Heard was born in Austin, Texas, in 1986. When she was 17, she dropped out of high school and moved to LA to pursue an acting and modeling career.
Source: The Telegraph
Her first movie role was in the 2004 sports drama “Friday Night Lights,” which starred Billy Bob Thornton. (It later became a TV show.)
Before that, she had supporting and guest-starring roles on teen dramas including “Jack & Bobby” and “The O.C.”
In 2007, she had a starring role on The CW’s “Hidden Palms.”
The show was canceled after eight episodes aired.
Later that year, she stared in the indie film "Remember the Daze," which was panned by critics. She also guest-starred in an episode of Showtime’s “Californication.”
"Remember the Daze" has a 0% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
In 2010, Heard came out as bisexual.
She came out at a celebration in Los Angeles honoring the 25th anniversary of GLAAD.
She starred alongside Johnny Depp in the 2011 film “The Rum Diary,” and the two actors began dating in real life. Later in 2011, she starred opposite Nicolas Cage in “Drive Angry."
Depp left Vanessa Paradis, his longtime partner and mother of this two children, for Heard.
In 2011, she had a starring role on NBC’s “The Playboy Club,” which centered on the bunnies and patrons of the original Playboy Club in 1960s Chicago. It was panned by critics and canceled after three episodes aired due to low ratings.
Critics claimed that the show glamorized an environment that was demeaning to women. Feminist activist Gloria Steinem, who once worked undercover as a bunny in New York City, called for a boycott of the show.
She was the love interest of Channing Tatum’s character in 2015's “Magic Mike XXL,” the sequel to "Magic Mike."
The same year, Heard and Depp made headlines when they did not claim their Yorkshire Terriers to customs in Australia. The country threatened to put the dogs down if they weren't returned to the United States.
Australia has strict animal quarantine laws in order to prevent the spread of infections. Heard and Depp returned the dogs to the US, and pleaded guilty to falsifying quarantine documents in court.
In May 2016, Heard filed for divorce from Depp. Days later, she made claims that Depp physically abused her throughout their relationship.
She alleged that he had thrown a phone at her, and she had pictures of bruises on her face.
Source: People
In August 2016, Heard dropped the abuse claims and the couple settled their divorce.
"Our relationship was intensely passionate and at times volatile, but always bound by love," the two said in a statement to TMZ. Heard donated her $7 million settlement to charities, with "a particular focus to stop violence against women."
She's an activist.
In 2016, Heard read a letter written by the victim in the recent Stanford rape case alongside Frida Pinto and Gabourey Sidibe at the Glamour Women of the Year awards. She's also spoken openly about domestic violence.
