Here's why Johnny Depp did not attend the closing trial

After seven weeks of explosive testimony in the $50 million Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard defamation trial, when the jury favoured the Pirates of the Caribbean actor in the defamation case, all eyes searched the actor who was not there.

According to an insider close to the Oscar nominee, the 58-year-old actor could not make it before the trial due to his work commitments. “Due to previously scheduled work commitments made before the trial, Mr. Depp will not be physically present for today’s 3 p.m. verdict and will be watching from the United Kingdom.”

However, just after the trial ended and Depp won the defamation suit, the Rum Diary actor penned an emotional statement on his official Instagram handler against his ex-wife Amber Heard. “The Jury gave me my life back,” wrote Depp, adding later, “Truth never perishes.”

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The Kentucky native has been in the UK for at least several days, attending his friend Jeff Beck‘s concert and making a guest appearance on stage. Jurors awarded Depp $15 million in damages from Heard, which the judge reduced to $10.35 million to comply with state limits on punitive damages. The panel ordered Depp to pay Heard $2 million in damages.

Depp, 58, had sued Heard for $50 million and argued that she defamed him when she called herself ‘a public figure representing domestic abuse’ in a newspaper opinion piece. Heard countersued for $100 million, saying Depp smeared her when his lawyer called her accusations a ‘hoax’.