Over the past few months, the world has found itself embroiled in several compelling crises; the war in Ukraine, crushingly high inflation and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Despite these weighty and important issues, one story has dominated the headlines like no other: the Depp v. Heard trial. Naturally, this story about a Hollywood power couple and the salacious allegations made against each other quickly became a tabloid favorite.

For those unaware, this case centered around the tumultuous and ill-fated marriage of actors Johnny Depp and Amber Heard. After their divorce, Heard made several public statements and published an op-ed claiming to be a “public figure representing domestic abuse” who “spoke up against sexual violence.” While not expressly named in these publications, Depp sued, claiming that these statements were defamatory statements about him and had damaged his career.