Johnny Depp trial - live: Actor and Amber Heard release duelling confident statements
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WARNING: This article contains allegations of physical and sexual violence that some readers may find distressing.
Amber Heard delivered her second day of testimony on Thursday in the trial over a defamation lawsuit brought against her by ex-husband Johnny Depp.
Heard is being sued by Depp for $50m for implying he abused her in a 2018 Washington Post op-ed. Although she didn’t name him, he claims her allegations impacted his ability to work.
The trial is on hiatus for a week with both sides issuing statements of confidence in how proceedings are going.
On Thursday, Heard spoke extensively about her troubled relationship with Depp and detailed alleged physical fights. The court heard a harrowing account of an alleged sexual assault on Heard during a brutal and bloody altercation in Australia in 2015.
Heard had previously described an “unusual and remarkable” first meeting with Depp and a blossoming relationship as she fell “head over heels in love”. However, her testimony took a darker turn as she recalled the first time he allegedly hit her, his jealousy, and his drug and alcohol use.
Key points
Depp and Heard issue duelling statements sharing confidence in trial as court takes week break
Heard sobs as she recounts fight where Depp allegedly sexually assaulted her
Heard tells jury she thought Depp was going to kill her as photos of injuries shown in court
Depp lost $40m after publication of Amber Heard op-ed, forensic accountant says as actor rests case
Depp’s testimony recapped: A severed finger, shouting matches, vulgar texts, and wedding MDMA
What Heard and Depp have each said about Australia fight where he severed finger
Depp and Heard almost ran into each other in court after her sexual assault testimony
10:00 , Oliver O'Connell
Johnny Depp and Amber Heard nearly ran into each other as the court took a break shortly after her testimony on an alleged sexual assault by Mr Depp.
Court security stopped Mr Depp from walking out of the courtroom at the break, allowing Ms Heard to leave the witness stand and head back to her legal team on the other side of the room.
Read more:
Depp and Heard nearly run into each other after her testimony on alleged assault
Heard claims Depp accused her of having an affair with Eddie Redmayne
08:00 , Oliver O'Connell
Eddie Redmayne is the latest star to be named in Johnny Depp’s defamation trial against his ex-wife Amber Heard.
Heard returned to the witness stand for a second day on Thursday 5 May, where she told the court that Depp had accused her of having an affair with Redmayne while they were filming The Danish Girl (2015).
Read more:
Amber Heard claims Johnny Depp accused her of having an affair with Eddie Redmayne
How courtroom live-streaming turned an ugly battle between Depp and Heard into a circus
06:00 , Oliver O'Connell
Tom Murray reports on how the lines between justice and entertainment have blurred.
Depp v Heard: How courtroom live-streaming has turned a bitter trial into a circus
Voices: Johnny Depp was lovable onscreen – it doesn’t mean he’s a nice guy
04:59 , Oliver O'Connell
A lot of people have fond memories of growing up with Johnny Depp’s films – I get it. But this is ultimately irrelevant, writes Sunny Hundal.
Opinion: Johnny Depp was lovable onscreen – it doesn’t mean he’s a nice guy
Heard tells court she thought Depp was going to kill her
04:15 , Oliver O'Connell
Amber Heard told a court that she thought Johnny Depp was going to kill her “without realising it” as a jury was shown photos of injuries she claims he inflicted on her.
Read more:
Amber Heard tells court she thought Johnny Depp was going to kill her
Depp and Heard issue duelling statements sharing confidence in trial as court breaks for week
03:30 , Oliver O'Connell
Johnny Depp and Amber Heard have issued duelling statements sharing confidence in their respective legal teams’ standing their defamation trial as the Virginia court proceedings take a week’s break.
Following incendiary testimony by Ms Heard on Thursday, in which she claimed Mr Depp sexually assaulted her, a spokesperson for Mr Depp said in a statement released to media outlets that “as Mr Depp’s counsel correctly predicted in their opening statements last month, Ms Heard did indeed deliver ‘the performance of her life’ in her direct examination”.
