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It’s been a trying few years for Amber Heard.
The actress’ nasty divorce from Johnny Depp played out for the world to see and the drawn-out battle included accusations of domestic abuse and led to a costly defamation lawsuit.
But finally there’s joy for the 35-year-old star in the form of a bouncing baby girl.
Amber recently announced that she welcomed her first child via surrogate.
“I’m so excited to share this news with you,” she captioned a touching picture of her cradling her daughter. “Four years ago I decided I wanted to have a child. I wanted to do it on my own terms.”
The Aquaman star revealed she welcomed little Oonagh Paige on 8 April and initially wanted to keep her birth private. But she decided to share the news with the world because “the nature of my job compels me to take control of this”.
The actress, who was told she’d never be able to carry a child to term, went on to say how grateful she was for the medical advances in fertility.
“I now appreciate how radical it is for us as women to think about one of the most fundamental parts of our destinies in this way,” she wrote. “I hope we arrive at a point in which it’s normalised to not want a ring in order to have a crib.”
The name Oonagh, pronounced oo-nuh, is of Irish origin and means lamb. The little girl’s second name, Paige, is an ode to Amber’s mother who died last year aged 63.
A source close to Amber tells Page Six another reason she’s chosen to be open about Oonagh’s birth is to help other women.
“There are so many women who feel they can’t talk about their fertility and are worried and embarrassed,” the insider says.
“Amber wants them to feel supported and realise there are a multitude of ways to have a baby even if you have fertility issues.”
The birth of her baby girl comes after years of turmoil for The Stand actress.
After filing for divorce from Johnny (58) in 2015, the split was finalised a year later, but a drawn-out public spat followed. When Amber penned an article for The Washington Post newspaper in 2018 saying she was physically abused by her ex, Johnny fired back with a $50 million (R725m) defamation lawsuit.
Amber “isn’t a victim of domestic abuse, she’s a perpetrator” and her allegations were part of an “elaborate hoax to generate positive publicity”, according to the suit.
The lawsuit is still ongoing.
Being a mom will no doubt be a welcome distraction from the drama.
“Oonagh is absolutely gorgeous and Amber is besotted,” an insider says. “She always knew she wanted to be a mom and this is her greatest wish come true. She’s so grateful to the wonderful woman who helped bring Oonagh into her life.”
Sources: Mail Online, Page Six, Insider.com
