Johnny Depp joked about the finger he claims Amber Heard severed while hundreds of adoring fans mobbed him after a gig on Thursday night.
The actor, 58, has been in England joining singer Jeff Beck on his tour and made an appearance during his friend’s gig at Sage Gateshead in the north of England on Thursday night.
Despite his recent court case, Depp seemed in good spirits as he came out to greet well-wishers after the concert, signing autographs and posing for photos with a crowd of roughly 200 people who had waited by the stage door to see him leave.
The Pirates of the Caribbean star won his US defamation case against his ex-wife Amber Heard on Wednesday and was awarded $15million.
He remained tight-lipped when asked about his victory in the defamation trial, refusing to answer any questions about the verdict.
However, he did joke about the finger he claims Amber Heard severed during a fight they had in Australia, an ordeal he spoke about in court.
While he smiled and signed autographs he leant down, pointed at a child’s fingers and said: ‘You have five, I have four and seven eighths. Mad.’
During the trial he said: ‘She [Amber Heard] had thrown a bottle of vodka and cut my finger off. The tip of my finger. A good chunk.’
‘I miss it,’ he added, with a brief smile.
Depp was cheered as he returned to the stage after winning his $50million lawsuit over ex-wife Amber Heard.
As he strode onto the stage he was greeted with rapturous applause from the crowd, while Beck quipped: ‘There’s someone here. You may not know who it is…’
Beck went on to reference the actor’s court victory the day before as he shouted: ‘What a result. What a result!’
While Depp did not reference the court case himself, he beamed as he made his way onto the stage before playing guitar and singing a selection of rock ballads.
The actor also left to cheers and applause before returning for an encore where the pair played The Beatles song A Day in the Life which ended with them embracing.
Beck went on to tell the crowd that they had met five years ago and had collaborated on album that was ‘coming out in July’ before saying: ‘Really, the s**t he has been through.’
It comes after Depp sued his ex-wife Heard, 36, for $50million over a 2018 piece she had written that alleged she was a victim of domestic abuse.
Johnny Depp joked about the finger he claims Amber Heard severed while hundreds of adoring fans mobbed him after a gig on Thursday night
The Pirates of the Caribbean star won his US defamation case against his ex-wife Amber Heard on Wednesday and was awarded $15million
He remained tight-lipped when asked about his victory in the defamation trial, refusing to answer any questions about the verdict as he was mobbed by a crowd of adoring fans
‘What a result!’: Johnny Depp was cheered on by Jeff Beck and fans in Gateshead on Thursday as he played his first gig since his $15million lawsuit win over Amber Heard
Team Johnny! The singer was mobbed by fans after the gig as roughly 200 people turned out to show their support
Loving life: The actor, 58, has been in England joining singer Jeff Beck on his tour and made an appearance during his friend’s gig in Gateshead on Thursday night
Heard countersued him for $100million, claiming that Depp’s lawyer Adam Waldman made defamatory statements by calling her claims a ‘hoax’.
As the high-profile case came to a close on Wednesday, Depp won the trial and was awarded more than $10million, vindicating his stance that Heard fabricated claims that she was abused by the star before and during their brief marriage.
He chose not to hear the verdict in person, which was announced at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Fairfax, Virginia on Wednesday.
Instead he went out for drinks with Beck and fellow musician Sam Fender at The Bridge Tavern pub in Newcastle, before returning to the stage to support the English guitarist on tour the following day.
Depp insisted that the only attack on the trip had been launched by Heard when she hurled a vodka bottle at him and caused the infamous injury which cut off the top of his finger
Depp is on the stand at the High Court for a third day today and was questioned about the incident after he previously claimed the injury was sustained when Heard threw a vodka bottle at him during the fight in Australia
Actor Johnny Depp displays the middle finger of his hand, injured while he and his ex-wife Amber Heard were in Australia in 2015
Case: Depp sued Heard, 36, for $50million over a 2018 piece she had written that alleged she was a victim of domestic abuse, with Heard countersuing for $100million
Pals: As Depp strode onto the stage he was greeted with rapturous applause from the crowd, while Beck quipped: ‘There’s someone here. You may not know who it is…’
Buddies: While Depp kept quiet, Beck went on to reference the actor’s court victory the day before as he shouted: ‘What a result. What a result!’
During his time in England, the actor also recently made a surprise appearance at an animal rescue in Kent.
Depp was pictured cradling an orphaned badger named Freddie as he stopped by Folly Wildlife Rescue where he toured the care and vet units.
Beck is as a patron of the rescue, so the guitarist and his wife Sandra brought Depp to the rescue to see the work it does with wildlife.
Folly Wildlife Rescue shared a photo of the Hollywood star to their Facebook account and wrote: ‘What an incredible afternoon it was for our staff and volunteers, as he toured the hospital’s care and vet units.
Rock on: While Depp did not reference the court case himself during the gig, he beamed as he made his way onto the stage before playing guitar and singing a selection of rock ballads
On the move: Depp has been supporting Jeff Beck at several gigs over the past few days
Mobbed: Despite his recent ordeal, Depp seemed in good spirits as he came out to greet well wishers, signing autographs and posing for photos with a crowd of roughly 200 people who had waited by the stage door to see him leave
Back with his fans: Depp looked delighted as he chatted with the onlookers, graciously hanging around to sign autographs
Snap happy: Hordes of fans pushed forward desperate to catch a glimpse of the Hollywood star
Steady on: Depp was flanked by burly security guards as the crowds rushed to get snaps
Rebel: After the gig Depp was seen enjoying a cigarette in front of a no smoking sign
‘Johnny was incredibly complimentary and in his own words ‘blown away’ by what he saw.
