Tearful Amber Heard testifies that Johnny Depp brutally assaulted her

Heard also said that Depp struck her in a fit of jealousy over co-star James Franco

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In a second day of dramatic testimony, a sobbing Amber Heard on Thursday described more instances of abuse — physical and verbal — that she says primarily occurred when her ex-husband Johnny Depp was intoxicated.

The star of the Pirates of the Caribbean films is suing Heard for $50 million, saying she defamed him when she claimed to be a victim of domestic abuse. The Aquaman star consequently countersued Depp for $100m, claiming she suffered “rampant physical violence and abuse” at his hands.

Heard said that the few times she suggested his substance abuse might be a problem, the more belligerent Depp would become. In her recounting of a holiday dinner with Depp and his children, Heard said that as Depp became more and more inebriated, the more uncomfortable they all became.

When she suggested that, for the children’s sake, he slow down his drinking, Heard said that it only made him angrier.

“Johnny became upset with me for judging him,” said Heard. “I couldn't win … If I didn't say anything to him about the drinking … it got worse. If I did acknowledge it, it was my fault and I was nagging.”

Heard said that Depp’s wrath only escalated when they returned to the hotel where he lobbed several insults and expletives her way — with his children in the adjoining room.

“I was concerned about them hearing us as he screamed at me … I had just met them and I didn't want them to think poorly of me,” Heard said.

She said that many of the names her called her were too disgusting to repeat.

Depp filed suit against Heard over an op-ed she wrote for The Washington Post in 2018 in which she described herself as a “public figure representing domestic abuse”.

Heard did not name Depp in the op-ed, but he is suing her for implying he was an abuser.

James Franco

Heard added that Depp tried to control the roles that she would take, though in a moment of kindness, told her that “no girl of mine will ever have to work”. When she went to audition for The Adderall Diaries, Depp accused her of having an affair with her future co-star James Franco — again.

“He hated, hated James Franco and was already accusing me of kind of secretly having a thing with him in my past since we had done Pineapple Express together,” she said.

It was on a plane trip from New York to Los Angeles, Heard said, that Depp ramped up his accusations and taunts, which turned violent. Heard said that she thought that moving away from Depp, not engaging with him, might make things better — but it only made it worse.

“I remember moving more than once and Johnny came to me each time,” said Heard, describing a situation that occurred in the presence of his assistant and other employees.

“I resolve to just sit the rest of the time at the front of the plane. And as I get up he kind of kicks the swivel chair into my hip … and he yells, ‘What are you going to do about it?’”

Heard said that instead of anger, she felt sadness and yearned for Depp to again be the person with whom she was deeply in love. So, she looked into his eyes before moving seats.

“I wanted to get through to him … I just look at him one more time, wanting to penetrate the monster to see the man that I love underneath that,” Heard said through sobs.

As she walked away, Depp’s boot landed squarely on her back, knocking her to the floor.

No one said anything … you could you could hear a pin drop on that plane. You could feel the tension but no one did anything,” Heard said.

Depp, who gave evidence for four days earlier in the trial, denied engaging in any kind of abuse towards Heard and claimed she was the one who was frequently violent.

Amber Heard breaks down in tears during her defence

Amber Heard breaks down in tears during her defence

Pre-nuptial

When Depp proposed to Heard in London in an epically romantic fashion, she pushed her reservations about him aside. Reserving the same hotel suite where their relationship began, Depp got down on one knee and said, “I want you to be my girl be my girl forever, my woman”, Heard said.

Depp told Heard that his goal for the rest of their lives would be to make her smile, she said.

“I looked into his eyes and I saw my future hope, you know, like blind hope. I can't describe that kind of joy,” Heard said.

She said that she had thought an engagement, a commitment would calm him down, but despite a “million promises to get clean and sober”, couples therapy and stints in rehab, Depp would inevitably resume drinking and using drugs.

When she suggested that they sign a pre-nuptial agreement, Heard said that Depp became abusive and accused her of trying to get out of the relationship.

He said, she said

Heard also gave evidence about other occasions when Depp allegedly struck her, including one in which she said “I suspected I had a broken nose” and another when he slammed her head against the wall and choked her.

She also said that in 2015, while the couple was in Australia filming a Pirates sequel that Depp sexually assaulted her with a liquor bottle.

During the assault, Depp repeatedly said, “I'll [expletive] kill you”, she told the jury.

“I was scared,” she added. “I had just married him.”

Earlier in the evening, Depp had accused her of conducting relationships with co-stars in her movies, including Billy Bob Thornton and Eddie Redmayne — charges she denied.

The same night, the tip of Depp's middle finger was severed and Depp used the opportunity to write vulgar messages in blood on the walls of their rented house.

Depp said that Heard had cut his finger by tossing a vodka bottle at him.

Heard said she'd taken sleeping pills after she was attacked and was not awake when the finger was severed.

Updated: May 06, 2022, 1:13 AM