Johnny Depp refuses to 'hold onto hate' after Amber Heard court battle

Johnny Depp has spoken out about letting go of animosity after his high-profile legal showdown with former spouse Amber Heard.

The star of 'Pirates of the Caribbean' parted ways with Heard in 2016, and his professional life took a nosedive when she penned an op-ed claiming to be a survivor of domestic violence.

This led to a drawn-out legal dispute when he filed a defamation lawsuit against her, but Depp maintains that he harbors no resentment.

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In a conversation with The Telegraph, Depp remarked: "This sounds like horses--- but one can simply hold hate [until it] inspires some species of malice in your skull."

He elaborated on the burden of hatred, saying, "Makes you think of revenge. But hating someone is a great big responsibility to hang on to."

Depp expressed his detachment from the sentiment of hate, stating, "The real truth of it, that I won't allow, is that in order for me to hate, I have to care first. And I don't care. What should I care about? That I got done wrong to [by others]? Plenty of people get done wrong."

When probed about his decision to pursue legal action, Depp clarified that he couldn't let "a lie" dictate his future in the film industry or his ability to work in Hollywood.

Reflecting on the tumultuous period, Depp acknowledged the personal growth he experienced, adding: "Going through all that in real time amounted to seven or eight years," he says.

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"It was a harsh, painful internal journey. Would I rather not have gone through something like that? Absolutely. But I learnt far more than I ever dreamed I could."

Reflecting on the period he was ostracized in Hollywood due to his legal issues, Depp likened it to being in the "wilderness" but expressed no resentment towards anyone.

In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, he shared, "It was a vast wilderness and ultimately that vast wilderness taught me a whole lot."

When questioned about the lessons he took away, Depp responded, "Honestly, I can sit here this very second and think about all the hit pieces, and how everybody was against me, and yeah yeah yeah he is off the map ... endless stuff.

"I can remember it all. Went through it all. Some of it was not the most beautiful time, some of it was hilarious. Some of it was mad.

"The thing is, it simply just was, and it simply just is. So, for me, it happened. I learned, man."

Depp emphasized the value of every experience, saying, "Everything that we experience, whether you're given a snow cone or walking your dog, you learn something somewhere along the way.

"So I don't have any ill feelings toward anyone. I don't have this great reserve of hatred, because hatred requires caring. Why carry that baggage?"