You’ve seen the clips. The court dates. The memes that felt like they were everywhere for a lifetime. But honestly, if you look at amber heard before and after the 2022 trial, the shift isn't just about a legal verdict. It’s a total identity overhaul.
She basically vanished.
One day she was a Hollywood fixture, a regular at the Chateau Marmont and the face of L’Oréal. The next? She was an expat in Madrid. She isn't just "living abroad." She's gone full local, reportedly using the name Martha Jane Cannary—a nod to Calamity Jane—to sign for packages and live a life where nobody cares about her IMDB page.
The Hollywood Years: Amber Heard Before the Storm
Before the world knew her through a livestreamed trial, Amber was the "it girl" who wouldn't stay quiet. She moved from Austin to LA at 17, dropping out of high school because she was hungry for more. You probably remember her from Pineapple Express or Never Back Down. She was often cast as the "dream girl" or the "dangerous blonde," a trope she seemed to both embrace and fight against.
Her career was on an absolute rocket ship. By 2018, she was Mera in Aquaman, a billion-dollar franchise. She was a public figure for domestic abuse advocacy. She was dating Elon Musk. Life was loud, flashy, and extremely public.
Then, the legal battle with Johnny Depp hit.
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The 2022 Virginia trial changed everything. It wasn't just a loss in court; it was a loss of her public persona. The internet didn't just disagree with her—it turned her into a punchline. According to her own testimony, her role in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom was significantly pared down. The industry that once clamored for her suddenly felt like a closed door.
The Transition: Finding Peace in Madrid
So, what does amber heard before and after actually look like in practice?
It looks like a quiet apartment in an affluent Madrid neighborhood. It looks like jogging through the city’s parks without a security detail. Heard moved to Spain in late 2022, shortly after the trial wrapped. Sources close to the actress, like those quoted in People magazine, say she wanted to "get her daughter out of the chaos."
Spain offered her something LA couldn't: anonymity.
She’s fluent in Spanish. That helped. Instead of being the "controversial actress," she became the American mom who takes her daughter, Oonagh Paige, to the playground. In early 2025, she surprised the world again. She announced she had welcomed twins, Agnes and Ocean, through surrogacy. Her family was suddenly three kids strong, and Hollywood felt further away than ever.
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A Career Pivot: The Theatre Era
Don't call it a retirement, though. She’s just changing the medium.
In the summer of 2025, Heard officially entered what she called her "theatre era." She starred in Jeremy O. Harris’s play, Spirit of the People, at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in Massachusetts. It was a risky move. The play was half in Spanish, bilingual and gritty. Critics at Vanity Fair actually praised her, noting her "command of the stage" and comparing her performance to a Tennessee Williams heroine.
It was a far cry from the CGI-heavy world of Atlantis.
Examining the Physical and Emotional Shift
When people search for amber heard before and after, they’re often looking for physical changes. Has she had work done? Plastic surgeons like those at International Plus have speculated about refined rhinoplasty or fillers, but honestly, the biggest change is her vibe.
Before, she was always "on." Red carpets, high fashion, heavy makeup.
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After? She’s frequently spotted in Madrid with messy buns, oversized sweaters, and a tired-but-happy mom look. There’s a softness that wasn't there during the high-stress years of the late 2010s. The "sharp as a tack" Southern belle that Johnny Depp once described has been replaced by a woman who seems content to be a ghost in the celebrity world.
The Financial Reality
The trial took a toll. Originally ordered to pay $10.35 million, she eventually settled with Depp for $1 million in late 2022. She sold her home in Yucca Valley, California, for $1.1 million to help fund her new life.
She isn't "broke," but she’s living a much more sustainable, less "movie star" lifestyle now.
What We Can Learn From the Shift
Amber Heard’s story isn't just about celebrity gossip. It’s a case study in how the "court of public opinion" can effectively end a career in one country while a new life begins in another.
Whether you followed the trial religiously or ignored it completely, you can't deny the resilience it takes to pack up and start over in a language that isn't your first, under a different name, while the whole world is still arguing about you on Reddit.
If you’re looking to follow her current journey, here are the best ways to stay informed:
- Follow her official Instagram: She occasionally posts "theatre era" updates and rare family photos.
- Check Independent Film News: She’s leaning into indie projects like In the Fire rather than blockbusters.
- Watch for Theatre Listings: Her success in Massachusetts suggests she may do more stage work in London or New York.
The "after" version of Amber Heard is a mom of three living in Spain, speaking Spanish, and doing experimental theatre. It’s a version of her that 2018 Amber probably wouldn't recognize. And maybe, for her, that’s exactly the point.