Amber Laura Heard (born April 22, 1986, in Austin, Texas) is an American actress, model, and activist. She grew up in Texas and moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career at a young age. Heard made her film debut in 2004 with a small role in Friday Night Lights and went on to appear in several television shows and independent films before gaining wider recognition.
Her breakthrough came with performances in Never Back Down (2008) and Pineapple Express (2008), which established her as a rising star in Hollywood. Over the following years, Heard appeared in both independent productions and mainstream films, including The Stepfather (2009), The Joneses (2010), and Drive Angry (2011). In 2011, she starred alongside Johnny Depp in The Rum Diary, which brought her additional attention.
Heard reached international fame when she was cast as Mera, the warrior princess of Atlantis, in the DC Extended Universe. She first appeared in Justice League (2017) and reprised her role in Aquaman (2018), which became one of the highest-grossing DC films of all time. Her portrayal of Mera solidified her presence in blockbuster cinema.
In addition to acting, Heard has been active in philanthropy and social causes. She has worked with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and has been an outspoken advocate for gender equality, women’s rights, and LGBTQ+ issues. She publicly came out as bisexual in 2010, making her one of the few actresses in Hollywood to openly discuss her sexuality at the time.
Beyond her professional life, Heard has been at the center of significant media attention due to her marriage and subsequent legal battles with actor Johnny Depp. Their divorce in 2016 and the following lawsuits, including a highly publicized defamation trial in 2022, placed her in the international spotlight. The case sparked widespread public debate, dividing audiences and shaping her public image in both supportive and critical ways.
Despite controversies, Amber Heard remains an influential figure in both entertainment and activism. She continues to balance her career as an actress with her humanitarian work, striving to use her platform to raise awareness on issues such as domestic violence, human rights, and social justice.
