Johnny Depp to donate $1 million Amber Heard settlement to charity

Johnny Depp has vowed to donate Amber Heard's $1 million (£822,000) settlement payment to charity.

On Monday, the Aquaman actress announced that she had made the "very difficult decision" to settle a bitter defamation lawsuit against her ex-husband.

While Heard did not divulge the terms of the agreement, Depp's lawyers, Benjamin Chew and Camille Vazquez, later issued a statement confirming the Pirates of the Caribbean actor was to be paid out $1 million.

"We are pleased to formally close the door on this painful chapter for Mr. Depp, who made clear throughout this process that his priority was about bringing the truth to light," Chew and Vazquez commented, according to People. "The jury's unanimous decision and the resulting judgment in Mr. Depp's favour against Ms. Heard remain fully in place. The payment of $1 million - which Mr. Depp is pledging and will (actually) donate to charities - reinforces Ms. Heard's acknowledgement of the conclusion of the legal system's rigorous pursuit for justice."

Earlier this year, Depp took his ex-wife to court for describing herself as a public figure representing domestic abuse in a 2018 Washington Post op-ed.

After a bombshell trial in Virginia, the jury found Heard liable for defaming Depp and he was awarded more than $10 million (£8.2 million) in damages, while she was awarded $2 million (£1.6 million) for her defamation countersuit. Both filed appeals following the verdict.

However, in her latest statement, Heard explained that she chose to settle as she wants to move on with her life.

"I will not be threatened, disheartened, or dissuaded by what happened from speaking the truth. No one can and no one will take that from me. My voice forever remains the most valuable asset I have," she commented.