A spokesperson for Ms Heard told The Independent that “as evidenced by the statement just released, Mr Depp’s defamation claim is falling apart so rapidly that his counsel are turning from prosecutor to persecutor”.
Read more:
Johnny Depp and Amber Heard issue duelling statements as court takes week break
Heard sobs as she recounts fight where Depp allegedly sexually assaulted her
02:45 , Oliver O'Connell
Amber Heard sobbed as she recounted a fight in Australia with Johnny Depp during which she claims that he sexually assaulted her with a vodka bottle.
The Hollywood actress claims the Pirates of the Caribbean star slammed her against a wall, threw bottles at her and ripped off her nightgown in a drug-fuelled rage in Australia in March 2015.
Read more:
Amber Heard sobs recounting fight where Johnny Depp allegedly sexually assaulted her
Heard references previous claim Depp pushed Kate Moss down the stairs
02:00 , Oliver O'Connell
Amber Heard said she “instantly” thought “of Kate Moss and stairs” when she recounted a fight with Johnny Depp involving her sister Whitney.
On the stand on Thursday in the defamation trial between the two actors, Ms Heard walked through one of many fights between herself and Mr Depp, with this one taking place in March 2015.
Read more:
Amber Heard references previous claim Johnny Depp pushed Kate Moss down the stairs
Heard tells court Depp cheated on her after their wedding
01:15 , Oliver O'Connell
Amber Heard has testified that Johnny Depp cheated on her with another woman just after the former couple got married.
A jury at their multi-million dollar defamation trial in Fairfax, Virginia, was told by the actress that her husband had an “on-and-off” relationship with the woman, who he had been text messaging.
“I found his iPad open, he had been texting someone with it open, he had passed out, and I saw he was texting a woman he had a relationship with on and off at the beginning of our relationship so I recognised the name but the date was right after the wedding.”
Read more:
Amber Heard tells court Johnny Depp cheated on her after their wedding
Heard says Depp subjected her to ‘disgusting’ and violent grilling about sex scene
Saturday 7 May 2022 00:30 , Oliver O'Connell
Amber Heard has alleged that Johnny Depp once subjected her to a “disgusting” and violent grilling about a sex scene she had filmed with James Franco.
Read more:
Heard says Depp subjected her to ‘disgusting’ grilling about sex scene with Franco
Who is Amber Heard?
Friday 6 May 2022 23:45 , Oliver O'Connell
While Amber Heard’s tumultuous relationship with Johnny Depp has made headlines, the 36-year-old is an actor, activist, and model in her own right.
Inga Parkel profiles the actor.
What we know about Amber Heard’s career, background and family life
Heard tells court why she recorded Depp ‘howling like an animal’
Friday 6 May 2022 23:00 , Oliver O'Connell
Amber Heard has told the court that she recorded Johnny Depp “howling like an animal” while was allegedly intoxicated on a private flight from Boston to Los Angeles because he wouldn’t remember how bad it was afterward.
An alleged violent incident on the flight took place in May 2014 after Ms Heard had flown from New York to Boston to meet Mr Depp for their flight to LA.
Read more:
Amber Heard tells court why she recorded Johnny Depp ‘howling like an animal’
Heard says Depp told her only way out of marriage is death
Friday 6 May 2022 22:30 , Oliver O'Connell
Amber Heard testified that before their engagement party, she had discussed with Johnny Depp about getting a prenuptial agreement to ‘eliminate any doubt’ about her intentions towards marrying him, given that he “earned significantly more money”.
Amber Heard says Depp told her only way out of marriage is death
Heard says Depp’s jealousy made her give up film roles
Friday 6 May 2022 22:00 , Oliver O'Connell
Amber Heard has told the court that Johnny Depp’s jealousy made her give up film roles with sex scenes and revealing outfits as she took the witness stand in the couple’s defamation trial on Thursday.
