Johnny Depp trial - live: Amber Heard defence to continue as case enters final week

WARNING: This live blog contains allegations of physical and sexual violence that some readers may find distressing.

Amber Heard’s defence case continues in the defamation trial 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. She is pursuing a counter claim for $100m.

Testimony has been given by several of Heard’s former friends as well as her sister, acting coach, and makeup artist. They all testified either seeing her injuries or alleged altercations with Depp.

On Thursday, Depp’s longtime friend spoke of a jealous streak in the actor, while his former agent said he romanticised drugs and constantly showed up late to sets impacting his career.

The actor’s ex-business manager described his increasingly dire financial situation and “erratic behaviour” relating to drugs and alcohol. Actor and Depp-ex Ellen Barkin recalled him drinking all the time and once throwing a wine bottle across a room during an argument.

Testimony resumes on Monday.

Key points

• Here’s what attorneys say about the Johnny Depp v Amber Heard so far

• Heard grilled over alleged attack where Depp sexually assaulted her

• Heard’s ex-friend cries as she feared ‘monster’ Depp would ‘do something worse than he intended’

• Depp showed up late to set on ‘virtually every movie’, former agent says

• Depp attorney who called Heard’s abuse claims ‘fake’ refuses to answer 75 questions from her team

• Depp’s ex Ellen Barkin says ‘jealous’ actor threw wine bottle across room in fight

• Depp attorney says Marilyn Manson video ‘demolished’ Amber Heard’s abuse claims

‘Paranoid’ Depp told psychiatrist of ‘chaotic’ relationship with Heard

04:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Johnny Depp’s psychiatrist has revealed that the “paranoid” actor admitted to having a “very chaotic” relationship with “lots of anger” towards ex-wife Amber Heard.

Testimony from Dr Alan Blaustein was played in court on Thursday during the former couple’s defamation trial, where he spoke about the Pirates actor’s issues with drugs, alcohol, “rage” and “jealousy”.

“It was a very chaotic relationship with a lot of fluctuations, ups and downs. Lots of difficulties, emotional expressions” he testified Mr Depp told him in their sessions.

“Lots of anger in both places and high intensity… A lot of love, a lot of disappointment, a lot of fears.”

He added: “Part of his goal of therapy was to work through the anger that he and his fiancee had toward each other.”

Rachel Sharp reports:

‘Paranoid’ Johnny Depp told psychiatrist of ‘chaotic’ relationship with Amber Heard

Heard insists her 2018 op-ed on domestic violence is ‘not about Johnny’

02:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Amber Heard has insisted that the 2018 op-ed at the centre of the defamation trial with her ex-husband Johnny Depp is “not about Johnny”.

Ms Heard said that the article is actually about her and what happened to her “after I escaped my marriage”.

“The only one who made it about him ironically is Johnny,” she told the court.

Amber Heard says op-ed on domestic violence is ‘not about Johnny’

Heard breaks down saying she filed for divorce from Johnny Depp as she feared she ‘wouldn’t survive’

Monday 23 May 2022 00:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Amber Heard sobbed in court as she said she filed for divorce from Johnny Depp because she feared she “wouldn’t survive” if she stayed in the relationship.

“I knew if I didn’t I’d likely not literally survive,” she said, choking back tears.

Read more:

Amber Heard breaks down telling court why she filed for divorce from Johnny Depp

Depp fulfilling promise that Heard ‘will never see his eyes again’

Sunday 22 May 2022 23:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Johnny Depp is fulfilling a promise he made to Amber Heard that she will “never see his eyes again” after accusing him of being an abuser, a US court has heard.

The Aquaman star again denied Mr Depp had been the victim in their violent relationship, and reiterated that her 2018 article had not been about him, as she continued giving evidence on Monday.

Mr Depp is suing Ms Heard over the piece she wrote in The Washington Post, which his lawyers say falsely implies he physically and sexually abused her while they were together.

He has denied all accusations.

Read more:

Johnny Depp fulfilling promise that Amber Heard ‘will never see his eyes again’

Amber Heard says her role in Aquaman 2 was cut down amid controversy

Sunday 22 May 2022 22:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Amber Heard has said that her role in Aquaman 2 was significantly cut down amid her battle with ex Johnny Depp.

