, in secret, between the shadow and the soul.”

Amber Heard facts NewsClick

14.  Get Inked and Be Merry

Continuing her love affair with literature, Amber Heard has a second poetry tattoo. This one is on her back and written in Persian. From the poet Omar Khayyam, it read “Since The Fate Of The World Is Non-Existence, Since You Exist, Be Merry.”

Amber Heard facts Repubblica

13. Not Just a Pretty Face

Amber Heard has openly criticized Hollywood for their limited offerings when it comes to female roles. Having spent most of her early career in parts that demanded more from her beauty than her acting chops, she’s tried to branch out as she gets older. In her words: "As a woman, I usually have two options: Sex Object or the Best Friend Who Isn’t Sexy," she said. "It’s not creatively fulfilling to just be sexy. I did nothing to look the way I look. The genetic cards that anyone is dealt are not in their control, so to take pride in my looks would be a mistake. And besides, in LA, there’s always someone more beautiful."

Amber Heard facts Digital Spy

12. We All Start Somewhere

After leaving for Hollywood, Heard was lucky to land her first role fairly early on the WB series Jack & Bobby. The show was short-lived, but the early brush with small-screen stardom was more than most actors get.

Amber Heard facts Imdb

11. Fast Times At Hollywood High

Pineapple Express was Heard’s first major role in a big-screen comedy. She played Seth Rogen’s character’s high school girlfriend and found that her biggest acting challenge was keeping a straight face when working with comedy veteran Rogen.

Amber Heard facts When Fashion Met Film

10. What a Loss

Heard lost 25 pounds in order to play the main love interest in the CW’s Hidden Palms. For all her efforts, the show was critically panned and promptly canceled after just eight episodes.

Amber Heard facts Titlovi

9. Finish the Job

In 2017, a UK-production company launched a $40 million lawsuit against Heard for breach of contract in their film, London Fields. The company alleged she shirked post-production duties like marketing the film and other postproduction work. In turn…

Amber Heard facts Money | HowStuffWorks

8. In Violation

Amber Heard filed a countersuit against the producers of London Fields in 2017. The actress alleges she was the victim of a “sexually exploitative couple,”—that being producer Christopher Hanley and his wife, Roberta. Reportedly, the couple used a body double to film sexually explicit scenes of her character without her permission. In Heard’s interpretation, she was completely unaware of the sexual content of her role until she received feedback about how explicitly she is shown in it. Heard only agreed to do the movie after producers agreed to her “nudity rider” and restrictions on sex scenes.

Amber Heard facts Hollywood Reporter

7. Minister of Heartbreak

In a bizarre episode, some fans blamed the Australian Minister of Agriculture for the divorce of Amber Heard and Johnny Depp. After their terrier quarantine scandal at Australian customs, the couple were embroiled in a 12-month court battle with the country. When they separated, Depp went after the minister, Barnaby Joyce, on Twitter and the rest of the Internet followed him.

Amber Heard facts The New Daily

6. Too Young for This

Before Hollywood, Heard made a pitstop in New York City to pursue modeling. At the age of 17, she found living and getting work difficult since she was only a minor. It’s alleged she forged her parents’ signature on some documents to keep the gigs coming.

Amber Heard facts CelebJury

5. Love Triangle?

Amber’s younger sister, Whitney, made minor headlines after the actress’ sister was alleged to have an affair with married musician Ryan Adams. In 2015, it was rumored that Adams even left his wife Mandy Moore for Whitney Heard. A spokesperson for Adams has denied all rumors.

Amber Heard facts Listal

4. Legal Errors and Terriers

In April 2015, Heard and Johnny Depp became embroiled in an international legal scandal…involving dog smuggling. The couple had broken Australian biosecurity laws by failing to declare their Yorkshire Terriers at customs. Heard argued that, under extreme sleep deprivation, she faked the quarantine documents required for the dogs. Eventually, she pled guilty to falsifying official documents, for which she was placed on a one-month good behavior bond and fined $1,000. On a lighter note, Depp kept dozing off during the legal proceedings and had be elbowed awake by his wife.

Amber Heard facts El Horizonte

3. Waiting in the Wings of His Tesla

After her divorce was finalized in 2017, Heard soon began dating Elon Musk… but she apparently made the billionaire “sweat” a little before agreeing. In fact, Musk had been hankering to get with Heard for a long time, even before she was married. In 2013, Musk had a cameo in the film Machete Kills, in which Heard was also starring. The two did not share a scene together, but Musk wrote coy emails to the film’s director, Robert Rodriguez, in which he asked to be informed if Heard would be at any parties. He had heard about her interest in George Orwell and Ayn Rand and his curiosity was piqued. Heard stood Musk up for lunch as some point during production, but it eventually worked out… for at least a bit. They broke up later in 2017.

Amber Heard facts Hollywood reporter

2. One Needle Says A Thousand Words

As part of the non-disclosure agreement, Depp can’t talk about Heard after their divorce. But sometimes, ink says it all. Depp has since blackened the tattoo of Heard on his biceps. Also, his knuckles once bore the words “Slim,” allegedly for his nickname for Heard. In the midst of their divorce, he changed the words to say “Scum” before changing the “u” into an anarchy symbol and therefore the whole tattoo to read “Scam.” Edgy.

Amber Heard facts Canoe

1. Writing on the Walls

Depp’s reputation for violent jealousy didn’t end with his marriage to Heard, leading to the infamous “finger incident.” While she was shooting London Fields, Depp began to get jealous of her relationship with co-star Billy Bob Thornton. Depp, naturally, responded by cutting his finger and writing on the mirror in blood, “Starring Billy Bob and Easy Amber.”

Amber Heard facts Page Six

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17


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