20 Little-Known Details About The Private Amber Heard

Amber Heard is a bit of an unusual actress. Appearance-wise, she looks like a typical starlet, with her gorgeous look and blonde locks. And, while she's played plenty of characters who are known for their beauty, she's also always searching for more interesting, flawed characters to add to her repertoire.

She's also not afraid to rock the boat. She speaks out for the causes she believes in, and is brutally honest about everything - including problematic issues that occurred in her personal life. It takes a lot of bravery to speak about things, especially personal things, and she has earned many fans over the years thanks to her willingness to give a voice to the things she feels strongly about.

And, though she's been in the industry for quite a while, she still remains a bit of a mystery to many. Many people have seen her in various projects, but don't really know much about what she's like off screen. In fact, many people had never even heard of her until her relationship with Johnny Depp got started, which is definitely a shame.

Whether you're a fan or someone who has just admired her red carpet style, here are 20 little-known things about the talented Amber Heard.

20 Multi-Lingual: She Speaks Spanish And Knows Sign Language

She's building quite a successful career in Hollywood, but if Heard ever decided to try her hand at the entertainment industry south of the border, she definitely could - she's fluent in Spanish! As if that weren't impressive enough, she also knows sign language and communicates through signing. She seems like the kind of person who is passionate about communicating and opening up different discussions, so we're not surprised that she made learning other languages a priority. Sure, many people around the world speak English, but why not expand your horizons and try your hand at learning their mother tongue or chosen method of communication?

19 She's A Total Bookworm Who Loves Discussing Literature

Because of the way she looks, many people have preconceived notions about Amber Heard and her interests off screen. And, she defies expectations by being a total bookworm. In an interview with Net-A-Porter, Heard claimed that "knowledge is my religion," and has been outspoken about the fact that she's an avid reader who is nearly always carrying a book. We have to admit, we'd love to get a peek at her reading list, from her favorites to revisit to the books in her to be read pile. It's always fascinating to learn what celebrities are reading when they're not reading scripts.

18 She's Really Into Classic Cars

Amber Heard may be skilled at getting all dolled up for red carpet events, but if she had her way, she'd be hanging out in the garage fixing up cars. And no, we're not talking about sleek sports cars - we're talking about classic muscle cars. She admitted in an interview that "I spent all my money on classic cars. I've had loads. Right now, I have a 1968 Mustang and a 1967 Mercedes 250SL. I try to fix them up myself as much as I can, buying the parts on eBay." We have to admit, that's definitely not a hobby we would have guessed she had!

17 Despite Being A Celebrity, She's A Very Private Person

Being an actress is a bit of an odd thing. The publicity and press and fame are part of the deal, but the majority of actresses don't get into the industry because of that - they're creatives who just want to practice their craft and enjoy the experience of bringing characters to life for audiences. Heard herself struggles with the scrutiny of fame, as she's a very private person. She commented to Flare back in 2013 that "it [the fame and publicity] is not part of my professional life. I want to be an artist." It's probably tough to balance the demands of a career in Hollywood, but she seems to do so with grace.

16 She Dropped Out Of School To Pursue Her Dream

Heard seems like the type of person who goes after what she wants, and that's exactly what she did with her high school education. She dropped out of high school when she was just 17 in order to move to New York City to pursue a career in modelling. It certainly wasn't an easy path, and she's mentioned that her youth meant she sometimes had to forge her parents' signatures on forms, but she made it work. And, soon after that, she went to the other coast - Los Angeles - to try to break into the world of acting. Obviously, her big risk paid off!

15 She Was Once Charged With Dog Smuggling

Talk about a scandal! Back when she was still together with actor Johnny Depp, Heard made headlines after she was charged with dog smuggling because she tried to bring their dogs into Australia. It may not seem like a big deal to many, but Australia has strict rules on the creatures that come into the country, and she didn't follow all the rules. It just goes to show that even celebrities aren't immune to the law - and that you should definitely follow the laws of whatever nation you're travelling to! Surely, they could have found a great kennel to look after the dogs?

14 She's Doesn't Subscribe To A Religion

In general, there aren't too many celebrities that are super outspoken about their religious beliefs. However, Amber Heard has mentioned before that she became an atheist after a traumatic event when she was 16 in which she lost her best friend. At that point, she decided that she didn't believe in a higher power, and it's been a belief she's held ever since. It just goes to show that celebrities come in all shapes and sizes - some are extremely religious and consider their faith a quintessential part of their life and ability to navigate Hollywood, while others don't consider it a factor in their lives at all.

13 She Admits That Keeping Her Physique Requires A Lot Of Work

To many women out there, there's nothing more maddening than a celebrity who claims her insane physique is just a result of drinking water and avoiding junk food. The types of bodies that celebrities have generally require a ton of work to maintain - and Heard is open and upfront about that. She spilled the beans in an interview with Women's Health, saying that "there's no 'I don't diet, I eat what I want, and this is how I look.'" She's upfront about the fact that she does watch what she eats and makes sure to include plenty of movement in her life, from running to playing tennis to taking Pilates classes.

12 She Doesn't Watch Television

There are some celebrities who are more than happy to dish about the must-see television show they've recently binge-watched, but you won't hear Heard doing so - because she doesn't watch television, as she admitted to FHM. It seems like it's a bit of a double whammy in her case - she has a super busy schedule with her various commitments, and she's also a huge bookworm who would rather lose herself in a good book than veg on the couch in front of a television marathon. We have to imagine she makes time for movies, though - after all, she needs to get inspiration for her characters!

