What Gummy Bears Have To Do With Johnny Depp And Amber Heard's Trial
Stars: They're just like us ... except when they're absolutely nothing like us. Just look at the bizarre case of Depp v. Heard, underway now in Fairfax County, Virginia.
Here's a rundown: Actor Johnny Depp is suing his ex-wife, actor Amber Heard for libel. In a 2018 op-ed for The Washington Post about surviving sexual violence, Heard alleged that she was "a public figure representing domestic abuse." Depp, who wasn't named, claimed the piece caused people to view him as an abuser. He sued Heard for $50 million, claiming damage to his reputation and acting career. Heard countersued for $100 million over remarks by Depp's attorney, who dismissed her claims as deceptive.
There have been several jaw-dropping moments throughout the trial. The "Pirates of the Caribbean" star testified to severing one of his fingers and using the bloody digit to write messages to Heard on a mirror (via the Evening Standard). As for Heard, she's been said to be dressing like Depp as a bizarre psychological tactic against her former husband.
Eagle-eyed trial viewers also noticed Depp bringing a stash of gummy bears to court. Some social media users have been delighted to see images of the pile of chewy candy on the plaintiff's table, where Depp sat with his fortuitously named lawyer, Benjamin Chew. @SarahLynnVO tweeted, "Depp's team is clean and organized with GUMMY BEARS!" @theITW opined, "This is the kind of mood we want – #JohnnyDepp seen drawing and eating gummy bears during Amber Heard's defamation trial."
Muffins sparked trial memes
In addition to gummy bears, Johnny Depp reportedly brought jelly beans to court (via E! News). A video clip shared on Twitter even seemingly depicted him channeling Willy Wonka. "Johnny Depp gave his head security what appears to be a piece of candy. I honestly believe he made a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory joke as well," wrote the poster. But if you think candy has been the only bizarre food moment to come out of Depp v. Heard, you'd be wrong.
A strange exchange took place between Amber Heard's attorney Elaine Bredehoft and a witness, psychologist Dr. Shannon Curry, involving, of all things, muffins. Per Newsweek, the lawyer attempted to convey that Curry excitedly informed her husband about therapy sessions with Heard and dispatched him to pick up muffins for her and the "Aquaman" actor before a meeting. "May I clarify what occurred so that we can stop talking about the muffins?" asked the psychologist at one point.
The lengthy and contentious bakery back-and-forth prompted a flurry of social media memes. People called it "Muffingate" (via TikTok) and drew parallels to the "Muffin Man" storyline in the film "Shrek" (via Twitter). Several memes photoshopped a muffin into the serious-looking Bredehoft's hand and bore captions such as "This is the muffin your husband bought Amber Heard, isn't it?" We'll continue to watch the salacious and controversial trial for more random food moments because as we've seen, reality can be stranger than the movies.