Speaking in court, the actor commented: “I fought really hard to stay in the movie. They didn’t want to include me in the film.”

She added: “I was given a script and then given new versions of the script that had taken away scenes that had action in it. That depicted my character and another character, without giving any spoilers away, two characters fighting with one another. They basically took a bunch out of my role. They just removed a bunch.”

Read more:

Amber Heard says her role in Aquaman 2 was cut down amid Johnny Depp controversy

Heard recounts police being called after Depp allegedly attacked her

Sunday 22 May 2022 21:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Amber Heard has shared her account of an incident during which she says police were called to her apartment after Johnny Depp attacked her.

Ms Heard was asked about the alleged events of 21 May 2016 as she returned to the witness stand on Monday (16 May) as part of the defamation trial opposing her and Mr Depp in Virginia.

Read more:

Heard says police called after Depp attacked her as court shown photos of injuries

Amber Heard begs Johnny Depp to stop ‘smear campaign’ as court hears emotional audio

Sunday 22 May 2022 20:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Emotional audio was played to the court during Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s multi-million-dollar defamation trial on Monday as the Aquaman actor said she begged her then-husband to stop calling her “a liar” about his alleged abuse.

In the audio clip, Ms Heard is heard speaking to Mr Depp in a recorded conversation in June 2016 – one month after she filed for divorce from the Pirates of the Caribbean actor.

Read more:

Amber Heard begs Johnny Depp to stop ‘smear campaign’ as court hears emotional audio

Heard describes meeting Elon Musk at Met Gala after Johnny Depp ‘stood me up’

Sunday 22 May 2022 19:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Amber Heard has described the moment she met Elon Musk at the 2016 Met Gala after her then-husband Johnny Depp “stood me up” on the red carpet.

The Aquaman actor told the court that she and Mr Depp had been planning to go to the Met Gala together as guests of Ralph Lauren.

Read more:

Amber Heard describes meeting Elon Musk at Met Gala after Johnny Depp ‘stood me up’

Depp’s friend vapes while giving testimony in defamation trial

Sunday 22 May 2022 18:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Johnny Depp‘s friend Bruce Witkin was seen vaping as he gave testimony in the actor’s defamation trial against Amber Heard.

Mr Depp is suing his ex-wife for $50 million over an article she wrote in 2018 in which she referred to herself as a “public figure representing domestic abuse.”

Witkin is not the first person to be seen vaping during the trial. A security guard at Depp’s West Hollywood penthouse, Alejandro Romero, started vaping as he testified via video link in April.

Johnny Depp’s friend vapes while giving testimony in defamation trial

Heard makeup artist describes covering up actor’s injuries before James Corden show

Sunday 22 May 2022 17:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Amber Heard’s former make-up artist has testified that she concealed injuries on Heard’s face before her appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden.

Melanie Inglessis gave evidence in the ongoing $50m defamation trial – brought by Johnny Depp against ex-wife Heard – on Wednesday (18 May)

Read more:

Makeup artist describes covering Amber Heard injuries before James Corden appearance

Depp jokes he made waffles for fans outside court

Sunday 22 May 2022 16:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Johnny Depp said he made waffles for his fans as he arrived at the Virginia courthouse on day 19 of his defamation trial against Amber Heard.

The actor, 58, arrived at Fairfax County Circuit Court on Thursday as the day’s proceedings were held up over a delayed juror.

Johnny Depp says he made waffles for fans cheering as he arrives at court

Heard says she’s been labelled a ‘liar’ because Depp is ‘the bigger star’

Sunday 22 May 2022 15:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Amber Heard has explained why she believes she’s been labelled a “liar” during the Johnny Depp trial.

Jacob Stolworthy reports:

Amber Heard explains why she thinks she’s been labelled a ‘liar’ in Johnny Depp trial

Depp was ‘very concerned’ about Heard working with James Franco, acting coach says

Sunday 22 May 2022 14:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Johnny Depp was “very concerned” about Amber Heard in roles opposite James Franco, her acting coach testified.