Telling how the couple’s relationship affected her career, Ms Heard spoke of feeling like she had to negotiate with Mr Depp when she received a job offer.
“I’ve always been really independent. I couldn’t imagine not working,” she told the jury on Thursday. “I never imagined myself having to explain or justify my job.”
Read more:
Amber Heard says Johnny Depp’s jealousy made her give up film roles with sex scenes
Heard says she had to get used to ‘different versions’ of Depp
Friday 6 May 2022 21:30 , Oliver O'Connell
Amber Heard said that she had to get used to “different versions” of Johnny Depp based on his alleged drug use, as part of her testimony during Mr Depp’s defamation trial.
Heard says she had to get used to ‘different versions’ of Depp
Most damning things Depp said about Heard at her defamation trial
Friday 6 May 2022 21:15 , Oliver O'Connell
Johnny Depp and Amber Heard have both made damning claims about the other during the proceedings in Virginia with both levelling allegations of both verbal and physical abuse.
Over the course of three and a half days on the witness stand, Mr Depp testified at length about alleged physical and verbal abuse he sustained at Ms Heard’s hands, as well as her drug and alcohol use.
Here’s a rundown of some of the most damning things Mr Depp testified about Ms Heard:
Most damning things Johnny Depp said about Amber Heard at their defamation trial
Heard testifies about photos of Depp ‘passed out after drug binges’
Friday 6 May 2022 21:00 , Oliver O'Connell
The jury in the defamation trial of Amber Heard has been shown images of Johnny Depp allegedly passed out after using drugs, as his ex-wife continued her testimony on Thursday morning (5 May).
Ms Heard said she “would look for clues” in terms of Mr Depp’s drinking and drug use.
“He would pass out, and get sick, and lose control of himself. And people would find him, and fix him up ... I would take pictures to document it”, she said.
Read more:
Amber Heard testifies about photos of Johnny Depp ‘passed out after drug binges’
Debunked: Claim Heard borrowed lines from The Talented Mr Ripley
Friday 6 May 2022 20:30 , Oliver O'Connell
A claim that Amber Heard lifted from the plot ofThe Talented Mr Ripley for her testimony at the Johnny Depp defamation trial has been debunked.
After the Aquaman actor delivered her second day of testimony at the ongoing trial on Thursday (5 May), she was accused of taking lines verbatim from director Anthony Minghella’s critically acclaimed film.
Read more:
Claim Amber Heard borrowed lines from a movie for her Depp testimony is debunked
Sexual assault allegations, physical violence, and a stifled career: Amber Heard’s testimony on Johnny Depp
Friday 6 May 2022 20:15 , Oliver O'Connell
After two days on the witness stand, here’s what we’ve learned so far from Amber Heard’s testimony.
Key moments from Amber Heard’s testimony on Johnny Depp
When will there be a verdict in Johnny Depp’s trial against Amber Heard?
Friday 6 May 2022 20:00 , Oliver O'Connell
The defamation trial opposing Johnny Depp and Amber Heard has concluded its fourth week at the district court in Fairfax, Virginia, but when will a verdict be reached?
When will there be a verdict in Johnny Depp’s trial against Amber Heard?
Depp v Heard: A timeline of their relationship, allegations, and court battles
Friday 6 May 2022 19:30 , Oliver O'Connell
Here is a timeline of Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s relationship, separation, and court battles, from when they are said to have started dating to the latest trial:
A timeline of Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s relationship and court battles
What Heard and Depp have each said about Australia fight where he severed finger
Friday 6 May 2022 19:11 , Oliver O'Connell
Amber Heard and Johnny Depp have both testified about what they each allege happened during a violent incident in Australia in early 2015, when the latter actor severed his finger.
Ms Heard and Mr Depp have both been asked about the alleged incident as part of the defamation trial opposing them in Fairfax, Virginia.
