Defence lawyers on Monday called more experts to testify in the Johnny Depp-Amber Heard libel case, after a week in which her team produced witnesses who described his career decline.
Depp filed a $50 million suit against his former wife, alleging that her 2018 Washington Post opinion piece, in which Heard described herself as "a public figure representing domestic abuse”, caused irreparable damage to his career and cost him "everything".
Last week Heard’s lawyers spent most of the trial producing witnesses who said his star was waning before the article and that Depp was frequently jealous, unable to control his anger and often drunk and or under the influence of illicit drugs.
Depp testified that he has never been violent towards anyone and that it was Heard who was physically abusive in the relationship. She is counter-suing him for $100m. The trial is now in its sixth week.
Kathryn Arnold, a long-time entertainment industry expert, testified that Hollywood had already begun to turn its back on Depp before the article was printed.
“His behaviour, both on and off the set, in his personal life and in his professional life, started to interfere with what everybody saw was his great talent … between 2006 and 2010,” Ms Arnold testified.
Last week Tracey Jacobs, Depp’s talent agent of 30 years, said that his actions began harming her ability to get him roles in about 2010.
“Initially, crews loved him because he was always so great with the crew," Ms Jacobs said. "But crews don’t love sitting around for hours and hours and hours waiting for the star of the movie to show up.
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Depp at Disney World in Orlando, Florida, promoting the 'Pirates' franchise. Photo: Andy Templeton -
Depp backstage with members of the stage production of 'Edward Scissorhands' at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles, California. Photo: Technologik -
Depp fired the bulk of his long-time representation in 2016 and sued many of them. Photo: Vanessa Lua -
Depp and his 'Pirates of the Caribbean' co-star Penelope Cruz. Photo: Eric Charbonneau / WireImage -
Depp reportedly punched a location manager on the set of 'City of Lies'. Photo: Celebrity ABC -
'The Lone Ranger' was a Hollywood disaster on many levels. Photo: Inside the Magic -
Depp's star began to fade years before his wife wrote an op ed for 'The Washington Post' on domestic abuse. Photo: Alli Kwong -
Heard filed an order of protection against Depp after filing for divorce. Photo: Technologik -
Depp has been an international star for more than 40 years. Photo: Loren Javier -
Depp's film about Whitey Bulger underperformed at the box office. Photo: Asim Bharwani -
Depp often plays with his band, the Hollywood Vampires, in small clubs in Los Angeles, California. Photo: Starbright31 -
Depp told the court that he would 'never damage his own finger' as he loves playing the guitar. Photo: Starbright31 -
Depp often played at his own club, the Viper Room. Photo: Starbright31 -
Depp appears at a Disney theme park. Photo: Loren Javier -
Depp put his handprints and footprints at the famous Grauman's Chinese Theatre. Photo: Loren Javier -
Depp's character from 'Dark Shadows' appears on the side of a building in New York. Photo: Brecht Bug -
Depp was in 'Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore' but said he was forced to exit the franchise. Photo: Gage Skidmore -
Johnny Depp with actor David Hasselhoff (C) and his long-time friend Bruce Witkin who testified on behalf of his ex-wife Amber Heard. Photo: Hollywood Vampires Facebook
“And it also got around town. I mean, people talk, it’s a small community. And it made people reluctant to use him.”
On the witness stand for close to two hours, Ms Arnold affirmed Ms Jacobs testimony, talking of Depp’s tardiness, drinking, drug abuse and “other issues in his personal life”.
“It got more complicated for her to find him work and I think it got harder for production companies and studios to hire him due to the challenges that he put on a production,” Ms Arnold said.
It was after Depp’s bizarre appearance on the 2014 Hollywood Film Awards that Ms Jacobs received “many phone calls from producers, casting directors and production executives” inquiring about the star.
“They all wanted to know, ‘What is going on with your client? Do you know what's going on with his behaviour? Can we get them under control?’” Ms Arnold testified.
Given the task of presenting an award for best documentary film to Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon, Depp swerved and stumbled his way across the stage, stared down at the microphone and tried to slur his way through the live event.
CBS eventually cut to a commercial after he dropped several expletives.
“And then I think it really started to shift around the Pirates V movie in Australia, with again the lateness and the issues with the finger that stopped production, and things of that nature, and then it just got harder and harder,” Ms Arnold said.
In her opinion, Depp’s unpredictable conduct, absences and intoxication were not the only things to make him unpopular with film executives.
There was also his parade of legal filings against long-time associates, business partners, publications and his former wife.
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US actors Johnny Depp and Benito Del Toro with model Kate Moss at a screening of the film 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas' at the 51st Cannes film festival. AFP -
Inquiring minds want to know what Kate Moss might say about her relationship with Johnny Depp. WireImage -
Johnny Depp waves to fans from the back of his vehicle. AFP -
A fan of Depp wears ribbons in a show of support. AFP -
Depp fans continue to congregate outside the Fairfax County Circuit Court in Fairfax, Virginia. AFP -
Depp and Amber Heard's friend, iO Tillet Wright, said that Depp used derogatory words for his fan base, calling them 'remoras, which is a type of suckerfish that attaches itself to the hull of a ship and puts a hole in it and then sinks it'. AFP -
A rare supporter of Heard outside the Virginia courthouse. AFP -
Throughout the six-week trial, most of the fans outside the courtroom have come to support Depp. AFP -
The trial is on its 20th day of evidence. AFP -
A social media expert said that during Depp's London trial against 'The Sun', every tweet with the hashtag #justiceforjohnny contained negative language concerning Heard. AFP -
Depp has made a point to acknowledge his fans in the courtroom. AFP
Depp lost a libel case against the Sun, a British paper that wrote he was a "wife beater". A London High Court judge ruled that he had repeatedly assaulted Heard.
