Jason Momoa and James Wan Were Committed to Keeping Amber Heard in ‘Aquaman 2’
The Johnny Depp Vs. Amber Heard trial keeps revealing new information about the two actors and how this situation has affected their careers. Amber Heard recently testified that Warner Bros. tried to diminish her role in Aquaman 2. Now, it’s being said that Warner Bros. tried to remove her from the movie altogether, but Aquaman star Jason Momoa and James Wan fought to keep her in the movie.
Amber Heard was not invited to DC FanDome for ‘Aquaman 2’ in 2021
On Monday, Kathryn Arnold, who described herself as an “entertainment industry consultant” took the witness stand. According to The Wrap, Arnold was hired by Heard’s legal team to assess the “reputational harm and economic loss that Ms. Heard incurred due to the defamatory statements by Depp’s attorney Adam Waldman.”
During her testimony, Arnold said that Heard was being excluded from promotional events for Aquaman 2 by Warner Bros. which included DC FanDome. FanDome is a virtual event where Warner Bros. and DC highlighted the many DC TV shows and movies coming soon.
“Ms. Heard was not invited to be either in the poster or to be at the [FanDome] event, and, in fact, they told her she cannot come,” Arnold shared.
There was a brief video showing behind-the-scenes footage for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom and Heard was not featured in it much.
Jason Momoa and James Wan fought to keep Heard in ‘Aquaman 2’
Arnold told the court that research showed that whenever Heard’s name was mentioned in connection to a TV show, film, endorsement deal, or article, it immediately received backlash from fans on social media. Arnold said that there was an attempt to remove Heard from Aquaman 2 for this reason, but Momoa and director Wan fought to keep her in the movie.
“In February 2021, there were conversations that Amber’s, I’m going to be technical with you, her option for employment was not going to be exercised,” Arnold said. “So they may not have hired her again. Her management team fought very hard and they ultimately ended up hiring her, but not only because of what her management did, but also because star Jason Momoa and director James Wan committed to her.”
Arnold’s comments come a week after Heard testified that her role as Mera had been diminished drastically in the upcoming Aquaman sequel.
“I was given a script, then given new versions of the script that had taken away scenes that had action in it, that depicted my character and another character — without giving any spoilers away — two characters fighting with one another,” Heard said (via The Hollywood Reporter). “They basically took a bunch out of my role. They just removed a bunch.”
Warner Bros is currently facing a PR nightmare
Whether Heard wins or loses this case, it has been bad PR for Warner Bros. and for Aquaman 2. However, this is just one case that Warner Bros. is dealing with as they are also having problems with The Flash actor Ezra Miller. Miller has been arrested twice recently in Hawaii. Still, Warner Bros. has remained quiet about what its plans are for both of these actors and their characters.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom arrives in theaters on March 17, 2023.
