The lawsuit between Johnny Depp and his ex-wife, Amber Heard, has become a “fascinating” social phenomenon, according to Luc Dupont, professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Ottawa.
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For him, the trial is similar to reality TV, but with nuances.
“It’s not about people who want to be famous because they already are. They probably want to stay that way,” the professor believes.
On social networks, more particularly on the TikTok platform, a “second” justice has emerged there for six weeks, according to Luc Dupont.
“Every day, the trial videos are viewed 20 to 25 million times. Even the Washington Post didn’t want to cover the trial at first, but with the number of clicks, it’s remarkable,” said the specialist.
Another aspect also emerges from the trial: there seem to be a lot of people who rather side with Johnny Depp. But why? According to the professor, the teams responsible for the communications of the two actors have a role to play.
“At the start of the trial, Amber changed public relations. In Depp’s case, he had nothing left to lose. The first trial in England had not been televised and he had lost a large number of roles. So we are in a public relations operation. It is incredibly efficient,” he says.
In the case of Amber Heard, Luc Dupont also underlines the reflex that the actress has to address the jury when the judge asks her a question.
“It’s very strange when you watch this in our living room, but I can’t wait to see what the jury will think of this strategy.”