Amber Heard has spoken of how she was told that revealing her sexuality would end her career.

The actor was speaking at The Economist's Pride & Prejudice event at New York, where she claimed filmmakers doubted whether she could play a straight woman in a romantic lead.

Heard came out as bisexual seven years ago and said it was "difficult".

"It was not easy. I was the only one working in this way, so it was definitely difficult because no one had done it," she said.

“I did that even though everyone told me it would end my career, without a doubt.”

The 30-year-old, who recently finalised a divorce with actor Johnny Depp, said she has never hidden her sexuality and did not make a "coming out" announcement as had previously been reported.

"When I hear someone comment about me coming out, I think it's funny because I was never in," she said.

Instead, she said, she was asked directly about her sexuality by a reporter at the time, and she answered honestly.

"Then I realised the gravity of what I had done," she said.