Of all the bizarre information to emerge from the media circus that is the ongoing Depp v. Heard defamation trial, perhaps one of the most unexpected tidbits was dropped during the very first few seconds of Amber Heard’s opening testimony. After confirming her full name is indeed Amber Laura Heard, the “Aquaman” star revealed to the general public that she currently resides in Yucca Valley, California.
Unexpected? Indeed. Amber Heard, the glamorous Hollywood film actress who once dated Elon Musk, and who during her 2015-2017 marriage to Johnny Depp shared a vast portfolio of lavish homes around the world, now mainly resides in Yucca Valley — a somewhat unheralded town in California’s Mojave Desert, 120 miles east of Los Angeles.
Dirt was eager to learn more about the Yucca Valley digs. And while Heard’s name does not appear on the deed, research turns up multiple clues that all point to one particular property, a house currently owned by a mysterious trust with clear links to Heard.
The trust quietly acquired the six-acre estate in early 2019, paying $570,000. This was roughly a year before the coronavirus pandemic sent desert home prices soaring, so it’s a very good bet the property is now worth significantly more than that 2019 number.
Located deep in California’s San Bernardino County, Yucca Valley is a town of 20,000 people. The nearest “major” destination is Joshua Tree National Park, roughly 10 miles due east, though the city is also 27 miles north of Palm Springs and 55 miles east of San Bernardino.
Certainly one could argue there is a peculiar beauty to Yucca Valley’s desert landscape, in all its untamed natural glory. But the desolate setting remains distinctly more “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” than “Aquaman,” perhaps.
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Image Credit: via MLS Built in 2015, the custom home offers an attached three-car garage and nearly 2,500 square feet of living space.
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Image Credit: via MLS The six-acre property is naturally landscaped, meaning mostly maintenance-free for Heard’s peace of mind — no thirsty non-native landscaping or pesky irrigation systems to complicate things. But the listing does note that the property is wired for a “central controlled sprinkler system,” should Heard want to set up that operation.
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Image Credit: via MLS Inside, a main living area offers concrete floors, recessed LED lights and high ceilings.
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Image Credit: via MLS There’s also a fireplace and nifty bar area with a wine cooler.
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Image Credit: via MLS The eat-in kitchen offers granite countertops, knotty cabinetry and high-end Wolf and Miele appliances.
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Image Credit: via MLS When family and friends come calling, Heard can entertain at the dining area, which easily accomodates a large table and eight at dinner.
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Image Credit: via MLS There are three bedrooms in the house, with the primary suite equipped with direct access to the back patio.
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Image Credit: via MLS A built-in soaking tub takes center stage in the spa-style primary bath, which also offers dual vanities and a very custom stone shower.
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Image Credit: via MLS Temperatures can climb dangerously high in Yucca Valley, particularly during the summer, but a covered loggia keeps the sun’s deadly rays at bay.
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Image Credit: via MLS Other amenities include a whole-home stereo system and views over the surrounding hills and desert valleys.
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Image Credit: via MLS Perhaps most notably, the property also includes a 110-foot wooden bridge custom-engineered by the previous owner.
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Image Credit: via MLS The bridge leads over a shallow wash to a staircase cut into the rugged hill behind the house. Beyond the steps, a hillside gazebo is equipped with birds-eye views that stretch for miles over the neighborhood.
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Image Credit: via MLS