A mber Heard’s motion to have the verdict of her blockbuster defamation trial against Johnny Depp thrown out has been rejected by a judge.

The Aquaman star’s legal team filed a motion earlier this month arguing the verdict that she had defamed her ex-husband was not supported by evidence.

They also alleged that a juror had not been properly vetted.

However Judge Penny Azcarate rejected her legal requests on Wednesday.

The judge said the juror issue specifically was irrelevant and that Heard cannot show she was prejudiced.

Johnny Depp testifying at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse / POOL/AFP via Getty Images

The 36-year-old actress still has the ability to appeal the verdict to the Virginia Court of Appeals.

Depp, 59, sued for $50million in Fairfax County after Heard wrote a 2018 op-ed piece in The Washington Post about domestic violence in which she referred to herself as “a public figure representing domestic abuse.”

The article never mentioned Depp by name, but his lawyers said several passages in the article defamed him by implication by referring to highly publicised abuse allegations she made in 2016 as she filed for divorce.

Heard then filed a $100million counterclaim, also for defamation. By the time the case went to trial, her counterclaim had been whittled down to a few statements made by one of Depp’s lawyers, who called Heard’s abuse allegations a hoax.

Johnny Depp v Amber Heard defamation lawsuit in Virginia (2022) 1 /45 Johnny Depp v Amber Heard defamation lawsuit in Virginia (2022) AP POOL/AFP via Getty Images AP POOL/AFP via Getty Images Fairfax County Court . POOL/AFP via Getty Images POOL/AFP via Getty Images POOL/AFP via Getty Images POOL/AFP via Getty Images Fairfax County Court Fairfax County Court Amber Heard was tearful in court (Elizabeth Frantz/AP) AP Actor Johnny Depp walks during his defamation trial against his ex-wife Amber Heard, at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Fairfax, Virginia, on April 27, 2022. POOL/AFP via Getty Images Actor Johnny Depp greets his legal team as he arrives in the courtroom AP Actor Amber Heard speaks to a member of her legal team after a recess amid her ex-husband Johnny Depp’s defamation trial against her POOL/AFP via Getty Images Actor Amber Heard appears in the courtroom at the Fairfax County Circuit Court in Fairfax, Va., Thursday, April 28, 2022. AP Amber Heard took to the stand on Wednesday REUTERS Johnny Depp demonstrates what he claims was an alleged attack by his ex-wife Amber Heard as he testifies during his defamation trial against Heard, at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse POOL/AFP via Getty Images Amber Heard speaks with her legal team in the courtroom at the Fairfax County Circuit Court AP Amber Heard filming Johnny Depp smashing kitchen cupboards Handout Amber Heard looks on at the end of the second day of her ex-husband Johnny Depp’s testimony during his defamation trial against her, at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse POOL/AFP via Getty Images Johnny Depp is seen laying in a hospital after his finger was injured while he and his ex-wife Amber Heard were in Australia in March 2015, in this evidence photograph that was displayed as Depp testified during his defamation trial against Heard at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse REUTERS Johnny Depp testifies at the Fairfax County Circuit Court AP Amber Heard arrives in the courtroom at the Fairfax County Circuit Court AP Amber Heard attends her ex-husband Johnny Depp’s defamation trial against her, as a picture of an injury to his face is seen on a screen, at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse REUTERS A knife with an inscription “from Amber Heard to Johnny Depp” on the blade is seen during Johnny Depp’s defamation trial against his ex-wife Amber Heard at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse POOL/AFP via Getty Images Evidence appears on a monitor in the courtroom during the 50 million US dollar Depp vs Heard defamation trial at the Fairfax County Circuit Court REUTERS Amber Heard listens in the courtroom at the Fairfax County Circuit Court AP Evidence appears on a monitor in the courtroom during the 50 million US dollar Depp vs Heard defamation trial at the Fairfax County Circuit Court REUTERS Amber Heard is embraced as she arrives at the start of the day during the 50 million US dollar Depp vs Heard defamation trial at the Fairfax County Circuit Court REUTERS Johnny Depp demonstrates how he claims he shielded himself from an alleged attack by his ex-wife Amber Heard as he testifies during his defamation trial against Heard POOL/AFP via Getty Images Johnny Depp displays the middle finger of his hand, injured while he and his ex-wife Amber Heard were in Australia in 2015 AP Johnny Depp holds up his bandaged finger, injured while he and his ex-wife Amber Heard were in Australia in March 2015, in this evidence photograph that was displayed as Depp testified during his defamation trial against Heard at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse REUTERS

The jury awarded $15million to Depp and $2million to Heard on her counterclaim. The $15million judgment was reduced to $10.35million because of a cap on punitive damages in Virginia.

Heard’s lawyers said in court papers that the $10million verdict was unsupported by the facts, and seemed to demonstrate that jurors failed to focus on the fallout from the 2018 op-ed piece - as they were supposed to do - and instead just looked broadly at the damage Depp’s reputation suffered as a result of the alleged abuse.

Depp’s lawyers, though, said the damages were supported by testimony from his agent and others. They said the precedents cited by Heard’s team to support her arguments “are decades old, and none involves an international A-list celebrity.”