Johnny Depp Wraps Up Testimony in High‑Profile Defamation Battle
On Monday, April 25, the charismatic lead of “Pirates of the Caribbean” finally wrapped up his courtroom drama against ex‑wife Amber Heard. The star claims he endured abuse and left his marriage “broken,” setting the stage for a hefty legal showdown.
What Happened on Day Four?
- Case context: Depp is suing Heard for US$50 million (S$69 million) over defamation. Heard countersues for US$100 million, saying Depp ruined her reputation.
- Key evidence: In a Virginia courtroom, Depp’s lawyers played a recorded chat from 2016, after Heard had gotten a restraining order. The clip shows Depp suggesting a joint letter to calm the media frenzy.
- Heard’s pushback: Heard “tacked” him on to come out loud: “Tell the world, Johnny – I’m a victim too!” Depp nodded, saying, “Yes, I am.”
- Shock moments: In another San‑Francisco audio, Depp threatened to stab himself, saying his life felt like a “blood‑only” docility.
Why the Case Matters
The dispute hovers around a 2018 Washington Post opinion piece that didn’t name Depp directly, but his attorneys argued that Heard was pointing at him. This essay has become the linchpin in determining whether Depp truly faced abuse or was merely defamed.
The Dramatic Tour of Court
While the courtroom might look like a box office set, the reality is far more chaotic. With the story echoing on social media and print, the courtroom becomes a stage for the truth—or a “staged” truth. Either way, both parties are using the best audio tech and strong emotional appeal to sway the judge and jury.
As these high‑stakes, highly publicized allegations unfold, the question remains: whose narrative will win the day? Watch the drama unfold as it continues to unfold from behind the courthouse doors.
<img alt="" data-caption="Actor Amber Heard stands in the courtroom, as the jury leaves for a lunch break, during ex-husband Johnny Depp's defamation trial against her, at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Fairfax, Virginia, US,
PHOTO: Reuters via Pool ” data-entity-type=”file” data-entity-uuid=”b14415b3-0fc0-4431-8a99-118a816e6ccd” src=”/sites/default/files/inline-images/260422_amber_reuters.jpg”/>The couple’s divorce was finalised in 2017 after a two-year marriage.
Earlier on Monday, Heard’s attorneys introduced news articles that they said showed Depp’s behaviour had already harmed his lucrative movie career well before Heard’s piece.
Headlines included “Why are all of Johnny Depp’s movies bombing at the box office?” and “Where did it all go wrong for Johnny Depp?”
The articles, published before Heard’s piece, claimed Depp drank vodka for breakfast and was late to movie sets.
Depp said that as a longtime Hollywood star, he was the subject of “hit pieces”.
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The actor testified that Heard would slap or shove him when the couple disagreed and once threw a vodka bottle at his hand, cutting off the top of his right middle finger.
In a separate legal case in Britain, Heard denied throwing a bottle and severing Depp’s finger. She said she threw things only to escape when he was beating her, and once punched him because she feared he would push her sister down the stairs.
Depp, once among the biggest stars in Hollywood, said he never struck Heard or any woman and that Heard’s allegations cost him “everything”.
A new Pirates movie was put on hold, and Depp was dropped from the Fantastic Beasts film franchise (2016 to present), a Harry Potter spinoff.
Heard’s attorneys have argued that she told the truth and that her opinion was protected as free speech under the United States Constitution’s First Amendment.
In opening arguments, Heard’s attorneys said Depp physically and sexually assaulted her while abusing drugs and alcohol.
A state court judge in Fairfax County, Virginia, is overseeing the trial, which is expected to last until late May.
Less than two years ago, Depp lost a libel case against The Sun, a British tabloid that labelled him a “wife-beater”. A London High Court judge ruled he had repeatedly assaulted Heard.
Depp’s lawyers have said they filed the US case in Fairfax County, outside the nation’s capital, because the Washington Post is printed there. The newspaper is not a defendant.
actorsDomestic ViolenceabuseLawsuitsjohnny depp
