By Lisa Richwine

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Following graphic allegations of abuse, recordings of vicious fights and airings of nasty textual content messages, will Hollywood be able to welcome again Johnny Depp or Amber Heard?

Depp, the “Pirates of the Caribbean” star, declared {that a} U.S. jury gave him his life again when it awarded him a near-total victory in his defamation battle with ex-wife Heard on Wednesday.

Jurors supported Depp’s three claims that Heard had defamed him and awarded him greater than $10 million in damages. Heard gained one counter-claim that Depp’s lawyer had defamed her. The jury awarded Heard $2 million.

The verdicts got here with a price. Over six weeks, the televised trial supplied vivid element a few troubled marriage and proof that each Depp and Heard admitted was embarrassing.

Nonetheless, Depp is predicted to be provided new film roles now that the U.S. jury has backed him following a years-long authorized battle, mentioned Clayton Davis, senior awards editor at Hollywood publication Selection.

“I believe Johnny Depp goes to work once more. He’ll get some huge undertaking,” Davis mentioned after the decision, noting Hollywood gives loads of examples of stars who recovered from very public scandals.

Robert Downey Jr., Mel Gibson, Hugh Grant, Roman Polanski and others discovered new alternatives after critical allegations of improper habits, prison convictions or missteps. Kevin Spacey has acted in a handful of impartial movies after being accused in 2018 of sexual misconduct, which he denies.

“We have now a tradition that enables these individuals to work once more,” Davis mentioned.

Lower than two years in the past, Depp misplaced a libel go well with in Britain towards the Solar tabloid, which known as him a “spouse beater.” A London Excessive Courtroom choose dominated that Depp had repeatedly assaulted Heard. Shortly after, Depp was dropped from the “Implausible Beasts” film franchise, a “Harry Potter” spinoff.

Lawyer Neama Rahmani known as the U.S. trial “PR genius” by Depp and his group to rebuild his fame and profession.

On the witness stand, Depp “was likable. He was credible. He was charismatic. He was charming,” Rahmani mentioned.

Depp denied ever hitting Heard, whereas she admitted slapping Depp however mentioned it was solely to defend herself or her sister.

Juda Engelmayer, a disaster communications knowledgeable who represents Harvey Weinstein and others, mentioned he believes Depp’s robust help from followers on social media all through the trial will increase his standing in Hollywood.

Producers “take a look at the hundreds of thousands of people that rallied to him, who signed petitions towards Amber Heard, and they will say ‘are they keen to come back to motion pictures and pay on the field workplace?'” Engelmayer mentioned. “I believe they’ll check him out.”

Revelations from the trial could prohibit Depp from starring in household fare, Engelmayer mentioned, although he predicted Depp “might be a number one man once more.”

Heard, who has far much less of a observe file in Hollywood, was vilified on social media all through the trial, however Engelmayer believes she too might be provided new appearing alternatives. Earlier than the trial, Heard filmed her position in “Aquaman 2,” which is scheduled for launch in March 2023.

Engelmayer mentioned he believes a “socially acutely aware” filmmaker will supply Heard at the least a small position to offer a contemporary begin for a lady who went public with claims of abuse.

Given the #MeToo motion in recent times, Hollywood could be seen as “hypocritical,” Engelmayer mentioned, “if they do not give her a task and provides her a possibility once more.”