Over the last couple weeks, there's been a lot of news regarding the conflict between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard over the latter's accusations of domestic abuse and assault from the former during their marriage. While their personal life is embroiled in this marital dispute, their professional lives still go on. In Heard's case, she's playing Mera in next year's Justice League movie, but it looks like the events involving Depp are actually affecting her ability to play the future queen of Atlantis on the big screen, namely due to weight loss.
Although Amber Heard was supposed to be in London for a costume fitting (which is why she was unavailable for a deposition), TMZ learned that she didn't actually go across the pond because the Justice League production crew said she was too skinny, and thus not "camera ready." Heard attributes losing 20 pounds to the "overwhelming" stress she's been coping with due to the Johnny Depp struggle and the various legal hurdles involved. If these reports are true, then she's not able to properly fit into her Mera costume, which could mean delaying her shooting dates until she regains the weight or until the costume department can make the necessary alterations.
We won't delve deeper into what's going on between Amber Heard and Johnny Depp from a marital perspective, but as far as Justice League goes, this could be problematic. The DC Comics blockbuster has been in principal photography in London since early April, and while there's surely many more scenes to shoot, it stands to reason that they'll be finished in a couple months. Obviously delaying her shooting dates may be necessary to deal with the costume situation properly, but it can't be indefinitely. That said, it also seems to be too late in the game to find someone new to play Mera. However, if this costume situation doesn't settle itself, or if the actress' personal problems become too much to handle, the production may have no other choice.
While Amber Heard's Mera will make her theatrical action debut in Justice League, her exact role in the movie has yet to be revealed. Much like J.K. Simmons' Commissioner Gordon, it's likely she's being included as a way to explore the personal life of a corresponding hero, which in her case is Aquaman. She's not expected to be a member of the League itself, though unlike Gordon, she's capable of throwing down against aliens, monsters and other powered figures if necessary, as her special abilities include enchanted strength and aquakinesis. After Justice League, Mera will return for the 2018 Aquaman solo movie, where she'll likely help the eponymous hero battle whatever villains come their way underwater.
Justice League will be released in theaters on November 17, 2017.
