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Amber Heard's 2016 clip goes VIRAL amid claims she 'alerted' TMZ of divorce BEFORE Johnny Depp

The 'Aquaman' star was shown footage from her 2016 deposition in which she was heard admitting that TMZ had been 'alerted' about their divorce

Amber Heard allegedly "slipped up" during her 2016 deposition against Johnny Depp, according to her ex-husband's lawyer Camille Vasquez. Now, a clip from that deposition has gone viral, with many noting how she covered her face and mouth with her hands.

Heard, 36, is battling a defamation lawsuit brought on by Depp, 58, who is seeking more than $50 million in damages over a 2018 op-ed in which the actress claimed to be a domestic abuse survivor. While Depp was not mentioned in the article, his lawyers have argued the implications were obvious and damaged their client's career prospects. Heard has countersued for $100 million.

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During Heard's cross-examination in Virginia's Fairfax County Circuit Court on Tuesday, May 17, the 'Aquaman' star was shown footage from her 2016 deposition in which she discussed her divorce from Depp. She was heard in the video admitting that TMZ had been "alerted" about their divorce as well as her filing for a domestic violence restraining order against Depp, before awkwardly covering her face with her hands.

"I wanted to tell Johnny, or have him told by Jerry [Judge, Depp's former bodyguard], or someone who knew him or was close to him—basically, I didn't want him to find out online," Heard said of her divorce filing at the time. "I had, or was about to file, or I had already filed, for divorce. I wanted him to know verbally, so I was trying to reach him through a third party to tell him. When I say reach, I mean specifically saying I would like him to know information coming from me, or coming from Jerry from me, so that he finds out about the divorce filing, or my intention to do so, from some other source other than TMZ, which was alerted." Heard was seen briefly covering her face following the claim, before running her hands across her face and smoothing out her hair.

In court, Vasquez paused the video at that exact moment. "You slipped up there, didn't you, Ms Heard? You let it slip out that TMZ had been alerted to your filing of a domestic violence restraining order, didn't you?" the lawyer asked Heard on Tuesday. "I disagree. That's not what I'm talking about," Heard responded, without clarifying what she meant.

"TMZ is the same outlet that you released the video of Mr Depp attacking the kitchen cabinets the day before this deposition was taken, wasn't it?" Vasquez continued. "I didn't do that," Heard replied, adding, "I don't know how to do that." When asked about TMZ owning the copyright to the video Heard had captured on her cellphone, the actress declared, "I have no idea what TMZ owns." And when asked if Heard was paid for the video, she said, "I never got paid for it because I had nothing to do with that."

"So TMZ was just lucky in getting the inside scoop to your divorce from Mr. Depp, huh?" Vasquez asked in a follow-up question. "I have no idea. That's not my area of expertise," Heard responded. "I wouldn't even know how to do that. And also, what does that get me? If I wanted to leak things about Johnny, I could have done that in a much more successful way, in a bigger way for years and years." 

Clips from both the 2016 deposition and Tuesday's exchange went viral on the internet, with many agreeing that it was a bad day in court for the defendant.

"Camille exposing Amber Heard about lying about TMZ getting tipped off about her and Johnny Depp's divorce. Camille is a beast!!" one tweeted, referring to Depp's attorney.

"That TMZ slip from Amber Heard was a nail in the coffin. If I were Amber Heard, I'd just admit to the truth at this point. It's getting embarrassing," another offered.

"If Amber Heard has so much evidence—why does she have to leak to TMZ? If her evidence is so strong than why doesn't she have hospital records and actual photos of the aftermath. Broken ribs, nose, and black eyes would be hard to cover," someone else added.

In 2020, Depp lost a libel case against British tabloid The Sun after the publication branded the actor a "wife beater" in reference to Heard's claims of domestic abuse. The 'Pirates of the Caribbean' star repeatedly denied ever having been violent towards Heard, but the overseeing judge in London ruled that the tabloid's reportage was "substantially true."