Johnny Depp, Amber Heard's inner circle reveal doomed relationship's ‘red flags': ‘Hindsight is 20/20'
Johnny Depp and Amber Heard's relationship seemed doomed from the start, but insiders believed there was 'genuine love' before it all exploded.
The actor, 62, and actress, 39, are being examined in a new book written by Kelly Loudenberg and Makiko Wholey, 'Hollywood Vampires: Johnny Depp, Amber Heard, and the Celebrity Exploitation Machine.'
Advertisement
It features never-before-told stories from the pair's inner circle.
Fox News Digital reached out representatives for Depp and Heard for comment.
Loudenberg told Fox News Digital that while the relationship quickly disintegrated, the love Heard and Depp initially had for each other was the real deal.
'The people, the friends we talked to on both sides, said there was genuine love between them and that it was authentic,' she explained. 'We tried to write that into the story. We feel that there was a love they had for each other. There was a special connection to each other, which makes it all the more tragic and sad.'
Advertisement
'It's probably why it exploded so much,' Wholey shared. 'It did seem like they really were in love with each other for a time. But we brought it back to this idea of Hollywood, the machinations of Hollywood, making everything distorted for people.
8 Loudenberg said that while the relationship quickly disintegrated, the love Heard and Depp initially had for each other was the real deal.
Getty Images
'It's hard to find love in a hopeless place.'
Depp and Heard first met on the set of the 2011 film 'The Rum Diary,' which was filmed in Puerto Rico.
Advertisement
The book shared that when Depp first met Heard in his office, he took one look at her and thought, 'Yep… That's the one… she could definitely kill me.'
While Heard already had a girlfriend, Hawaiian artist and model Tasya van Ree, Depp would later remark to director Bruce Robinson, 'Don't worry, no leading lady of mine stays gay for very long.'
When van Ree returned to Los Angeles, one crew member on set claimed Depp and Heard became 'locked into that death dance.' A 'mutual infatuation' quickly unfolded. A passionate kissing scene appeared to blur lines.
8 The actor and actress are being examined in a new book written by Kelly Loudenberg and Makiko Wholey.
Dey Street Books
Advertisement
'It didn't feel like a normal scene,' Heard later admitted. 'It felt real.'
'The Rum Diary' opened to mixed reviews and was a flop at the box office. In 2012, Depp and long-term partner Vanessa Paradis announced their separation.
The book shared that while they'd never married, Depp reportedly gave the French singer and model $100 million in the separation.
That same month, Depp gave Heard a $6,500 Palomino horse named Peaches and Creme. She renamed it Arrow.
For his 49th birthday, she gave him a foot-long turquoise-handled knife.
8 Depp and Heard first met on the set of the 2011 film 'The Rum Diary,' which was filmed in Puerto Rico.
Getty Images
As a romance blossomed, Heard didn't appear fazed by the 22-year age difference.
'All the guys I date are older than me,' Heard told a reporter a year before she met Depp, as quoted in the book. 'It's actually a sickness, like an addiction.'
Advertisement
According to the book, Depp's childhood friend, Bruce Witkin, said he was stunned Depp jumped straight into another relationship.
He encouraged him to remain a bachelor or 'go Clooney it up.'
'We were also surprised to hear from people that there were … red flags,' Loudenberg told Fox News Digital. 'I guess hindsight is 20/20. But if you have your best friend marrying someone that you have reservations about, but they're really happy, are you going to go and raise any major concerns unless you've seen something that really should tell you to sway them in a different direction?
8 As a romance blossomed, Heard didn't appear fazed by the 22-year age difference.
WireImage
Advertisement
'I think it was just small enough that nobody wanted to say anything,' Loudenberg added. 'And, also, from Amber's side, her friends and family, we don't know exactly what kind of red flags they maybe saw because we didn't get to talk to her about that. But I'm sure that both sides can look back on it and see the writing on the wall.'
While Depp and Heard reportedly dated on and off throughout 2012, Depp vowed not to let someone like Heard 'slip through his fingers.' According to the book, as the pair's relationship grew more serious, Depp 'drifted further away from his small and trusted network of family, friends and staff.'