Kirsty Sexton gave testimony on Wednesday in the ongoing defamation trial:

Johnny Depp was allegedly ‘concerned’ over Amber Heard roles with James Franco

Psychologist: Memes and videos mocking Amber Heard expose hatred and distrust of women

Sunday 22 May 2022 13:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Memes and videos mocking Amber Heard expose the “deep hatred” and distrust of women as well as revealing the prevalence of misogyny, experts have warned.

Campaigners from leading UK charities and experts told The Independent viral online responses to the lawsuit between Johnny Depp and Ms Heard shed light on how many people assume women who report domestic abuse and sexual violence are lying.

Maya Oppenheim, Women’s Correspondent for The Independent, reports:

Videos and memes mocking Amber Heard expose hatred and distrust of women, experts say

Heard’s sister says Depp asked her to sign NDA after he hit her and trashed closet

Sunday 22 May 2022 12:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Amber Heard’s sister has claimed that Johnny Depp asked her to sign a non-disclosure agreement after he allegedly hit her during a violent attack on the Aquaman actress.

Whitney Henriquez testified in court in Fairfax, Virginia, on Wednesday about an incident where her former brother-in-law allegedly struck her in the back, hurled a Red Bull can at a friend, grabbed Ms Heard by the hair and hit her before trashing Ms Heard’s closet.

The incident, which became known as “the staircase incident”, allegedly took place in March 2015 inside the downtown Los Angeles penthouse in the Eastern Columbia Building where Ms Heard and Mr Depp lived together.

Read more:

Amber Heard’s sister says Johnny Depp asked her to sign NDA after he hit her

Editor’s Letter: Analysing data from the Depp v Heard trial is more complicated than you’d think

Sunday 22 May 2022 11:00 , Oliver O'Connell

I analyse audience interactions all day, every day – and I know that sometimes a story isn’t quite what it seems, writes Lucy Anna Gray.

Analysing data from the Depp v Heard trial is more complicated than you’d think

Depp cackled as he held dog out of car window, court hears

Sunday 22 May 2022 10:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Johnny Depp dangled his dog out of the window of a moving car and joked about putting it in a microwave after he became angry with Amber Heard over a painting from her former partner, according to bombshell courtroom testimony.

Amber Heard’s sister Whitney Henriquez took the stand in Fairfax, Virginia, on Wednesday where she testified about the shocking alleged incident back on 21 March 2013.

Read more:

Johnny Depp held dog out car window and threatened to put in microwave, court hears

10 celebrities who’ve been named in the defamation trial

Sunday 22 May 2022 09:00 , Oliver O'Connell

When a relationship between two A-listers self-destructs, there’s bound to be some collateral.

Celebrities from Elon Musk to Kate Moss have been caught up in the explosive trial between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard.

Below, we have collated 10 celebrities who have made an appearance, whether they like it or not, in the trial between Depp and Heard.

10 celebrities who have come up in the Johnny Depp v Amber Heard trial

Heard’s friend recalls Johnny Depp ‘screaming, spitting and cursing’ at him

Sunday 22 May 2022 08:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Johnny Depp was reportedly “screaming, cursing and spitting” at a former friend on the last night that he allegedly violently abused Amber Heard, according to damning courtroom testimony.

A pre-recorded deposition from Josh Drew on 11 November 2019 was played in court.

Read more:

Friend recalls Johnny Depp ‘screaming, spitting and cursing’ at him

Heard’s ex-friend cries as she feared ‘monster’ Depp would ‘do something worse than he intended’

Sunday 22 May 2022 07:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Amber Heard’s former best friend broke down in tears as she described how she feared “monster” Johnny Depp would “do something worse than he intended” to the Aquaman actress.

Raquel Pennington testified in the former couple’s multi-million-dollar defamation trial on Wednesday where she told jurors that she was “scared” for her friend’s safety around her then-husband Mr Depp.

“In the beginning I wasn’t worried. Towards the end when the phsycial abuse was more evident I was worried,” she sobbed.

Read more:

Amber Heard’s friend cries about fearing for actor’s safety around Johnny Depp

Heard friend says she saw bruises inflicted by Depp

Sunday 22 May 2022 04:59 , Oliver O'Connell

A friend of actor Amber Heard testified Wednesday that she saw the bruises and cuts left in the aftermath of multiple incidents of abuse inflicted by Heard’s ex-husband, Johnny Depp.

