Johnny Depp is denied permission to appeal libel ruling

Johnny Depp, who lost a highly publicized libel case against a British tabloid this month, has been denied permission to appeal the ruling by a judge.

Judge Andrew Nicol dispensed with permission to appeal and ordered Depp to shill out nearly $840,000 to News Group Newspapers in a ruling made public Wednesday, according to The Associated Press.

News Group Newspapers publishes The Sun, the London-based tabloid that called Depp a “wife-beater” and claimed the actor assaulted his ex-wife, Amber Heard.

Actor Johnny Depp lost a libel ruling in British court this month, damaging his reputation. (Matt Dunham/)

The Sun has defended the article, and Nicol wrote in a Nov. 2 ruling that the defendants had shown that their coverage “was substantially true.”

Depp can still apply directly to Court of Appeal through Dec. 7, according to The AP.

Mads Mikkelsen to replace Johnny Depp in new ‘Fantastic Beasts’ movie

After the ruling earlier this month, Depp was replaced in his role as Gellert Grindelwald in the “Fantastic Beasts” film series, an offshoot of the Harry Potter series.

Depp, 57, has denied the assault allegations made by Heard, 34.

With News Wire Services