In 2014, Heard was spotted wearing an engagement ring. By then, bitter fights were already occurring within the relationship, the book claimed.
'Members of Johnny's inner circle pleaded with Johnny to get a prenup,' the book says. 'They said he initially agreed to do so but then dropped it and announced he was getting married anyway.'
Advertisement
8 In 2014, Heard was spotted wearing an engagement ring.
Getty Images for Art of Elysium
Leading up to the wedding, Witkin spent time with Depp in the recording studio. That's when Depp said Heard wanted to get married quickly. She pointed out that Depp was starting to film the next 'Pirates of the Caribbean film,' which required a six-month shoot in Australia. He would have to live there full-time while filming, and she wanted stability in their relationship.
'She wanted to get it over with,' Witkin recalled. '[His sister] Christi [Dembrowski] was there, and we both told him, 'So what? You don't have to do it. Don't do it.' We're trying to tell him, 'Don't do this until you get a prenup.' And Johnny kind of says to Christie, 'Well you tell her.' Christi cried and tried to convince Johnny not to go ahead with it. I tried to convince him too.'
'The next thing I know it's going along,' he said. 'And, at first, I'm like, 'Is this really happening?' It was rushed to me. I was freaked out, but what am I gonna do, not go? I gotta try to be there to support him, you know.'
Advertisement
The book noted that, in 2015, there were two weddings in rapid succession — a small civil ceremony in Los Angeles and a larger celebration on Depp's private island in the Bahamas within the week. The LA wedding was 'hastily arranged.'
8 By the time of their engagement, bitter fights were already occurring within the relationship, the book claimed.
AFP via Getty Images
And by the time the couple said I do, the relationship was 'severely troubled.'
'Most of the people in Johnny's life were aware of the red flags in the relationship,' the book states. 'In the early days, Jerry Judge, Johnny's late chief of security, would tell [Depp's assistant] Stephen [Deuters] and [his wife Gina] about having to separate Johnny and Amber so they'd stop arguing. Whenever Amber traveled with Johnny, his team always rented out an extra hotel room in case a fight broke out, and they needed to be sent to their own corners.'
'It was hard to see because we knew him in his prior relationships, and it was never like that,' said Gina, as quoted in the book. 'Voices weren't raised. It was such a stark difference with Amber. But if that's what they want, then you're going to support them, and you're going to hope that it works out, and hope they find peace and happiness.'
8 By the time the couple said I do, the relationship was 'severely troubled.'
POOL/AFP via Getty Images
The couple separated in 2016, but it was only the beginning of a very public breakdown of their relationship. Less than a week after filing for divorce, Heard filed a domestic restraining order against her husband on grounds of domestic abuse charges, People magazine reported.
Just one day ahead of their scheduled restraining order hearing, they reached a $7 million settlement in their divorce, the outlet reported. Their divorce was finalized in 2017.
Depp said he was libeled by Heard when she wrote a 2018 op-ed piece describing herself as a 'public figure representing domestic abuse.' His lawyers said he was defamed by the article even though it never mentioned his name because, they argued, it referenced abuse allegations Heard had made against Depp during divorce proceedings.
Heard said she was defamed by Depp when one of his lawyers called her abuse allegations a 'hoax.'
8 The couple separated in 2016, but it was only the beginning of a very public breakdown of their relationship.
rfaraino
A high-profile trial ensued in 2022 in which the exes accused each other of physical and verbal abuse. The jury awarded Depp $10 million in damages but also awarded $2 million to Heard. Depp's camp said the deal includes a $1 million payment from her to him to settle all financial claims.
'They both moved on and want to put this behind them and don't want to be tied their entire lives to this trial,' Loudenberg told Fox News Digital.
'Sadly, they might not be able to escape that fate,' Wholey added. 'This was such a huge thing. Anytime one of their names is printed, or there's some mention of the trial or something like that, they're together. Both largely don't live here anymore in the U.S. I think they're just trying to move on.'
