The Narcissistic Smirk

 

It is a bit disappointing that Johnny Depp did not get a settlement of $50 million, and Amber Heard nothing. That would have felt more like justice. I think Depp had a reasonable case that he had lost as much as $50 million in career damage. And there seems to me no logic in finding defamation against his lawyer, who had good reason to believe he was speaking the truth. And if he didn’t, is Depp responsible for what he said?

But in a way, this outcome is best. Had Depp gotten more than he did, sympathy might have moved towards Heard, which would be the worst outcome. Many would feel sorry for her despite what she did.

Reputedly, she will not be able to cover the present settlement. She is supposed to be worth only $2 million. Odd, though, since she got $7 million from Depp a few years ago, and has not donated any of it to charity. Where did it all go?

The bottom line is, the jury found that Johnny Depp did not abuse Amber Heard; that her claims that he did were lies. That is a great victory for all the victims of narcissists, and especially for abused men. It reassures me that there is some justice in the world.

I hope now he gets his career back. 

Another advantage of the trial is that it revealed to us who the good people are in Hollywood: those who stuck by Depp. Oddly enough, they tend to be celebrities I always suspected were nice people.

Many observers have noticed that Heard had a tendency to “smirk” during proceedings: a distinctive half-smile in which only one side of the mouth goes up.

This facial expression, for whatever reason, is absolutely characteristic of narcissists. Perhaps it shows their own internal confidence in their superiority; they believe they are putting something over on the world. It is familiar to anyone whose life has been cursed by a narcissist.

Watch and think carefully: Have you ever seen this expression in another? If you ever see this expression in another, habitually, you see a red flag. Get away if you can.