Amber Heard is as powerful as Aquaman, or any hero, really

In the upcoming Aquaman solo movie, many of us are focused on the movie’s leading man. But at his side is Amber Heard’s Mera. And she is a force to be reckoned with in her own right.

Amber Heard may not be a name you are familiar with, but you soon will be. As Mera in Aquaman, the actress is showing the world that you don’t have to be the lead hero in a movie to be powerful, strong, and a force to be reckoned with.

And during a feature on her for The Hollywood Reporter, we learned new things about the actress that prove she is a worthy companion to the future King of Atlantis both in and out of the water. From being a book lover and activist in her real life to being at Aquaman’s side in every scene once Mera is introduced, Heard is a complex woman who is as strong as any hero.

Amber Heard as Mera in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure “AQUAMAN,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Even James Wan has pointed out that if you put Aquaman and Mera side by side, Amber Heard’s character would come out on top as she “has way more superpowers.” The director even joked about the name of the movie being wrong, noting it should have been “The Adventures of Mera With Her Sidekick Aquaman.” (It’s a bit long, but it does have a nice ring to it.)

It turns out that the reason the onscreen relationship between Mera and Aquaman works so well is because off screen the two actors have a strong rapport with each other. Momoa even pranked his co-star at one point by ripping the last 10 pages out of a book she was reading (okay this would have been a fight had he done this to us). And that solid relationship was just as important when you consider the demands of the movie.

Both Amber Heard and Jason Momoa’s character had to spend a good deal of time in tight suits under the water. And while even Momoa said he would “whine and moan and cry,” about the situation, it turns out the actress was much more of a trooper. (Not to say she didn’t whine and moan a bit, but it turns out our hero did it a lot more, at least according to him.)

LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 26: Amber Heard attends the “Aquaman” world premiere at Cineworld Leicester Square on November 26, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Tristan Fewings/Getty Images)

When it comes to Heard off-screen, her story is a bit different. Her love life and relationships are the things people want to focus on, and she is not about that at all. Even as her ex-husband, Johnny Depp, has been willing to speak out against her (even with signed non-disclosure agreements between them), the actress takes the high road.

In fact, when asked about her ex, the only thing she would say is, “I’m not going to talk about Johnny. I’m more interested in talking about the work I’m doing and the things I feel proud of. I stood up for myself, for what was right.”

And when it comes to her work, Heard definitely has plenty to be proud of. From her charitable work and willingness to put her money where her mouth is (she donated her entire divorce settlement to the ACLU), to her ability to play a character whose casting description read, “as a warrior queen, with a crown and a sword,” Heard is making a name for herself away from the drama.

If ever there was an actress who fit the casting call for Mera, it would have to be Amber Heard, because she truly is, “A strong, independent, self-possessed superhero in her own right.” And we can’t wait to watch her in Aquaman as she proves to the world that she is not a character to be forgotten about or ignored.

Aquaman splashes into theaters December 21.