Actor Johnny Depp has taken the stand in his $50 million defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard
The Pirates of the Caribbean star denies any abuse on his ex-wife Amber Heard.
The lawsuit is over an opinion piece Heard wrote for the Washington Post, calling herself a victim of domestic violence.
The closely-watched civil trial, which is taking place in Virginia, is now in its second week.
Heard’s team has portrayed Depp as an abusive partner prone to drug and alcohol binges.
Meanwhile, Depp’s team has presented Heard’s claims of domestic violence as a “hoax”
Speaking to the jury, Depp says that he wants to stand up for his family, children and all that matters to him, is the truth.
“I wanted to stand up for my family, my children. My goal is the truth because it killed me that people that I had met over the years would think that I was a fraud. That I had lied to them.”
DEPP TELLS THE JURY
He says he never struck any woman in his life and described how people’s attitudes towards him changed after her op-ed was published.
Depp: About six years ago, Miss Heard made some quite heinous and disturbing … criminal acts against me that were not based in any species of truth. It was a complete shock. It just didn't need to go in that direction, as nothing of the kind had ever happened. pic.twitter.com/IWsU1ccxfL
— Sierra Gillespie (@sierragillespie) April 19, 2022
Lawyers for Depp have accused his ex-wife, who is also an actor, of giving the “performance of her life” in her descriptions of alleged abuse.
Depp said it was "not acceptable" and "would stir up some unusual reactions from her," when he wouldn't go to bed at the same time as Heard.#JohnnyDepp #AmberHeard @LawCrimeNetwork pic.twitter.com/BAGpz3Lwlp
— Sierra Gillespie (@sierragillespie) April 19, 2022
His lawyer went on to ask him to describe his childhood in Kentucky, and the abuse that he suffered from his mother.
“It’s been six years of trying times – so strange when one day you’re Cinderella, so to speak, and then in 0.6 seconds, you’re Quasimodo,”
DEPP TELLS THE JURY
The jury has heard evidence presented by the celebrity ex-couple’s former therapist, as well as from medical workers who treated Depp as he was detoxing himself from opiates.
"I think it was an easy target for her to hit": #JohnnyDepp testified that the characterization of his substance abuse was "grossly" embellished by his ex-wife #AmberHeard. @LawCrimeNetwork pic.twitter.com/gdSKgHx4Cg
— Law&Crime Network (@LawCrimeNetwork) April 19, 2022
(On his drug use) Depp: Before you know it, that monkey is on your back to stay. It's not like you take those pills to get high … you're taking those pills to get well, or to get better. Because if you're without the pill, your body will start to go into … withdrawals. pic.twitter.com/198yCeEnw0
— Sierra Gillespie (@sierragillespie) April 19, 2022
The trial is expected to last at least six weeks, and jurors have so far been presented with duelling accounts of Mr Depp and Ms Heard’s relationship.
Ms Heard is also expected to testify later in the trial.
