Chattanooga, Tennessee—(Pulse)
1. JOHNNY DEPP VS. AMBER HEARD
2022 marked the 12 months that Johnny Depp’s defamation lawsuit in opposition to his ex-wife Amber Heard went to trial in Fairfax, Virginia—in what would turn out to be one of many largest movie star trials in historical past. The lawsuit centered on an op-ed Heard wrote for The Washington Submit in 2018, through which she described herself as a “public determine representing home abuse.” Whereas she didn’t title Depp within the essay, the Pirates of the Caribbean actor claimed the article nonetheless broken his popularity and sued her for $50 million. Heard countersued Depp for $100 million for statements one in all his attorneys made to The Day by day Mail in 2020, calling her abuse allegations a “hoax.”
The extremely publicized trial revealed many disturbing features of the pair’s former marriage by means of audio recordings, movies, photos, and textual content messages. Each events accused each other of psychological and bodily abuse. Heard accused Depp of placing his cigarette out on her, slapping her, throwing her to the bottom, and sexually assaulting her with a glass bottle—whereas Depp insisted that Heard slapped and shoved him, referred to as him names, and began fights with him.
The jury sided with Depp, awarding him $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive harm; additionally they awarded Heard $2 million in compensatory damages.
Heard mentioned that she was “heartbroken” by the result. “The frustration I really feel at the moment is past phrases. I’m heartbroken that the mountain of proof nonetheless was not sufficient to face as much as the disproportionate energy, affect, and sway of my ex-husband.”
Depp responded to the decision, “From the very starting, the aim of bringing this case was to disclose the reality, whatever the consequence. Talking the reality was one thing that I owed to my kids and to all those that have remained steadfast of their assist of me. I really feel at peace understanding I’ve lastly completed that.”
The authorized battle didn’t finish there.
In November, each Depp and Heard filed appeals. Heard is in search of a reversal or a brand new trial, whereas Depp is in search of to overturn her $2 million counterclaim win.
Additionally in November, Gloria Steinem, Constance Wu, and organizations such because the Nationwide Group for Girls and the Sexual Violence Prevention Affiliation signed an open letter in response to the trial consequence. “Now we have grave considerations in regards to the rising misuse of defamation fits to threaten and silence survivors,” the letter learn, including that the trial exhibited “a elementary misunderstanding of intimate accomplice and sexual violence and the way survivors reply to it.”
2. WILL SMITH SLAPS CHRIS ROCK AT THE OSCARS
Will Smith shocked everybody on the 94th annual Academy Awards when he stormed the stage and slapped Chris Rock throughout the face in response to a joke Rock made evaluating Jada Pinkett Smith to G.I. Jane. Jada had lengthy since been open about her struggles with alopecia, and the Set It Off actress rolled her eyes when Rock joked about her shaved head. After slapping Rock, Smith yelled, “Preserve my spouse’s title out of your f—ing mouth.” Rock, shocked, replied, “Wow, dude, it was a G.I. Jane joke.” Hollywood reacted to the slap in some ways, with some defending Smith’s habits and others denouncing it.
Shortly after the incident occurred, the Males in Black actor resigned from the Academy of Movement Image Arts and Sciences and mentioned in a press release, “My actions on the 94th Academy Awards presentation have been surprising, painful, and inexcusable. The checklist of these I’ve harm is lengthy and contains Chris, his household, a lot of my expensive associates and family members, all these in attendance, and international audiences at dwelling.” The Academy later banned Smith from all Academy occasions, together with the Academy Awards, for 10 years.
At first, Rock refused to touch upon the slap “till [he got] paid.” Later within the 12 months, the comic addressed the incident whereas on tour with Dave Chappelle, who was additionally assaulted onstage in a separate incident that occurred after the Oscars. “Did that s—t harm?” Rock requested the viewers at Liverpool’s M&S Financial institution Area in September. “Goddam proper… the mom—er hit me over a bulls—t joke, the nicest joke I ever informed.”
3. BENNIFER 2.0
When Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez first received engaged within the Nineteen Nineties, it was the closest factor People needed to a royal marriage ceremony on the time—however the media frenzy surrounding the large day induced the younger couple to go their separate methods. 20 years later, Ben and Jen received engaged for the second time. The Hustlers actress confirmed off her inexperienced diamond engagement ring through her publication in April. It was later revealed that Affleck had the phrases “not.going.anyplace” engraved on the band.
This time round, the pair made it to the altar—greater than as soon as. In July, they eloped in Las Vegas for a weekend marriage ceremony. Lopez wrote in her publication, “We did it. Love is gorgeous. Love is type. And it seems love is affected person. Twenty years affected person … Final night time we flew to Vegas, stood in line for a license with 4 different {couples}, all making the identical journey to the marriage capital of the world.”