In a recorded deposition played for jurors, Raquel Pennington said she never personally witnessed Depp strike Heard. But she said she saw the injuries, and she took photos of Heard’s face in December 2015 after a fight in which Heard says Depp head-butted her and perhaps broke her nose.

Read more:

Amber Heard friend says she saw bruises inflicted by Depp

Eva Green says Depp will emerge from Heard trial ‘with his wonderful heart revealed to the world’

Sunday 22 May 2022 04:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Eva Green has voiced her support for Johnny Depp amid the ongoing defamation trial.

The actor, who appeared alongside Depp in 2012’s Dark Shadows, shared an image to Instagram of the two of them together on the red carpet.

Read more:

Eva Green speaks out in support of Johnny Depp

Johnny Depp slips into Jack Sparrow character for fans outside courthouse

Sunday 22 May 2022 03:00 , Oliver O'Connell

A video shows Johnny Depp channelling Captain Jack Sparrow while leaving court on Wednesday (18 May) for fans screaming that they missed his Pirates of the Caribbean character.

Read more:

Johnny Depp slips into Jack Sparrow character for fans outside courthouse

Depp’s lawyer accuses Amber Heard of staging cocaine photo

Sunday 22 May 2022 02:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Johnny Depp‘s lawyer has accused Amber Heard of staging a photograph of her breakfast table on which Mr Depp allegedly snorted cocaine.

Camille Vasquez suggested during cross-examination that the photo was inauthentic, citing a single, unsmoked hand-rolled cigarette in the ashtray, four neat lines of cocaine with no residue and a “pretty neat table”.

“It doesn’t really look like Mr Depp or anyone was doing cocaine off that table, does it?” Ms Vasquez asked.

What followed was a bizarre back and forth about the logistics of consuming the drug.

Johnny Depp’s lawyer accuses Amber Heard of staging cocaine photo

What Heard and Depp have each said about the 2015 fight in Australia

Sunday 22 May 2022 01:00 , Oliver O'Connell

WARNING: This article contains allegations of physical and sexual violence that some readers may find distressing.

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.

Read more:

What Amber Heard and Johnny Depp have each said about fight where he severed finger

All the celebrities who have supported Johnny Depp during the trial

Sunday 22 May 2022 00:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Here’s a breakdown of some of the biggest names to speak out in favour of Depp, and what exactly they said...

All the celebrities who have supported Johnny Depp

All the celebrities who have supported Amber Heard during the trial

Saturday 21 May 2022 23:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Depp’s fans are a good deal louder than Heard’s, but who is supporting her? See all the celebrities who have spoken up for her, below…

All the celebrities who have supported Amber Heard during the defamation trial

“What if anything…”

Saturday 21 May 2022 22:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Law & Crime breaks down the oft-used phrase by Amber Heard’s lawyer Elaine Bredehoft when questioning witnesses: “What if anything…?”

What do we know about the jury and jury instructions?

Saturday 21 May 2022 21:00 , Oliver O'Connell

After closing arguments, of the nine jurors who have heard the case, two will be designated as alternates for Judge Penney Azcarate to have on standby in case any of the other seven has to drop out.

Court TV reports that the current makeup of the jury appears to be six men, four Asian and two white, and three women, one Asian, one Black, and one White.

In a win for Amber Heard’s team, Judge Azcarate ruled that the three statements made by Adam Waldman, Johnny Depp’s attorney from the UK trial — the basis of her counterclaim for defamation against Depp — will be considered as the actor’s statements.

Depp lawyer meets the courthouse alpacas

Saturday 21 May 2022 20:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Johnny Depp’s lawyer Camille Vasquez, who has found internet fame amongst Depp fans following her cross-examination of Amber Heard, took time to meet the alpacas that have been brought to the courthouse every day in support of her client.

Depp said under oath that he wouldn’t film another Pirates of the Caribbean movie for $300m and a million alpacas.

Johnny Depp laughs at ‘one million alpacas’ for Pirates role question