Paul Bettany says he hasn't spoken to Johnny Depp since their texts surfaced in court
In an interview with The Times, Paul Bettany said he had not spoken to Johnny Depp for years before, or since, their private texts about Amber Heard were used in Depp's 2020 libel case against The Sun.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Paul Bettany told The Times that he has not spoken to Johnny Depp since their private text messages about Depp's ex-wife Amber Heard were made public during Depp's 2020 libel case. The IndependentLC “Paul Bettany has claimed he hasn’t spoken to Johnny Depp since their controversial private texts were made public” Read at The Independent ↗ Daily MailR “Paul Bettany has claimed he hasn't spoken to former friend Johnny Depp since their private texts” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Mixed · 2Bettany said: "I hadn't spoken to Johnny in years when that happened and I haven't spoken to him since." He called it "an interesting time" and said being painted as a close friend of someone he had not spoken to in years was "the most odd" part. The IndependentLC “I hadn’t spoken to Johnny in years when that happened and I haven’t spoken to him since.” Read at The Independent ↗ Daily MailR “that bit was the most odd.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Mixed · 2He said he chose to say nothing at the time because "people know me", citing a 23-year marriage and a quiet life, and that people thought it was "a nothing burger". The IndependentLC “I’ve been married 23 years and, for what I do, I live an incredibly quiet life.” Read at The Independent ↗ Daily MailR “Everybody kind of thought this is probably a nothing burger – and left it alone.” Read at Daily Mail ↗
Mixed · 2The texts were used as evidence in Depp's libel case against the publisher of The Sun, which he brought over a 2018 headline calling him a "wife beater". Depp lost, with the court finding the claim "substantially true". The IndependentLC “The court found the claim to be “substantially true”.” Read at The Independent ↗ Daily MailR “Depp ended up losing his lawsuit against The Sun in November 2020.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Mixed · 2In a 2013 exchange, Depp wrote "Let's burn Amber!!!"; Bettany replied that he did not think they should, joking about a "drowning test", and Depp answered with a violent and graphic message. The IndependentLC “Depp wrote, “Let’s burn Amber!!!” to which Bettany responded” Read at The Independent ↗ Daily MailR “Depp responded: 'Let's drown her before we burn her!!!” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Right · 1The Daily Mail also cites a separate exchange read in court about buying Heard a pet beaver, and says Depp told the court his "sense of humor is slightly skewed" and that the texts were not a respectful way to talk about Heard. Daily MailR “During the 2020 trial, Depp said his 'sense of humor is slightly skewed' as the texts were read out.”“'It is not a respectful way to talk about Ms Heard.'” Read at Daily Mail ↗
Mixed · 2Bettany first addressed the messages in a December 2021 Independent interview, calling it "a strange moment" to have a newspaper's lawyers go through 10 years of his texts, and an "unpleasant feeling". The IndependentLC “Can you imagine what it would be like, honestly, to have a bunch of lawyers go through every one of your emails and texts for 10 years?” Read at The Independent ↗ Daily MailR “All I can tell you was that it was an unpleasant feeling.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Left · 1Bettany and Depp worked together on three films: The Tourist (2010), Transcendence (2014) and Mortdecai (2015). Bettany currently stars in the Marvel series VisionQuest, and Depp's Christmas film Ebenezer is due on 13 November. The IndependentLC “The Tourist (2010), sci-fi thriller Transcendence (2014) and comedy caper Mortdecai (2015).”“forthcoming Christmas film Ebenezer, released on 13 November.” Read at The Independent ↗ Left · 1In 2022 Depp won a defamation case against Heard over a 2018 Washington Post op-ed, while the jury also backed part of Heard's countersuit. The IndependentLC “The jury ultimately ruled in favour of Depp but also found in favour of Heard’s countersuit” Read at The Independent ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- The Independent leads with Bettany distancing himself from Depp, then gives legal and career context including the 2022 Heard trial and Depp's comeback.
- Emphasis
- Bettany's quotes, the libel ruling, the later defamation verdicts and Depp's career since.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not include the pet beaver exchange or Depp's courtroom comments on the texts.
- Charged language
- “controversial private texts”“contentious figure”
- For example
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“Depp remains a contentious figure in Hollywood after losing the libel action against The Sun” — The Independent
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- The Daily Mail frames Bettany as 'dragged into' the trial and dwells on the graphic texts, including extra exchanges read in court.
- Emphasis
- The explicit content of the messages, Depp's testimony about them and the judge's findings against Depp.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Leaves out the 2022 defamation trial verdict in Depp's favour and Depp's later career.
- Charged language
- “dragged into the Amber Heard trial”“graphic text exchange”“monster”
- For example
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“The judge ruled that Depp assaulted Heard on a dozen occasions and put her in 'fear of her life' three times” — Daily Mail
What every side reports
- Bettany told The Times he has not spoken to Depp since the texts became public.
- The texts were used in Depp's 2020 libel case against The Sun, which he lost.
- Bettany and Depp made three films together.
Paul Bettany person
Says he had not spoken to Depp for years before the trial and has not since, and chose silence because people know him.
“I decided to say nothing because, I think, people know me.” — The Independent
Johnny Depp person
No new comment is reported; the coverage recalls his 2020 testimony that the texts were not a respectful way to speak of Heard.
“'It is not a respectful way to talk about Ms Heard.'” — Daily Mail
Left1 article
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Paul Bettany addresses controversial Johnny Depp texts: ‘I haven’t spoken to him since’
Neutral Reports Bettany's comments with legal background and Depp's career context.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right1 article
-
Mixed Emphasises the graphic texts and the judge's findings against Depp alongside Bettany's comments.
- 16 Oct 08:37 First The IndependentLC Paul Bettany addresses controversial Johnny Depp texts: ‘I haven’t spoken to him since’
- 16 Oct 11:17 +2h 40m Daily MailR Paul Bettany reveals he hasn't spoken to Johnny Depp since being dragged into the Amber Heard trial where their graphic text exchange was read out
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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