“I am deeply sorry and ashamed for putting something that awful out in the universe,” wrote the actress
Emily Hampshire has issued an apology for dressing up with a friend as Johnny Depp and Amber Heard for Halloween.
“I want to address what is one of the most thoughtless, insensitive, and ignorant things I’ve ever done. For Halloween, I stupidly thought it would be funny to dress as Johnny Depp and Amber Heard,” she wrote on an Instagram post Wednesday night.
She continued, “I am deeply sorry and ashamed for putting something that awful out in the universe. Domestic abuse is never, ever funny. These are real issues with real people and I REALLY regret my actions. In the future I will do better. I’m so sorry.”
In the since-deleted photos, the Schitt’s Creek star appeared to be dressed up as Depp, with a fake mustache, fake tattoos, and tan suit; her friend seemed to recreate one of Heard’s trial outfits, wearing ruffled blouse, black skirt, and sheer black tights. The pair also posed with a bottle of wine and a prop of fake poop, seemingly referencing one of the more disturbing incidents from last year’s defamation trial. Fans online were quick to accuse Hampshire of of mocking Heard.
The televised court battle between Depp and Heard ended in June 2022. A jury found that Heard did defame Depp in his civil suit against his ex. Depp, who prevailed on all three claims, was awarded $10 million in compensatory damages, plus punitive damages of $5 million, but the latter was reduced to Virginia’s statutory cap of $350,000. The actress won one of three claims in the countersuit against her former husband and was awarded $2 million.
