Johnny Depp VS. Amber Heard Trial: What Is It About and How Did It All Start?

Both ex-spouses are accusing the other of defamation throughout the trial, which has drawn national attention. Find out about Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s tumultuous relationship below.

Depp has testified for days in a libel trial regarding whether his ex-wife defamed him in a 2018 Washington Post op-ed. Amber Heard, on the other side, has also testified against Depp and launched a $100 million countersuit against Depp, claiming that the initial lawsuit caused her to lose job opportunities.

It has been a media circus ever since, with Depp testifying about everything from taking pills as a teenager to nearly going insane and writing about his ex-claimed wife’s lies on the walls with his severed finger’s blood.

The Defamation Case

Heard’s attorneys have claimed that the case would reveal the “real” Johnny Depp.  Meanwhile, Depp denies ever assaulting Heard and he has stated he is mainly interested in uncovering the truth.

Screengrab Courtesy of 13News Now

“My goal is the truth because it killed me that people I had spoken with, that I had met with over the years would think that I was a fraud and that I had lied to them.” – Johnny Depp

Following Heard’s 2018 Washington Post op-ed piece, the actor has claimed that his film career has suffered as a result Heard referring to herself as a “public figure representing domestic abuse” shortly after their divorce was finalized. Attorneys for Johnny Depp claim that although Heard did not identify Depp by name, the accusation was clearly a reference to charges that Heard had made in 2016 when she filed for a restraining order against Depp.

Captain Jack No More

According to Johnny Depp, he lost his part in the blockbuster “Pirates of the Caribbean” film franchise after being accused of sexual assault and the publishing of the op-ed. In Heard’s defense, they claim that the op-ed was truthful and did not defame him.

Image Courtesy of Disney

The defense, however, claims that Johnny Depp’s name has been tarnished due to his own behavior. They contend that the Disney had already intended to dismiss Depp from months before the piece was released.

https://twitter.com/realamberheard/status/1075503279323242496

Amber Heard and the Abuse Allegations

Actor Johnny Depp is accused by actress Amber Heard of beating her physically and sexually on a number of times before and during their brief marriage. Defending himself, Depp maintained that Heard’s claims of his drug usage were “grossly embellished” and that he was never impaired during that timeframe. The couple met in 2009, married in 2015, and Heard wanted a divorce just 15 months later.

Image Courtesy of Jason Kempin/Getty Images

Depp lost a similar case in England against a British publication (The Sun). An American judge ruled that Depp abused Heard a dozen times and instilled terror in her during their marriage.

The Beginning of the End

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard first met on the set of The Rum Diary. The movie is inspired on an unreleased Hunter S. Thompson novel that was produced by Johnny Depp in 2011. Several years down the line, they began dating. John ny Depp and Amber Heard both referred to each other as “Steve” and “Slim” (respectively) in reference to Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall in To Have and Have Not.

Screengrab Courtesy of Hollywood Pictures (The Rum Diary)

According to Depp, their relationship began to falter when he realized Heard’s perspective of him changed all of a sudden. Heard, according to Depp, made tiny advances at him, knocked him down, and belittled him. Depp said the insults spiraled into full-on circular conversations that there was no way out of.

Depp claims that Heard began physically assaulting him soon after. His finger was severed to the point where the bone was revealed when Heard allegedly hurled two bottles of alcohol at Depp. In the hospital, Depp said that he had lied to the physicians about his injuries in order to protect Heard. It’s claimed by Heard’s lawyers that he accidentally sliced his finger.

Photo Taken by Johnny Depp’s Security Personnel

Johnny Depp’s Dark Messages

Heard’s legal team has focused on Depp’s text texts to Bettany in which he expressed a wish to harm Heard. On the stand, Depp says he’s sorry for what he’s said. He added that it was only an effort at “abstract humor” and were never intended to be real thoughts.

“Let’s drown her before we burn her. I will f**k her burnt corpse afterwards to make sure she’s dead.” – Johnny Depp’s text to Paul Bettany

There have been, however, some amusing instances in Johnny Depp’s testimony, despite the grim charges and violent text messages brought out in court.

The trial is being held in Fairfax County Circuit Court (Virginia). Heard’s legal team had appealed to have the lawsuit moved in California, where the actors live.

However, a court found that Depp had the authority to pursue the action in Virginia. The computer servers for the online version of The Washington Post are situated in the state. Depp’s legal team has stated that they chose Virginia as the venue because it had more favorable legislation for the actor’s situation.