Amber Heard addresses return as Mera on 'Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom' amid intense backlash: 'I’m very honored'
TAORMINA, ITALY: After a protracted development process and numerous release date changes, the long-awaited sequel 'Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom' will finally be released in theaters in December. The movie has a number of returning actors including Jason Momoa, who plays the lead superhero. Amber Heard, who portrayed Mera, Arthur Curry's love interest in the original 'Aquaman', is one of them.
Following the Johnny Depp slander case, Amber Heard currently resides in Spain. However, the actress did not forbid herself from accepting new jobs. Heard recently traveled to Taormina, Italy for the international premiere of her latest thriller film, 'In the Fire'. She spoke to Deadline about the project at the time. Heard was also questioned about 'Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom', to which she responded with excitement.
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'There’s a ton of pressure'
Heard was questioned about 'Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom' during the conversation. She explained how the production of the superhero sequel was entirely different from the indie movie 'In the Fire'. Heard went on to note that, in her opinion, an actor's ability to perform in both of these categories of movies may serve as a measure of their success.
An excited Heard responded when asked if she was anticipating the 'Aquaman' sequel: "Oh, of course. These are very different kinds of projects representing two very different ends of the spectrum in my industry. There’s a ton of pressure on these big franchise movies, with millions and millions of dollars at stake, and compromises are part of trying to make it the most successful thing it can be."
'The Rum Diary' actress continued, "Then on the other end of the spectrum is a small indie film like 'In The Fire', a work of art and work of love, with nowhere near the same resources, and so there are compromises there. The best luck you can have as an actor is to be able to balance both."
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Heard acknowledged that she's "honored" to be a part of the 'Aquaman' series and expressed pleasure that her role as Mera in 'Aquaman 2' continued. Heard added: "'Aquaman', that franchise and the machinery behind it, I’m very honored, honored to be a part of that. And then there are these small passion projects like 'In The Fire', where I’m proud to have gotten to know the filmmaker and the cast, and we got dirty together, to breathe life into this story. There’s something cool about that, and I think success is an actor who is able to have both those things."
'I fought really hard to stay in the movie'
Heard's reputation has suffered significantly since she starred in the first 'Aquaman' in 2019. Reportedly, her role in the movie has been retained intact, which has rubbed many Depp fans the wrong way. For the uninitiated, when she lost the defamation case, Heard's haters ran many internet campaigns demanding her ouster from the DCU film. The actress eventually broke her silence over her return to the superhero franchise.
It was apparently confirmed that Mera is in the trailer during a CinemaCon screening that has yet to be made available online. Heard, however, said throughout the trial that she had to "fight" for her part in the movie. Heard stated, "I had to fight to — I fought really hard to stay in the movie. They didn’t want to include me in the film. I was given a script. And then given new versions of the script that had taken away scenes that had action in it, that depicted my character and another character, without giving spoilers away, two characters fighting with one another. They basically took a bunch out of my role. They just removed a bunch."
The amount of screen time Heard receives in the movie is the subject of conflicting reports. 'Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom', starring Momoa and Heard, is set to be out on December 20. Ben Affleck, Nicole Kidman, Emilia Clarke, and other prominent actors play significant roles in the movie.