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12th May 2022

Fan spends $30K to attend Johnny Depp-Amber Heard trial

Charlie Herbert

Others have flown over from the UK for the trial and are missing wedding anniversaries so they can stand outside the Virginia courtroom

Johnny Depp fans have been moving heaven and earth to make it to the courtroom where his trial with Amber Heard is taking place, with some spending tens of thousands to show their support for the actor.

Many have been sitting outside the courtroom in Fairfax, Virginia, in the early hours of the morning in the hope of getting a wristband allowing them to sit inside and witness the trial.

Fans of Depp have been travelling not just across America but from overseas as well.

Sharon Smith, 52, told People that she had recently ended a 12-year relationship here in the UK, and decided to put her belongings in storage and fly to Virginia for the trial.

When the trial has not been on, she’s flown to Los Angeles, before returning to Virginia for the trial every time.

She told People: “I’ve been coming back and forth from L.A. so you’re looking at $600 to $700 each time, 10 hours of your life in the air. But yeah, hotel, food, drinks, about $10,000.”

She admitted to lining up at 1am every morning so that she can secure her place in the courtroom, and that her family think she’s “having a midlife crisis.”

Johnny Depp fans have been keen to show their support for the actor outside the Virginia courtroom (Paul Morigi/Getty)

Another Depp superfan, Ivan De Boer, 59, from Los Angeles, revealed that had used their entire holiday allowance for the year so they could witness the trial.

She said she has spent around $30,000 in expenses so far.

“I’m the same age as Johnny. I’m single, so I do what I want to, basically,” she said.

And a third admitted they were missing their 10-year wedding anniversary to be at the Virginia courtroom.

Aneela Metha, 40, did say she had asked her husband whether he would like to join her for the day on their anniversary, but that even though he likes Johnny Depp he just “doesn’t understand people getting up in the middle of night standing in line to come and see him. But it’s exhilarating seeing this in person.”

The trial is on a recess this week, but will resume on Monday, with Heard set to be cross-examined by Depp’s team.

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