The alleged 2015 incident in Australia has been a key point of the trial, with Ms Heard and Mr Depp each sharing their accounts. Over the course of the evening, Mr Depp’s middle finger was cut off. Ms Heard has said she was not awake when the injury happened; Mr Depp has alleged his finger was injured when Ms Heard threw a vodka bottle in his direction.
Here is what Mr Depp Heard and Ms Heard have each told the jury:
What Amber Heard and Johnny Depp have each said about fight where he severed finger
When will Amber Heard resume her testimony?
Friday 6 May 2022 19:00 , Oliver O'Connell
Week four of the defamation trial of Amber Heard concluded on Thursday evening before she finished giving testimony, what happens next?
Is Johnny Depp’s trial against Amber Heard in court today?
The ‘lesser known person’: Amber Heard
Friday 6 May 2022 18:30 , Oliver O'Connell
As she entered the witness box to give evidence in the multimillion-dollar US defamation trial against her former partner Johnny Depp, Amber Heard acknowledged that she was “the lesser known person” in the courtroom.
Mike Bedigan profiles the actor.
Amber Heard: The ‘lesser known person’ in Johnny Depp’s US defamation trial
Psychologist says Heard has PTSD from domestic violence
Friday 6 May 2022 18:00 , Oliver O'Connell
A forensic psychologist testifying for Amber Heard’s defence has said that the actress suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) stemming from domestic violence.
She also dismissed the claim that the couple was responsible for “mutual abuse”, as testified by their marriage counsellor earlier in the trial.
Read more:
Psychologist says Amber Heard has PTSD from domestic violence
Judge denies Heard bid to dismiss Depp defamation suit
Friday 6 May 2022 17:30 , Oliver O'Connell
Judge Penney Azcarate denied Amber Heard’s bid to dismiss Johnny Depp’s defamation lawsuit against her on Tuesday after the latter actor’s legal team rested its case.
In seeking a dismissal, defence lawyer Ben Rottenborn argued that the only issue in the case is if Ms Heard can be held responsible for defamation because of her 2018 column and nothing else.
Read more:
Judge denies Amber Heard bid to dismiss Johnny Depp defamation suit
Depp lost $40m after publication of Heard op-ed, forensic accountant says
Friday 6 May 2022 17:00 , Oliver O'Connell
Johnny Depp lost $40m after the publication of Amber Heard’s op-ed, a forensic accountant testified shortly before Mr Depp’s legal team rested their case.
Forensic accountant Michael Spindler told the court on Tuesday that he was tasked for this case with reviewing Mr Depp’s lost earnings. He analysed the time between 18 December 2018, when Ms Heard’s op-ed was published, and 31 October 2020.
Read more:
Depp lost $40m after publication of Heard op-ed, accountant says as actor rests case
What does Depp need to prove to win his case against Heard?
Friday 6 May 2022 16:40 , Oliver O'Connell
The defamation trial opposing Johnny Depp and Amber Heard in Virginia has reached its halfway mark.
Depp sued Heard, his ex-wife, in March 2019, over an op-ed she wrote in 2018 for The Washington Post, titled: “I spoke up against sexual violence — and faced our culture’s wrath. That has to change.” In the piece, she refers to herself as “a public figure representing domestic abuse”.
Depp isn’t mentioned by name in the piece, but he has alleged it defames his character.
“The op-ed depended on the central premise that Ms Heard was a domestic abuse victim and that Mr Depp perpetrated domestic violence against her,” his complaint alleges in part, calling the claim of domestic abuse “categorically and demonstrably false”.
Since 11 April, a jury has been selected and witnesses, including Depp himself, have been heard at the Fairfax County Courthouse in Virginia.
The trial is expected to last for a total of six weeks. Depp and Heard’s respective legal teams will deliver their closing arguments, and a jury will deliberate to reach a verdict.
Four weeks of proceedings have elapsed, and three remain to take place.