11 She's A Certified Lifeguard

Amber Heard is a California girl nowadays who makes her home in Los Angeles, and if she ever encounters a situation on the beach, she'll know exactly how to deal with it - she's a certified lifeguard! Granted, she may not have upgraded or brushed up her skills, so she's probably not as knowledgeable as the actual guards patrolling the beaches and pools, but it's still a pretty handy skill to have. We imagine her comfort in the water was helpful when it came time to playing her character in the latest Aquaman movie - they probably had to spend a ton of time in a combination of fake and real water.

10 She Donated Her Entire Divorce Settlement To Charity

Unless you've been living under a rock for the past few years, chances are, you've heard all about Amber Heard's divorce and all the scandal that came along with it. And, while many people threw shade at her for requesting a sizeable settlement, she said she'd be donating that amount to charity - and that's exactly what she did. While it took a bit of time to finalize her plans, as some of the money was tied up for a while, she's given large chunks of cash to the organizations she feels passionate about, including the L.A. Children's Hospital and the American Civil Liberties Union.

9 It Costs Her Over $40,000 A Month To Live Her Life

When she was going through her divorce, Heard's life was put under the microscope - and that included her spending habits. She requested $50,000 a month in spousal support from her ex husband, Johnny Depp, an amount that likely seem ridiculous to most - after all, that's more than many people earn in a year! However, it seems she truly does live an expensive lifestyle - between $10,000 for rent, $2,000 for clothing, and $10,000 for entertainment and vacations, she spends a little over $40,000 a month just living her life. Crazy! It just goes to show that celebrities live in an entirely different financial bracket than the vast majority of people.

8 She Has Several Poetry-Inspired Tattoos

Given her love of literature, it's not that surprising that Heard has a few literary-inspired tattoos - and it turns out, they're both poetry inspired. Her first is a few lines of a Pablo Neruda poem tattooed on her side. The second, on her back, are a few lines of Persian poetry from the poet Omar Khayyam. We wouldn't be surprised if she got a few more literary tattoos over the years. The question is, will she stick with the poetry theme, or will she expand with a few quotes from works of fiction? Only time will tell - and we can't wait to see her future ink.

7 Ayn Rand Is One Of Her Biggest Influences

Many people have strong feelings about writer Ayn Rand - and Heard is one of them. She considers Rand one of her biggest influences, saying that "I've read all of her books. Ever since then, I have been obsessed with her ideals. All I've ever needed is myself." Heard does indeed seem like a fiercely independent person who goes after her dreams and doesn't let anything get in her way. Some might disagree with her about Rand's ideals, but even if you disagree, you'd probably get some interesting discussion out of it - she certainly seems knowledgeable about literature and passionate about the author!

6 Southern Belle: She Was Born In Austin, Texas

With her blonde hair and laid back attitude, Heard seems like the quintessential California surfer girl. So, it comes as a bit of a surprise that she's not a west coast girl at all - she was actually born in Austin, Texas! Obviously, not everyone from the south has a heavy southern accent, and many who do end up working hard to lose it while they pursue a career in the entertainment industry. Still, it's not something we ever would have imagined. We wonder if she still feels strongly about her Texas roots, or if she pretty much considers herself an Angeleno now, since she's been there for quite a few years at this point.

5 She Dated Elon Musk For A Year

Amber Heard has certainly had some interesting relationships over the years. After her highly public marriage and divorce from actor Johnny Depp, she looked outside of Hollywood for her next relationship - and found love with entrepreneur Elon Musk. The duo ended up dating for about a year, and while it may seem like an odd pairing, we can kind of see what they must have seen in each other - they're both passionate and independent and willing to work for the things they believe in. Unfortunately, they split last year, and Heard still has her eye out for her new perfect match. Perhaps 2019 will be the year she finds true love.

4 She Was Once In A Long-Term Relationship With A Woman, Photographer Tasya Van Ree

Heard has always been open about her romantic preferences, stating that she enjoys the company of both men and women. And, as a matter of fact, one of her longest relationships was with a woman - she dated artist and photographer Tasya van Ree from 2008 to 2012, which is definitely not just a quick fling. The two parted ways and Heard has primarily been dating men since then, but who knows - perhaps she'll find love with a woman in 2019. Maybe she needs that feminine energy to balance all the craziness that Hollywood brings into her life! We love that she's open about her preferences.

3 She Met Johnny Depp On The Set Of The Rum Diary

Many celebrities end up meeting simply because they run in the same circles and attend a lot of the same events, but Heard actually met her now ex-husband Johnny Depp on the set of a movie they worked on together, The Rum Diary. While there are plenty of happily married actors and actresses who film love scenes and then go back home to their spouse, there's no denying that sparks can fly in real life on set when two people are pretending to be in love for the cameras. That's exactly what happened in this situation - although unfortunately, it didn't exactly end well.

2 She's Super Close With Her Sister Whitney

Heard seems like a very independent woman, but there's one person in her life who she has a great relationship with - her sister, Whitney. Her sister is only one year younger than her, which means they basically grew up together, and became a great source of support for one another through the years. While Whitney didn't end up in the entertainment industry herself, she's gotten a peek into what it involves by being Heard's date for red carpet events, or even just going for shopping days with her famous big sister. It just goes to show how important family is - while friendships can come and go, family is forever.

1 She's A Bit Of A Prankster On Set

Heard seems like the kind of person who would be an absolute blast to work with on set, and the tales from the set of Paranoia seem to confirm that. Apparently, her co-star Liam Hemsworth was really nervous about shooting a particularly steamy scene. So, in order to loosen him up and take his mind off it, Heard pranked him with something pretty explicit. We won't go into the details, but safe to say, it probably shocked Hemsworth - and elicited a few giggles as well. No matter how talented you are, it's always a plus if you're fun to be around on set.

References: boomsbeat.com, sheknows.com, factinate.com, shebudgets.com, fame10.com