War, partygate and inflation may dominate the headlines, but many Brits are fixated on something else: the defamation trial of Johnny Depp. Depp is suing his ex-wife, Amber Heard, for insinuating in a Washington Post article that he abused her.
In the weeks since the trial began, endless clips with commentary, analyses and minute-by-minute breakdowns of witness testimonies and legal team interactions with both Depp and Heard have surfaced. On social media, people declare themselves ‘Team Johnny’ or ‘Team Amber,’ fawning over his charming, witty responses on the stand, or despairing over her sad tale of alleged abuse.
The proceedings may offer an entertaining break from reality for viewers — but for the estranged couple, it’s a devastating, public examination of their collective mental health and substance abuse issues. For clever online creators, the trial is a source of entertaining video and commentary — but our obsession with it shows how our attitudes towards marriage, spousal abuse, mental health and alcohol abuse are dangerously casual.
On social media, people declare themselves ‘Team Johnny’ or ‘Team Amber’
This isn’t just about celebrities, after all.
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