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Video does not show astronaut exposing 'fake' life in space
"Former Astronaut Karen Nyberg Shows How NASA Fakes Space Flights.." a June 16, 2025 post on X claimed. It shares a video of a woman in front of a space station-like backdrop watching a chip bag float away from her, side-by-side with the same footage being filmed in front of a green screen. A person in a green body suit is manipulating the bag. The video garnered thousands of interactions in posts on X, Threads, Instagram and Facebook. The clip also circulated in posts making similar claims about Nyberg in French, Spanish and Italian. Nyberg is a retired NASA astronaut who completed two spaceflights during her career, including a 166-day stay on the ISS in 2013 (archived here). But she is not the woman in the green screen video. Comments on the post on X included links to previous debunks from USA Today and PolitiFact who named the woman in the video as Paige Windle. In the clip, a person off-camera is heard calling the woman Paige. Windle is the founder of a lifestyle management company and the wife of David Weiss, known online as "Flat Earth Dave," the host of "The Flat Earth Podcast." Contacted by AFP, Weiss confirmed Windle is the one on-camera. "This video never dies. It keeps coming back," Weiss said in a June 17 email. The video was originally posted on Weiss's YouTube channel as part of a series titled "Globebusters," but made no mention of Nyberg (archived here). "Someone took that clip and presented it as Karen Nyberg and it went viral a bunch of times and now it has started again," he said. He said he has repeatedly addressed the false use of the video, sharing with AFP the cover image of a YouTube video he posted in response to the false viral claims (archived here). Astronauts onboard the ISS experience microgravity, causing them and objects to float (archived here). At the altitude of the ISS, gravity is 90 percent of the total gravity one feels on Earth, but an absence of air resistance causes all objects in the ISS to fall at the same rate, producing a weightless appearance. The ISS stays afloat because it moves at a speed that matches the curve of the Earth, causing it to "fall around" the planet while staying at roughly the same altitude. The moon's orbit works in a similar way. NASA uses the ISS in part to study how extended time periods in microgravity and other conditions in space impact the human body as it prepares for future long-term missions in space. On her website, Nyberg features a video she recorded on the ISS where she worked on a quilt (archived here). Unlike in the video filmed in front of the green screen, Nyberg's hair and necklace float throughout the clip due to the microgravity conditions. AFP reached out to Nyberg's representative for comment, but a response was not forthcoming. AFP has previously debunked claims that ISS astronauts faked a video from the station.
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
Country music star Kacey Musgraves postpones show after breaking a rib: ‘This s‑‑t is no joke'
Kacey Musgraves has shared some startling news. The 36-year-old country music star took to Instagram on Friday, June 20, to announce that she had to postpone a show scheduled for Sunday in Nashville because she broke a rib in Mexico earlier this week. 'Sooo, I'm in Mexico with a f‑‑king broken rib,' Musgraves wrote on her Instagram Stories alongside an X-ray image of her torso. 'Wednesday night it was raining and I was running to grab some towels and had an extremely hard fall on some very slick tile I didn't see.' Advertisement 6 Kacey Musgraves had to postpone a show scheduled for Sunday night in Nashville because she broke a rib in Mexico. Getty Images 6 The country music star shared a picture of her X-ray with fans on social media. spaceykacey/Instagram 'Thankful I didn't smack my head but I landed very hard on my back left ribcage and broke rib number six,' she continued. 'This s‑‑t is no joke. I'm in a lot of pain and doing ANYTHING is extremely difficult. But I'm managing and being well taken care of.' Advertisement The 'Follow Your Arrow' hitmaker then apologized for having to reschedule her concert at Sing for Science's 'The Magic of Mushrooms' event at the Ryman Auditorium on Sunday night. 'There is no physical way I can get on a plane and fly back to Nashville for the Sing for Science event,' Musgraves said. 'I am extremely bummed to have to reschedule as I have been looking forward to this for months.' 6 'Sooo, I'm in Mexico with a f‑‑king broken rib,' Musgraves wrote on her Instagram Stories. spaceykacey/Instagram 'But there is literally no other option,' she added. 