Johnny Depp and his wife Amber Heard have reached an out-of-court settlement to end their 18-month marriage, reports said Tuesday, after the actress withdrew allegations that her husband physically abused her.
Entertainment website TMZ said Heard filed court papers to dismiss the abuse case — dropping an application to extend a restraining order against the actor — and the two agreed that Oscar-nominated Depp would pay Heard $7 million.
The pair’s lawyers and representatives were not immediately available for comment. “Our relationship was intensely passionate and at times volatile, but always bound by love,” they said in a statement to TMZ and Daily Mail Online.
“Neither party has made false accusations for financial gains. There was never an intent of physical or emotional harm. Amber wishes the best for Johnny in the future.”
The statement said Heard would be donating financial proceeds from the divorce to a charity.
The announcement comes a day before the pair were due in Los Angeles Superior Court to discuss extending Depp’s restraining order and brings to an end an acrimonious and bitter three months of accusation and counter-claim. Heard dismissed the case with prejudice which meant that she cannot re-file it.
The 30-year-old initially filed for divorce from Depp, 53, in May and subsequently obtained a restraining order that requires the “Pirates of the Caribbean” star to stay away from her.
She made a police statement accusing Depp of domestic violence, saying she had endured “years of physical and psychological” abuse. She subsequently appeared in court with a black eye that she said was the result of Depp hurling a cell phone at her face.
The former couple met on the set of the 2011 film “The Rum Diary,” when the actor was still in a relationship with French actress Vanessa Paradis, mother of his son Jack and daughter Lily-Rose. They married in February last year. (AFP)