A month later, Bennifer held a three-day marriage ceremony on the Gone Woman actor’s property in Riceboro, Georgia, celebrating with family and friends. Superstar friends included Matt Damon, Kevin Smith, and Jason Mewes. The Marry Me actress wore three totally different marriage ceremony attire for the occasion, all designed by Ralph Lauren. Leaked video footage from the occasion confirmed her singing to the Justice League actor, as he sat in a chair smiling.
Along with two engagements and two weddings, the couple additionally had two honeymoons: one in Paris following their Las Vegas marriage ceremony and the opposite in Italy following their Georgia marriage ceremony.
4. THE FATAL ‘RUST’ SHOOTING INVESTIGATION
There was quite a lot of hypothesis and finger-pointing within the 12 months that adopted the tragic Rust capturing, which resulted within the loss of life of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. In January of this 12 months, Alec Baldwin denied rumors that he wasn’t complying with the investigation, calling the claims that he wouldn’t hand over his telephone “bullshit” and a “lie” in an Instagram video. Ultimately, the 30 Rock actor’s telephone information have been despatched to authorities in New Mexico.
In February, the household of Halyna Hutchins sued Baldwin and different producers on the set of Rust, claiming they “did not carry out business normal security checks and observe fundamental gun security guidelines whereas utilizing actual weapons to supply the film Rust, with deadly penalties.” The household reached an undisclosed settlement with Baldwin and different producers later within the 12 months.
Whether or not or not Baldwin pulled the set off on the gun that killed Hutchins turned a central query within the investigation. In his interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos in December 2021, Baldwin claimed he didn’t pull the set off. “The set off wasn’t pulled,” he mentioned. “I didn’t pull the set off.” Nevertheless, an FBI report obtained in August of this 12 months confirmed that the gun concerned within the capturing “couldn’t be made to fireplace with out a pull of the set off whereas the working inner elements have been intact and purposeful.”
Greater than a 12 months after the capturing occurred, the Santa Fe Sheriff’s Division completed its investigation into the capturing and despatched the report back to New Mexico District Lawyer Mary Carmack-Altwies. A press release launched by her workplace reads, “The District Lawyer and her workforce of investigators and prosecutors will now start a radical assessment of the knowledge and proof to make a considerate, well timed resolution about whether or not to deliver costs.”
Following this, the 551-page report was launched to the general public. Juan R. Rios, a spokesman with the Sheriff’s Workplace, mentioned in a press release that, “It was not decided the place the reside rounds on the set got here from.” Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer on the movie, Dave Halls, the primary assistant director, and Seth Kenney, the provider of weapons and ammunition for the movie, all denied culpability.
In December, Alec Baldwin’s spouse Hilaria informed Further that they’re “not okay,” following the tragedy.
5. KIM AND KANYE ‘YE’ WEST FINALIZE THEIR DIVORCE
Kim Kardashian and Kanye “Ye” West had an advanced divorce, to say the least. Whereas the pair finalized their settlement phrases in November of this 12 months, it was a bumpy highway getting there.
West began relationship Uncut Gems actress Julia Fox at the start of the 12 months, however he had a tough time getting over Kardashian. A lot in order that he despatched her a truck filled with roses on Valentine’s Day and made different public pleas to get her again.
The previous couple had a number of public disputes about co-parenting their 4 kids, and West began focusing on Pete Davidson, The Kardashians star’s boyfriend on the time, on social media. Kardashian and Davidson have been such a sizzling merchandise in 2022 that Gayle King mentioned she and Drew Barrymore have been requested to maneuver from the crimson carpet on the White Home Correspondents’ Dinner after they arrived—so the couple might make their red-carpet debut.
Kardashian shared in court docket paperwork that West’s social media tirades induced her “emotional misery,” and he or she was declared legally single in March. “I very a lot want to be divorced. I’ve requested Kanye to maintain our divorce non-public, however he has not carried out so,” she wrote.
Issues settled down a bit by April, when a supply informed Leisure Tonight that West “has been mendacity low and specializing in therapeutic. He’s making an attempt to disconnect from all of the drama that occurred between him and Kim.” In August, Us Weekly reported, “They’re very civil with one another and proper now, there are not any points. They’re each treating one another with mutual respect.”
Following West’s antisemitic tweets later within the 12 months, Kardashian tweeted, “Hate speech is rarely OK or excusable. I stand along with the Jewish group and name on the horrible violence and hateful rhetoric in the direction of them to return to a right away finish.”
After practically two years, the pair finalized their divorce in late November. They agreed on joint custody of their 4 children, however Kardashian will proceed to care for them 80% of the time, as West admitted was the case in September. He’s additionally required to pay her $200,000 every month in youngster assist.
CHECK IT OUT:
(Pulse)
