Actor Johnny Depp took the stand in a Fairfax, Virginia court on Tuesday in his defamation case against his ex-wife Amber Heard.
The Oscar-nominated actor detailed Heard’s allegations of domestic abuse, his history with substance abuse, and their relationship during his roughly three-hour testimony, which will continue Wednesday.
“My objective is to tell the truth,” Depp stated early on in his remarks.
Depp, who is best known for his work on the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise, is suing Heard for $50 million in a Fairfax County, Virginia court in connection with a 2018 Washington Post op-ed in which she discussed her experience with domestic abuse.
Heard’s piece made no mention of Depp by name.
Heard claimed in the years preceding the book’s publication that Depp bruised her face after throwing a phone at her in their Los Angeles home. Depp denied the allegation and was cleared of any wrongdoing.
Depp admitted in his testimony that he and Heard had disagreements throughout their relationship but stated, “I never came close to striking Ms. Heard in any way, nor have I ever struck a woman in my life.”
He also discussed his parents’ tumultuous relationship and the verbal and physical abuse his mother inflicted on him and his siblings. He also claimed that his first encounter with controlled substances occurred when he was approximately 11 years old and used his mother’s prescription pills “to escape the chaotic nature of what we were experiencing.”
Depp claims that Heard’s op-ed cost him money, including being dropped from future “Pirates of the Caribbean” films after 15 years as the franchise’s leader.
“One day you’re Cinderella, and the next day you’re Quasimodo,” Depp explained of how his career shifted after he was accused of sexual abuse. “Neither I, nor my children, nor the people who had believed in me all these years deserved that.”
Depp sheepishly admitted during his testimony that he had never seen the first “Pirates” film. He stated, however, that “I wholeheartedly believed in the character.”
‘She was too good to be true’
The trial began last week, and Depp stated on Tuesday that his testimony would be the “first opportunity I’ve had to speak fully about this case.”
Depp and Amber met on the set of “The Rum Diary” in 2009, married in 2015, and then spent months embroiled in a contentious divorce, with both sides levelling accusations of bad behaviour.
Depp described the beginning of his relationship with Heard in his testimony, saying “from what I recall, from what I recall, she was too good to be true.”
“She was attentive, loving, intelligent, kind, funny, and understanding. We shared a great deal “‘He stated.
Depp described Heard as “amazing” for between a year and a year and a half. He also described developing a friendship with Heard’s family.
“Then things began to change — or, to put it another way, things began to reveal themselves.”
The couple finalised their divorce in August 2016, stating in part, “Our relationship was intensely passionate and at times volatile, but always bound by love.”
Heard’s attempts to have the suit dismissed had been unsuccessful. In 2020, she filed a $100 million defamation countersuit against Depp, which is currently pending.