“There's a lot of publicity around anything that he does … and whether it was about erratic behaviour or domestic abuse or drugs and alcohol, and even spending habits, the press and publicity has just been charged up and brought everything back to light,” Ms Arnold said.
Heard’s article never mentioned him by name, but Depp says it cost him a lucrative payday on the sixth Pirates of the Caribbean film.
Tina Newman, a Walt Disney Studios production executive, was asked last week by Heard’s lawyers if any decision maker at the studio said he was not cast because of the article.
“No,” Ms Newman said.
Ms Arnold said that to the best of her knowledge, no one even knew about The Washington Post article until Depp brought it up.
She said it was an October 2108 article in The Hollywood Reporter in which two of the film’s writers gave their opinions that Depp’s character would go away.
Another derogatory piece appeared in Rolling Stone magazine and then a second in The Hollywood Reporter delivered the death knell.
Earlier in the trial, Depp’s lawyers called Richard Marks, who testified that it was the opinion piece that fuelled The Hollywood Reporter’s findings and led to Disney firing Depp.
“It was actually printed in the Reporter the same morning that the Washington Post article was printed," Ms Arnold said.
"So there's no way that the Washington Post article had any impact on what The Hollywood Reporter journalist wrote as they were on the same morning, they were released simultaneously, interestingly enough."
Earlier in the day, jurors were shown graphic photos of Depp's bloody finger and heard testimony from orthopaedic surgeon Dr Richard Moore, who had reviewed Depp's medical records.
"Looking at the images, there's really no, no significant injury to the dorsal or the finger," Dr Moore said.
"And to create the type of injury with that, with that type of a crush injury, we would anticipate both injury to the fingernail and other parts of the finger."
During cross examination by Depp's lawyer, he said: "I can't rule out that a vodka bottle caused the injury, but I can rule out that it was caused in the manner described in his testimony."
Depp claims that he lost the tip of his finger when Heard hurled a vodka bottle at him while the couple were having an argument in Australia.
Heard testified that they did have a vicious argument, but that Depp may have injured himself when he smashed a wall-mounted phone into "smithereens".
Depp and Heard met in 2011 while filming The Rum Diary and married in February 2015. Their divorce was finalised less than two years later.
Heard's lawyers have argued that she told the truth and that her opinion was protected free speech under the First Amendment of the US Constitution.
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This photo was taken at the Los Angeles courthouse the day Heard filed her domestic violence restraining order against Johnny Depp. AP -
Evidence showing pictures of injuries to Heard appear on a screen. EPA -
Actor Johnny Depp is seen laying in a hospital after his finger was injured while he and his ex-wife Amber Heard were in Australia in March 2015. Photo: Johnny Depp Legal Team / Reuters -
Evidence presented by US actress Amber Heard showing a bald spot in her head. AFP -
Evidence showing US actress Amber Heard's hair she testified was pulled out by her ex-husband Johnny Depp. AFP -
Evidence showing pictures of US actress Amber Heard's injuries presented in court. AFP -
Evidence showing pictures of US actress Amber Heard appear on a screen during a defamation trial. AFP -
More evidence showing pictures of US actress Amber Heard. AFP -
Johnny Depp reportedly wrote messages in his own blood to his former wife Amber Heard. EPA -
Pictures of shattered glass presented as evidence by Amber Heard's defence team. EPA -
Photo presented as evidence by Amber Heard's defence team. EPA -
This is a photo of the ping pong table where Amber Heard testified she was sexually assaulted by her former husband Johnny Depp. EPA -
Johnny Depp's scribblings presented as evidence by Amber Heard's defence team. EPA -
Evidence appears on a monitor during the Depp vs Heard defamation trial. EPA -
Evidence appears on a monitor during the Depp vs Heard defamation trial. -
A photo of Johnny Depp that Amber Heard says she took of him whilst he was passed out. EPA -
Communications presented as evidence by Amber Heard's defence team. EPA -
Evidence appears on a monitor in the courtroom during the 50 million US dollar Depp vs Heard defamation trial at the Fairfax County Circuit Court in Fairfax, Virginia, EPA -
More evidence was shared in the courtroom in the US actor Johnny Depp/Amber Heard trial. EPA -
Johnny Depp's emails were submitted as evidence in today's trial. EPA -
An image taken by US actress Amber Heard of her former husband, Johnny Depp, passed out was submitted as trial evidence. EPA -
Johnny Depp testified that these pictures were taken during the period when he had 'fallen off the wagon'. EPA -
Evidence shown in today's proceedings. When asked if he would often drink whisky in the morning, Mr Depp replied: “Isn’t happy hour anytime?” -
US actress Amber Heard reacts as she listens to an audio recording of she and US actor Johhny Depp arguing. AFP -
US actor Johnny Depp testifies during the 50 million US dollar Depp vs Heard defamation trial at the Fairfax County Circuit Court in Fairfax, Virginia. EPA -
US actress Amber Heard during the trial at the Fairfax County Circuit Court in Fairfax, Virginia. EPA -
Images of Amber Heard admitted as evidence. AP -
Images of Amber Heard admitted as evidence. AP -
Images of Amber Heard admitted as evidence. AP
