Amber Laura Heard was born in Austin, Texas, to Patricia Paige Heard (née Parsons), an internet researcher, and David C. Heard (David Clinton Heard), a contractor. She has English, Irish, Scottish, German, and Welsh ancestry.

Heard appeared in the Academy Award-nominated film, North Country (2005), in which she played Charlize Theron's character in flashbacks. Her other early film credits include: Syrup (2013), Drive Angry (2011) 3D, The Joneses (2009), Never Back Down (2008), Alpha Dog (2006) and Friday Night Lights (2004). On television, Heard starred on The CW drama, Hidden Palms (2007), and had guest starring roles on Showtime's Californication (2007) and CBS's Criminal Minds (2005).

In 2009, Heard starred in the box office hit, Zombieland (2009), opposite Woody Harrelson, Bill Murray and Jesse Eisenberg. She also starred in the suspense thriller, The Stepfather (2009), with Sela Ward, Dylan Walsh and Penn Badgley. In 2008, she garnered attention for her role in the comedic hit, Pineapple Express (2008), with Seth Rogen and James Franco. Heard received a 2008 Young Hollywood Award for her breakthrough performance in "Pineapple Express".

She appeared in The Rum Diary (2011), opposite Johnny Depp, and John Carpenter's The Ward (2010), which premiered at the 2010 Toronto Film Festival. She also starred in the independent film, And Soon the Darkness (2010), in which she additionally served as a co-producer.

Johnny Depp (3 February 2015 - 13 January 2017)

Trivia

Has been named one of the most beautiful rising stars by Jane Magazine, shared with Kellan Rhude.
Ranked #21 on the Maxim magazine Hot 100 Women of 2008 list.
Father David C. Heard is a successful commercial contractor in Austin, Texas, and mother Paige Heard is an internet researcher.
Has two sisters.
Has a golden teacup Yorkie dog named Pistol, who was featured alongside Heard for Teen Vogue's "Young Hollywood" issue in October 2009.
Ranked #13 on Maxim magazine Hot 100 Women of 2010 list.
In December 2010 she "came out" to the crowd at the 25th anniversary celebration for GLAAD (The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation). She also told the website www.afterellen.com that for several years, her romantic partner has been photographer Tasya van Ree. They have since split up.
Dropped out of school at the age of 17, to go to New York to start a career in modeling, she then relocated to Los Angeles to get into acting.
At the age of 16, her best friend died in a car crash and Heard, who was raised Catholic, subsequently declared herself an atheist, due to the influence of the works of Ayn Rand and George Orwell.

I've worked really hard to bring something more to "pretty girl" roles over the years. I consider it a challenge.
[on transitioning from modeling to acting] My father persuaded me to take classes, and my first agent in Austin paid for them. I'd always wanted to be an actress. I did it in high school and fell in love with it, but I was distracted by the modeling industry because I wanted to travel and get out of my hometown. It was the easier ticket.
[on supposedly "coming out"] First of all, to say I came out implies that I was once in. Let me be straight about that--no pun intended. I never came out from anywhere . . . It didn't really affect anything in my career. I don't think the producers and directors I've worked with care one way or another . . . I don't want to be labeled as one thing or another. In the past I've had successful relationships with men, and now I'm in this successful relationship with a woman. When it comes to love I am totally open. I don't want to be put into a category, as in "I'm this" or "I'm that".