Amber Heard Topless at Marie Claire

'It's the greatest gift': Amber Heard, 29, talks about being stepmom to Johnny Depp's teenage kids while posing for racy shoot

Amber Heard has described her role as a stepmother to Johnny Depp's children as 'a gift'.

The 29-year-old has opened up about what life has been like with her new husband and his children; 16-year-old daughter Lily-Rose and 13-year-old son Jack.

'[It's] an honor and the greatest, most surprising gift I have ever received in my life,' she revealed in an interview with Marie Claire.

'I feel new flavors that I didn't know existed. New colors that I didn't know existed have been added to my life. I'm so happy.'

The actress is the cover star for the mag's December issue, and scintillates in a suit jacket and little else, flashing her flawless long legs for the sultry photo shoot.Inside she bemoans the fact her seductive look can sometimes impede being taken seriously as a thespian.

'I wish I didn't have to pick between being seen as sexually viable and something more substantial,' she lamented.

Heard married Depp in February; they had been dating since June 2012, the same month he split from partner of 14 years, French actress and singer Vanessa Paradis.Despite the 52-year-old being one of the biggest movie stars in the world - reportedly set to earn almost $100million for his role in the fifth part of the Pirates Of The Caribbean franchise alone - his young bride insists the notion of being a kept wife is 'absurd' to her, and that she doesn't need money at all.

'You respect what it takes to earn it [money], and it also gives you a certain resilience, because it minimizes this false notion that that's what matters. I know that to not be true, and I know I'm fine without it,' she said.

'That's why maybe I'm so independent. I never expect anyone to give me anything - the notion of someone supporting me would be absurd to me.' Amber came out as bisexual in 2010; she dated photographer Tasya van Ree from 2008 to 2011.

She told Marie Claire that she believes prejudices over things such as sexuality are dissipating.

'No matter what people want to label me as, I still fight for equality, and I think popular opinion will catch up. I think it already has, actually,' she said.

'I think our generation sees themselves as part of a larger global community, and therefore, it's harder to enact basic tribalistic prejudices based on ignorance and hate.'

Amber upcoming film, The Danish Girl, tells the true story of Lili Elbe, one of the world's first recipients of gender reassignment surgery. It is released in the US on November 27.

By Ross Mcdonagh For Dailymail.com

Published: 16:49 GMT, 12 November 2015 | Updated: 17:32 GMT, 12 November 2015