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Was Johnny Depp BROKE in 2016? Actor allegedly demanded $20M from agency as star power dimmed

Tracey Jacobs testified that Depp's star power declined over the course of years due to his erratic behavior

Johnny Depp's former associates have been testifying in the defamation trial against his former wife and actress Amber Heard. The 58-year-old actor's former agent, Tracey Jacobs, who had represented Depp from the 1990s to 2016, was among the people who testified at the trial.

A pre-recorded deposition of Jacobs was played during the trial where she alleged that Depp demanded $20 million from his agency, UTA in early 2016. Heard's attorney asked the agent, "So Mr. Depp came in and said, 'I want you to get $20 million for me?'" to which she replied, "Actually it was, 'I want you to give me $20 million.' It was not discussed, the question was not asked as a loan."

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When asked "What did you say in response?" Jacobs responded, "I didn't. Jeremy Zimmer and Jim Berkus spoke directly to that point. I was just in the meeting." Jacobs said that the two told Depp that "We are not in a position to give our clients that kind of money. We are not a bank." She added that the actor believed he should have gotten the money because "He had made a lot of money for us and that we should just do it because of how much money he had made over the duration of his being at UTA."

Jacobs added, "His star had dimmed due to it having harder to get him jobs due to the reputation he had acquired due to his lateness and other things." She claimed that "I would get yelled at" by the studio and that "I never said to him, 'You are a difficult client.' I never used those words, but was very honest with him. I said, 'You have got to stop doing this. This is hurting you,' and it did."

Internet users felt Jacobs was being salty because Depp fired her. One tweet read, "Tracy Jacobs is such as Bruce Witkin, a group of people who have stolen money from Johnny Depp, and when Johnny discovered, they fired and now they’re testifying against him! [pissed face emoji]." Another said, "Tracy Jacobs admits she doesn't know if Johnny Depp abused anyone. She NEVER SAW any sign on Amber Heard. So really she's just an angry ex-agent talking trash because Depp fired her."

A third user wrote, "I have never seen Johnny Depp hit anyone - Tracy Jacobs (disgruntled ex employee) NEXT!!!!!!" A fourth noted, "'He lost his reputation' - Tracy Jacobs. Meanwhile, back in reality... - 17.5 m. followers on Instagram - Welcomed by a crowd of thousands at Karlovy Vary Film Festival - Masterclass sold out in 4 minutes - Minamata in the Oscar's Fan Favorite Top 5 - Bestselling perfume of 2021."

Depp sued Heard for $50 million for a Washington Post op-ed she wrote claiming to be a victim of domestic violence. He stated that her false allegations cost him his reputation and career, and that "the op-ed depended on the central premise that Ms. Heard was a domestic abuse victim and that Mr. Depp perpetrated domestic violence against her." Heard then filed a restraining order and countersued Depp for $100 million.