While everyone was fixated on Camille Vasquez and Johnny Depp’s brewing romance, the actor was busy spending time with another mystery woman. Also a lawyer, Joelle Rich was present at the court during the defamation drama. She was not there to help defend the star, but to lend him moral support during the contentious battle against Amber Heard.
Depp is reportedly dating this London-based lawyer for quite some time now. She was previously married to Jonathan Rich, but is in the process of finalizing her divorce from him. Sources suggest that the lovebirds have an incredible ‘chemistry’ between them and things are pretty ‘serious.’ Page Six added, “They are the real deal.”
“There was no professional obligation for her being there (in the courtroom during the defamation case. It was personal,” suggested a media report. She was also photographed outside the Virginia courthouse hugging Camille Vasquez. She has two children with her estranged husband.
Rich might not have fought for Depp during his courtroom battle with Heard, but she did defend him in his ill-fated libel battle against The Sun. The two first met during this London’s High Court case in July 2020. The Sun had branded the actor as a ‘wife beater’ in an article. The actor had lost that legal battle.
Rich holds a law degree from Birmingham University. She works for the law firm, Schillings, which represents the likes of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and actress Emma Watson. She “helps individuals and families in the public eye protect their privacy and reputations” and has “expertise in libel, privacy, and copyright disputes.” She “works to defend clients’ reputations against false and defamatory allegations in print, online, and on social media.”
Depp won the case, suing Heard for $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages. The actor moved on from the horrific incident and was back to work, while Heard plotted her next move. She has moved the Fairfax court to reconsider the verdict against her or order a fresh trial.
(Featured Image Credits: Twitter)
