DC Films head Walter Hamada will reportedly deny Amber Heard's claims about her role being cut from Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. Heard made her DC Extended Universe debut with a brief appearance in 2017's Justice League as Mera, an Atlantean who approaches Arthur Curry to discuss the nature of the Mother Boxes. Following Mera's introduction, Heard returned for a much more substantial role in 2018's Aquaman, essentially acting as the co-lead alongside Jason Momoa in a movie that grossed over $1 billion at the box office.
Heard was brought back for the upcoming sequel titled Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, which finished filming in January 2022 and is scheduled to be released on March 17, 2023. During the highly publicized defamation trial brought against Heard by her ex-husband Johnny Depp, the actress testified that Warner Bros. significantly "pared down" her role as Mera in Aquaman 2 as a result of the legal issues involving Depp. Heard also testified that she was released from her contract and is unsure if she will even appear in the sequel at all.
Now, a new report from Deadline reveals that Hamada will testify in the ongoing Depp-Heard defamation trial and deny the actress' claims about her role being cut from Aquaman 2. According to the report, Hamada will tell the judge and jury that Heard "suffered no negative reaction from WB" in regards to her Aquaman role as a result of the legal action brought against her by Depp. The WB executive is expected to take the stand virtually on Tuesday, May 24.
The current DC Films head will testify as a rebuttal witness for Depp, who claims to have been fired from the Fantastic Beasts and Pirates of the Caribbean franchises as a result of Heard's allegations of domestic abuse and sexual assault against him. Heard's recent testimony mirrors Depp's, claiming that these legal issues have negatively impacted her career as an actor. If Heard's claims about her role in Aquaman 2 are, in fact, true, Hamada will likely point to concerns over her chemistry with co-star Jason Momoa, which there have been reports of, as the reason for her role as Mera being reduced or cut entirely, rather the ongoing legal controversy.
Since his tenure at DC Films began in 2018, Hamada has certainly been no stranger to controversy himself. He's directly dealt with both Justice League actor Ray Fisher's allegations against him and The Flash star Ezra Miller's recent legal troubles. As the Depp-Heard defamation trial winds down with closing arguments set to begin on May 27, Hamada's testimony regarding Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom could actually prove to be crucial to the outcome of the trial.
Source: Deadline
