Free streaming platform Tubi has produced a film dramatization of the contentious Johnny Depp and Amber Heard defamation trial that took place earlier this year. Now they've released the first trailer for the film, entitled Hot Take: The Depp/Heard Trial.
The Depp v. Heard defamation case was one of the most closely followed and controversial events of the entire year. Taking place between April 11 and June 1, it sparked a heated debate about domestic abuse. Both parties accused the other of being horrifically abusive, both physically and emotionally. The jury found that Heard was guilty of all three charges of defamation, but they also found Depp guilty on one of three charges of defamation, for an unfounded statement his lawyer made to the effect that Heard had trashed his apartment in order to frame him. Mere weeks after the trial concluded, Tubi announced that a film dramatization was in production.
In the first trailer for Hot Take: The Depp/Heard Trial, viewers see Mark Hapka (Parallels) as Depp and Megan Davis (For Nothing) as Heard in a recreation of the trial. Several key aspects of the trial are shown in the trailer, including both Heard and Depp's testimonies on the stand, Depp waving to the crowd, news coverage of the trial, and even Tiktok video reactions, where one user says of Heard, “Girl just wants some attention.” The trailer also shows a few major pieces of evidence in the trial, including the knife that Heard bought Depp for his birthday, Depp's history of drug abuse, Heard's suspected affair with James Franco and Depp's alleged paranoid jealousy, and Heard's contentious diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder and Histrionic Personality Disorder.
The film appears to maintain a relatively balanced portrayal of the trial, for the most part representing both sides. Depp is seen saying, “This is not life. No one should have to go through this,” and Heard saying, “I have the right to say what happened to me.” However, it seems the film will be slightly tipped in Heard's favor and takes the angle that online viewers were unfairly favorable to Depp because of his fame. In any case, the trailer seems to have impressive attention to detail, even including the minor detail that Heard would often mimic Depp's hairstyles and manner of dress in court.
The cast list reveals a bit more about what the film might hold. Melissa Marty (Station 19) will play Depp attorney Camille Vasquez, while Mary Carrig (Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders) will play Heard attorney Elaine Bredehoft. Carrie Gibson (The Politician) plays Judge Penney S. Azcarate and Casey O'Keefe (Mercy Christmas) plays Dr. Shannon Curry, the psychiatrist who diagnosed Heard with Borderline and Histrionic Personality Disorders. Daniel Lench (Steal Away) plays Dr. David Spiegel, the controversial psychiatrist who tried to diagnose Depp only by watching his film appearances like Fantastic Beasts and TV commercials.
In the trailer, viewers see that there will be some recreations of actual events in the two parties' past relationship as well. And indeed, the cast list includes Katie Callaway (Nashville) as a flight attendant, implying that the film will recreate an alleged incident in which Depp flew into a rage while on a plane.
Hot Take: The Depp/Heard Trial releases on Tubi on September 30, 2022.
Source: Tubi/YouTube