Amber Heard to donate $7m divorce settlement to charity

The money will be shared between American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles.

American actress Amber Heard will donate her $7 million divorce settlement from Johnny Depp to charity. The money will be shared equally between the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), for use in the prevention of domestic violence, and the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles.

Heard said in a statement: "As described in the restraining order and divorce settlement, money played no role for me personally and never has, except to the extent that I could donate it to charity and, in doing so, hopefully help those less able to defend themselves. As reported in the media, the amount received in the divorce was $7 million and $7 million is being donated. This is over and above any funds that I have given away in the past and will continue to give away in the future."

"The donation will be divided equally between the ACLU, with a particular focus to stop violence against women, and the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, where I have worked as a volunteer for the past 10 years alongside organizations like the Art of Elysium. Over the years, I have seen firsthand how more funding for staffing, better equipment and better medication can make the difference between life or death for a child," Heard continued. "I know these organizations will put the funds to good use and look forward to continuing to support them in the future. Hopefully, this experience results in a positive change in the lives of people who need it the most."

Heard and Depp met during the filming of their movie The Rum Diary in 2011. The 52-year-old actor, who was married to Lori Anne Allison from 1983 to 1985, proposed to Heard on Christmas Eve 2013 after dating for a year. The two tied the knot in February 2015.

On 23 May, Heard filed for divorce from Depp. Two days later, she filed for a restraining order stating that he hit her with an iPhone.