Heard disappointed 'beyond words' after verdict, Depp 'truly humbled'

US actress Amber Heard said she was disappointed "beyond words" Wednesday after a jury found she had made defamatory claims of abuse against her ex-husband Johnny Depp, calling it a "setback" for women.

"The disappointment I feel today is beyond words. I'm heartbroken that the mountain of evidence still was not enough to stand up to the disproportionate power, influence, and sway of my ex-husband," Heard said in a statement released shortly after the verdict was read in Virginia.

"I'm even more disappointed with what this verdict means for other women. It is a setback... It sets back the idea that violence against women is to be taken seriously," she said.

Johnny Depp, for his part, said after the verdict that the jury "gave me my life back."

"I am truly humbled," he added.

"From the beginning, the goal of bringing this case was to reveal the truth, regardless of the outcome. Speaking the truth was something that I owed to my children," he said.

"I feel at peace knowing I have finally accomplished that."