Speculation has been rife since the fiasco began back in 2018.
One of the producers behind the Aquaman film franchise has publicly confirmed a longstanding rumour circulating around two of the film’s stars.
The gossip surrounding friction between Jason Momoa and Amber Heard began back in 2018, when the actress became embroiled in a turbulent legal battle with her ex-husband Johnny Depp.
Depp and Heard first met in 2009, and got married in February 2015.
In May 2016, at an early stage in their divorce proceedings, Heard claimed that Depp had abused her physically, which he denied.
When the jury in a Virgina court decided in Depp’s favor, Heard was initially ordered to pay more than $10 million in damages to Depp, however, the final figure she owed was lowered due to limitations in the state.
Depp, meanwhile, was ordered to pay Heard $2 million after she filed a countersuit accusing him of defamation.
When the Aquaman sequel – Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom– came out in 2023, fans noticed that Heard, who had featured as one of the main characters in the first film, had been given a heavily reduced amount of screen time.
The actress stating that some scenes were “taken away”, according to the Daily Mail, and speculation began as to whether or not her very public legal loss to Depp had influenced the film’s producers to lessen her prominence in the franchise.
Others favoured the rumour that Momoa and Heard had no “chemistry” whatsoever on set, and just plain didn’t like each other.
That rumour was compounded by reports in late 2023 that Momoa repeatedly taunted Heard on the set of the blockbuster, and even dressed like Johnny Depp in order to mock her.
Notes from Heard’s therapy sessions were uncovered and published by Variety in the wake of her defamation trial, and revealed an insight into the fiery and awkward relationship between the two co-stars.
One of the notes read: “Jason [Momoa] said he wanted me fired. Jason drunk — late on set. Dressing like Johnny. Has all the rings too.”
A spokesperson for DC told Variety: “Jason Momoa conducted himself in a professional manner at all times on the set of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.”
A source who was on set also refused Heard’s claims, telling Variety: “Jason works his a** off, likes to have a beer once in a while like everyone, but doesn’t show up drunk to set. And he isn’t dressing like Johnny Depp.
“He has always dressed in that bohemian style.”
The notes also alleged that the movie’s director, James Wan, wasn’t allowed to promote the sequel on social media because of the media attention on her six-week defamation case in Fairfax, Virginia.
The DC spokesperson also denied that: “James is known for treating members of his cast and crew with the utmost respect and for fostering a positive, collaborative environment on set — the Aquaman films were no exception.”
Now, Aquaman producer Walter Hamada has revealed that Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom was always intended to focus on the titular character and his friend, with Heard’s character secondary, that’s the reason why she appeared less in the sequel.
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As for the rumours of “chemistry” issues, Hamada confirmed that it was a problem.
“They didn’t really have a lot of chemistry together,” Hamada said, as per the Independent. “The reality is, it’s not uncommon on movies for two leads to not have chemistry.”
He added that chemistry can be fabricated through “movie magic and editorial” and a “great score.”
“If you watch the movie, they look like they had great chemistry. I just know that through the course of the post-production it took a lot of effort to get there,” he added.