Here is what you need to know about the case moving forward:
What Johnny Depp needs to prove to win his case against Amber Heard
Heard claims Depp accused her of having an affair with Eddie Redmayne
Friday 6 May 2022 16:20 , Oliver O'Connell
Eddie Redmayne is the latest star to be named in Johnny Depp’s defamation trial against his ex-wife Amber Heard.
Heard returned to the witness stand for a second day on Thursday 5 May, where she told the court that Depp had accused her of having an affair with Redmayne while they were filming The Danish Girl (2015).
Amber Heard claims Johnny Depp accused her of having an affair with Eddie Redmayne
Voices: Why do people blindly support Johnny Depp? I’ll tell you why
Friday 6 May 2022 16:00 , Oliver O'Connell
Charlotte Proudman writes:
As a barrister, I see many victims of domestic abuse being sued for ‘defamation’, for daring to speak about what their perpetrator did to them. Meanwhile, the world questions whether they’re a ‘real victim’.
Opinion: Why do people blindly support Johnny Depp? I’ll tell you why
Voices: The unbearable memeification of the Johnny Depp vs Amber Heard trial
Friday 6 May 2022 15:45 , Oliver O'Connell
Clemence Michallon writes: Even when I traveled to the courthouse in the opening days of the trial, I didn’t think I’d see TikToks deconstructing Heard’s every movement or fawning over Depp’s hand gestures, or memes circulating on Twitter about domestic violence.
The Johnny Depp v Amber Heard memes have got to stop
Voices: Johnny Depp was lovable onscreen – it doesn’t mean he’s a nice guy
Friday 6 May 2022 15:30 , Oliver O'Connell
Sunny Hundal writes: A lot of people have fond memories of growing up with Johnny Depp’s films – I get it. But this is ultimately irrelevant.
Opinion: Johnny Depp was lovable onscreen – it doesn’t mean he’s a nice guy
How courtroom live-streaming turned an ugly battle between exes into a circus
Friday 6 May 2022 15:15 , Oliver O'Connell
Tom Murray writes:
It’s a much louder and far more bombastic affair than Depp’s previous defamation case. He lost that one – which was held at London’s High Court of Justice and not televised – to the publishers of The Sun, after a judge deemed its labelling of the actor as a “wife beater” to be “substantially true”. The current trial – over Heard’s 2018 Washington Post op-ed, which implied that Depp was a domestic abuser – is stranger still for the ease with which it can be viewed.
Depp v Heard: How courtroom live-streaming has turned a bitter trial into a circus
Heard says Depp subjected her to ‘disgusting’ and violent grilling about sex scene with James Franco
Friday 6 May 2022 15:00 , Oliver O'Connell
Amber Heard has alleged that Johnny Depp once subjected her to a “disgusting” and violent grilling about a sex scene she had filmed with James Franco.
Ms Heard returned to the witness stand for a second day on Thursday as part of the defamation trial opposing her and Mr Depp in Fairfax, Virginia.
She was asked about an incident she alleges occurred on a private flight in 2014. At the time, Ms Heard had been cast to star alongside Mr Franco in The Adderall Diaries, a thriller that was ultimately released in 2016.
“He was mad at me for taking the job with James Franco,” Ms Heard said. “He hated, hated James Franco and was already accusing me of secretly having a thing with him in my past, since we had done [the 2008 movie] Pineapple Express together.”
The alleged incident happened in May 2014 on a flight between Boston and Los Angeles.
Read more:
Heard says Depp subjected her to ‘disgusting’ grilling about sex scene with Franco
Friday 6 May 2022 14:50 , Oliver O'Connell
Depp and Heard issue duelling statements sharing confidence in trial as court takes week break
Friday 6 May 2022 14:35 , Oliver O'Connell
Johnny Depp and Amber Heard have issued duelling statements sharing confidence in the trial as the Virginia court takes a week’s break.
Gustaf Kilander has the latest.
Johnny Depp and Amber Heard issue duelling statements as court takes week break