‘To top the visit off, we even allowed him the rare privilege of briefly holding Freddie (as in Mercury!) one of the many orphaned badger cubs we’re currently hand rearing – and I think it’s fair to say he was bowled over by the whole experience!’
Following his court victory on Wednesday, Depp released a statement that read: ‘Six years ago, my life, the life of my children, the lives of those closest to me, and also, the lives of the people who for many, many years have supported and believed in me were forever changed.
‘And six years later, the jury gave me my life back. I am truly humbled.’
Meanwhile, Heard, who was married to Depp from 2015 until 2017, admitted she was ‘heartbroken’ as she spoke after the verdict.
She said in a statement: ‘It is a setback. It sets back the clock to a time when a woman who spoke up and spoke out could be publicly shamed and humiliated.
‘It sets back the idea that violence against women is to be taken seriously.
‘I believe Johnny’s attorneys succeeded in getting the jury to overlook the key issue of Freedom of Speech and ignore evidence that was so conclusive that we won in the UK. I’m sad I lost this case.
‘But I am sadder still that I seem to have lost a right I thought I had as an American – to speak freely and openly.’
Earlier on Wednesday, Depp was spotted in The Bridge Tavern on Newcastle’s Quayside just hours before it was announced he won his high profile defamation case.
He was joined by singer Sam, 28, and Jeff Beck as they enjoyed drinks in the beer garden, before Depp was later sighted in Newcastle’s Jam Jar bar.
The actor was awarded more than $10million after winning his defamation trial, vindicating his stance that his ex-wife Heard fabricated claims that she was abused by the Hollywood star before and during their brief marriage.
Celebrations: Depp chose not to hear the verdict in person, which was announced at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Fairfax, Virginia on Wednesday, instead he went out for drinks with Jeff Beck and Sam Fender at The Bridge Tavern pub
Guest: During his time in England, Depp made a surprise appearance at Folly Wildlife Rescue in Kent where he was pictured cuddling an orphaned badger
And Depp appeared to be in a celebratory mood as he enjoyed a night out on Tyneside after the conclusion to the high-profile, months-long trial.
Depp, who was joined by Beck — who he spent three nights performing with, was spotted wearing blue sunglasses and a cap, with a brown jacket and green trousers.
A punter was heard shouting ‘love you Johnny’ and he was later seen in a video posted to Instagram, in the same outfit, signing a statement and eager fans took to Twitter to share their amazement after spotting the group at the pub.
‘For anyone interested… Johnny Depp and Sam Fender [have] just been seen in The Bridge Tavern pub on Newcastle Quayside,’ one user said, paired with a video that showed Depp waving and shaking hands of fans as he exits the pub’s garden.
‘Met Johnny Depp in Bridge Tavern Newcastle just now… that was quite surreal,’ another wrote, attaching a photo of him walking down some stairs at the pub.
Depp joined Beck at the Royal Albert Hall in west London on Monday and Tuesday night after surprising fans with an appearance at Sheffield City Hall on Sunday.
There are rumours he will continue on Beck’s UK tour, which includes gigs at Gateshead, Manchester, York and Glasgow – but those reports have not yet been confirmed. He reportedly watched the conclusion to the trial via video link in the UK.
After less than three days of deliberation, his ex-wife Heard was awarded $2million in compensatory damages out of the $100million she was seeking in her countersuit against her ex-husband. She was awarded zero dollars in punitive damages.
Trial: As the high-profile case came to a close on Wednesday, Depp won the trial and was awarded more than $10million (pictured on Friday)
Result: Amber Heard, who was married to Johnny Depp from 2015 until 2017, admitted she was ‘heartbroken’ as she spoke after the verdict
Buoyed by fevered support on social media and in the courtroom, Depp believes he now has a ‘golden opportunity’ to press reset on his career.
Later this year he plans to release an album with Beck written by the two men at Jeff’s home in Sussex where Depp has been spending months at a time. He will also start making art house films.
Depp has stayed largely silent since the verdict in the UK court, but told journalist Jason Solomons: ‘This is the golden opportunity to do exactly what I’ve wanted to do for years, which is make the films or the cinema that I want, to stay away from limitations, not allow for any unintended fingers to get into the pie, which is to say, do films that don’t need to be $300million films.’
Damages: After less than three days of deliberation, his ex-wife Heard was awarded $2million in compensatory damages out of the $100million she was seeking in her countersuit against her ex-husband
His new career will see him starting from almost zero financially. In court in the UK in 2020, it was revealed that he had earned up to £400million across his career.
It was apparently spent on property, drugs, drink and whims such as firing the ashes of his hero, the writer Hunter S Thompson into space, which cost him £4million.
He now hopes to pick up the threads of his film career, which hit the buffers after he lost his London libel action and agreed to withdraw from the Harry Potter spin-off Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.
Despite the jury awarding him $15million, the judge reduced the $5million punitive damages award to the Virginia maximum of $350,000, reducing his total to $10,350,000 – minus the $2million he was ordered to pay Heard. In total, he walks away with $8.35million in damages.
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