'I'm so sorry for the inconvenience.' Advertisement The event has been rescheduled for Sept. 18, according to Musgraves, and original tickets will be honored for the new date. 'Fans have up to 30 days if they can't make it to the new date,' she concluded her message. 6 'I am extremely bummed to have to reschedule as I have been looking forward to this for months,' the Grammy-winning artist said. Christopher Peterson / 6 Musgraves revealed that she slipped and 'landed very hard on my back left ribcage' and 'broke rib number six.' spaceykacey/Instagram Advertisement The Post has reached out to the country singer's rep for comment. Musgraves' shocking injury this week comes months after the 'Deeper Well' artist made headlines for her 'pissed' reaction at the 2025 Grammy Awards in February. Although 'Deeper Well' was nominated for Best Country Album, Musgraves lost out to Beyoncé's 'Cowboy Carter' record. 6 The event has been rescheduled for Sept. 18, according to Musgraves, and original tickets will be valid for the new date. WWD via Getty Images 'Is Kacey Musgraves mad that Beyoncé won?' one viewer wrote after the 'Slow Burn' singer's reaction went viral. 'She sure looks it.' 'Kacey musgraves is looking pissed after losing to beyonce,' another person tweeted. However, Musgraves later broke her silence to shut down the rumors that she was mad about losing the Grammy Award for Best Country Album to the 43-year-old superstar. 'It's a sensationalistic false narrative meant to pit two talented female artists against each other,' her rep responded in a statement. 'There was simply no scowl or expression made.'
New York Post
3 hours ago
- New York Post
Livvy Dunne makes sexually charged Madelyn Cline College World Series joke
Olivia 'Livvy' Dunne set social media abuzz Friday after making an apparent sexual reference about her and actress Madelyn Cline. The comment came in response to a post on X referencing the College World Series final matchup as the 'Madelyn Cline vs Livvy Dunne bowl,' since Cline briefly attended Coastal Carolina and Dunne went to LSU, where she was on the gymnastics team. Dunne quoted the post, writing: 'Gooner World Series.' Advertisement 'Gooner' is a slang term for a person who masturbates to pornography for a prolonged period of time, sometimes hours or days, without climaxing. 4 Olivia Dunne attends as Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Social Club celebrates the launch of the 2025 Issue on May 16. Getty Images for Sports Illustrated The post instantly went viral, with some users in the comments questioning whether Dunne had been hacked, while some joked that she was referencing a different meaning of 'Gooner' — a nickname for Arsenal fans. Advertisement 'I sweat this can't be real,' wrote on user on X. 'This is crazy work,' wrote another. Besides her gymnastics career, Dunne is an influencer with more than 5 million followers on Instagram. The 22-year-old is also a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model and the boyfriend of Pirates star pitcher Paul Skenes, who led LSU to the 2023 national title with a 1.69 ERA and 209 strikeouts. Advertisement 4 Madelyn Cline at the 'I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER' Trailer Launch Event on June 14. Sony Pictures via Getty Images Cline, 27, is best known for her portrayal of Sarah Cameron in the Netflix series 'Outer Banks,' which propelled her into stardom. She also gained notoriety for her role in the film 'Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.' Cline dropped out of Coastal Carolina to pursue acting full-time in 2017, reportedly just six weeks into her freshman year. Advertisement 4 Olivia Dunne attends the launch of the 2025 Issue of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit at Hard Rock Hotel New York on May 15, 2025 in New York City. Getty Images for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Coastal Carolina, which has become a college baseball powerhouse despite being a mid-major, is 56-11 and enters the College World Series final on a 26-game winning streak that dates back to April 22. Since arriving in Omaha for the College World Series, the Chanticleers have defeated Arizona (7-4), Oregon State (6-2) and Louisville (11-3). LSU, on the other hand, clinched its spot after a thrilling come-from-behind 6-5 win over Arkansas on Wednesday. 4 Madelyn Cline attends the 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 2, 2025 in Beverly Hills, California. FilmMagic The Tigers are riding the momentum of a six-game winning streak. Game 1 of the best-of-three series begins Saturday night in Omaha.
