Johnny Depp Denied Appeal in "Wife Beater" Libel Case

Image via Georges Biard

BY Josiah HughesPublished Nov 25, 2020

Earlier this month, Johnny Depp attempted to sue a newspaper for libel after the publication called him a "wife beater" in reference to his marriage to Amber Heard, which ended in 2016. The move backfired drastically, as the newspaper proved that the label "wife beater" did in fact apply to Depp. Now, he's been denied an appeal on the lawsuit.

According to The Times, Depp has been refused permission to appeal the case. The judge added that the actor's appeal did not have "a reasonable prospect of success," and he must instead pay £628,000 (approximately $1.1 million CAD) in legal fees to the defendants News Group Newspapers.

Depp's legal team has been told they can now take their case to the Court of Appeals if they want to pursue an appeal further.

Following the initial news that Depp lost the libel case, he stepped down from his role in Fantastic Beasts. Industry insiders expect Mads Mikkelsen to replace him.

 

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