How will Johnny Depp’s legal victory impact his and Amber Heard’s careers?

Johnny Depp's near-total victory on the publicised defamation case and Amber's victory in one of the counts of her countersuit against the pirates of the Caribbean star may have ended the six-week-long battle and put a halt to the trading of a plethora of accusations by both actors. However, the focus will now largely shift to the aftermath of the verdict including the possible consequences on their careers. 

The high-profile Johnny Vs Amber trial was not a criminal case, rather it was a defamation case, where both of them claimed that their reputation was so stained by the other that it harmed their career and earning potential.

For Johnny, the case was an attempt to free his image as "a wife-beater," which he had carried on his back for the past six years. 

During the closing arguments, Johnny's lawyer Ben Chu said, "This case was never about money, not about punishing Amber, it's about Johnny's attempt to restore his lost reputation."
As an actor's acting career largely depends on his image in the public eyes, the verdict is going to play a crucial role in their life.  

Johnny Depp has appeared in colossal hit films over the years and has delivered iconic roles including Jack Sparrow in the 5 "Pirates of the Caribbean" films, Willy Wonka in "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and Edward Scissorhands in the 1990 film "Edward Scissorhands." Whereas, Amber Heard now has a considerably higher profile as an activist rather than as an actor. 
Depp filed the defamation case after Amber Heard wrote an op-ed for Washington Post, where she referred to herself as "a public figure representing domestic abuse", without mentioning Johnny Depp's name in the article. Heard countersued Depp for calling her accusations a "hoax"

Analysing Johnny and Amber's career 

Johnny Depp said he has lost no less than "everything" due to Amber's lies. Johnny Depp's agent, Jack Whigham, described the impact of Heard's article as "catastrophic "for Depp's career, testifying that the actor lost his chance to appear in the sixth instalment of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise for which he would have earned $23 million. Depp also had to resign from Fantastic Beats 3 after losing a libel battle against The Sun after the newspaper called him a "wife beater'." Heard, on the other hand, said her scenes in "Aquaman 2" were cut short and she had to "fight" hard to stay in the film after Depp called her allegations a "hoax". 
However, testimonies from the industry have offered a different perspective, Tracy Jacobs, Depp's former agent, testified that Depp's participation in the sixth instalment of the Pirates of the Caribbean was already at stake due to his "behaviour" and lateness on set. "Crews don't love sitting around for hours and hours and hours waiting for the star to show up," said Tracy. During the cross-examination by Amber Heard's lawyer, Depp said he would not sign up for a new Pirates film even if it was offered. 
Senior Hollywood executive Walter Hamada, president of Warner Bros' DC Films unit, testified that Heard's role in Aquaman 2 was reduced due to a "lack of chemistry" between her and the film's star, Jason Momoa. During the closing statements, Johnny's lawyer Ben Chu shed light on Depp's successful career and refuted Tracy's statement by saying, "Depp wasn't cancelled by Hollywood because he was sometimes late on set. But because he was falsely accused of domestic and sexual violence by heard in her op-ed on the Washington Post on 18 Dec 2018. No, she didn't mention his name. She didn't have to."

Future of Johnny and Amber's Career 

The History of Hollywood has shown that celebrities can pursue their acting career even after getting entangled in a scandal. If Mel Gibson and Kavin Spacey can get roles in small-scale films and steadily climb the ranks up in Hollywood after a hiatus followed by their scandal, then Johnny Depp may also be approached by independent producers. However, he might be annexed by activists. Johnny has an interest for small and unusual roles and will likely sign up for such roles despite being offered reduced fees.
Moreover, Depp's massive public support and his over a decade long trailblasing career history in Hollywood can renew his demand in the market. In addition, the verdict has shown that all the allegations by Amber Heard were not true, which can be a cherry on top. 
Conversely, Heard has mostly appeared in supporting roles throughout her career with the exception of getting a few lead roles in small-scale films like the 2006 flick "All the Boys Love Mandy Lane" and 2018 film "London Fields." 
Amber Heard's career flourished after being associated with Depp. Coincidentally, Heard published the op-ed during the release of her first major film "Aquaman." Depp's lawyer Ben Chu said Amber was trying to garner fame "at the expense of Depp." During the trial, Depp testified that he has helped Amber Heard secure a role in Aquaman. However, Heard denied getting any assistance from Depp. After the pair's messy divorce, Amber mostly attained a reputation as an activist. Her role in "Aquaman" was moderately appreciated but was not exceptional. Amber might attempt to establish herself as an actor-activist.