Johnny Depp was back on the witness stand Wednesday in his libel suit against ex-wife Amber Heard.
Depp testified as a rebuttal witness — he already testified for four consecutive days earlier in the six-week trial.
On Wednesday, he disputed a claim made by Heard that Depp had nothing to do with getting her a role in the superhero blockbuster "Aquaman." When Heard testified, she pushed back on a question from Depp's lawyers insinuating Depp got her the role.
Depp, though, said that after Heard auditioned for the role, he talked to the studio on her behalf.
"Ultimately she did get the job, so hopefully, I suppose, I had curbed their worries to some degree," he said.
Depp also said he had been completely unaware of statements made by a former lawyer, Adam Waldman, calling Heard's claims of abuse a hoax. Those statements by Waldman are the basis of a counterclaim Heard filed against Depp. Heard's lawyers have said Waldman made those statements in league with Depp, something Depp denies.
On the stand, Depp also answered a question about what it has been like for him to listen to Heard's testimony during the trial.
"Insane," he said, "It's insane to hear heinous accusations of violence, sexual violence … that she's accusing me of. (It's) horrible, ridiculous, humiliating, ludicrous, painful, savage, unimaginably brutal, cruel."
Depp added that "no human being is perfect" and once again denied committing sexual battery or physical abuse.
Kate Moss testifies in libel trial
Also Wednesday, Depp's ex-girlfriend, model Kate Moss, virtually took the stand to testify as a rebuttal witness on behalf of Depp.
During Heard's earlier testimony, the actress recalled a 2015 fight near a staircase in which she said she hit Depp in the face out of fear he would hurt her sister, Whitney Heard Henriquez.
The actress said she was "instantly" reminded of Kate Moss at that moment. Moss, who dated Depp in the '90s, has never accused the actor of abuse, but Heard previously claimed during their 2020 U.K. trial that two people told her Depp once pushed Moss down the stairs.
Moss denied the claims in testimony, which lasted under five minutes.
Ellen Barkin testifies:Actress claims ex Johnny Depp was a controlling partner, 'always drinking'
The model recalled an incident in Jamaica where she and Depp were leaving a room after a rainstorm. Moss testified that Depp left the room first and she followed.
"I slid down the stairs and hurt my back and I screamed because I didn't know what happened to me and I was in pain," she testified. "He came running back to help me and carried me to my room and got me medical care."
Moss added: "He never pushed me, kicked me or threw me down any stairs."
After Heard's mention of rumors Depp pushed Moss down the stairs, his legal team appeared to celebrate. Some legal experts believe their reaction was because Heard referencing past instances of alleged abuse in this case opens the door for Depp's team to do the same – and Heard has prior domestic abuse charges against her.
Johnny Depp, Amber Heard libel trial:Everything that's happened so far
Johnny Depp, Amber Heard FAQs:Your lawsuit questions, answered
Depp is suing Heard for libel in Fairfax County Circuit Court over a December 2018 op-ed she wrote in The Washington Post describing herself as "a public figure representing domestic abuse." His lawyers say he was defamed by the article even though it never mentioned his name.
Depp has denied he ever struck Heard and says she was the abuser in the relationship. Heard has testified about more than a dozen separate instances of physical abuse she says she suffered at Depp's hands.
A verdict in the trial is expected to be determined on Friday.
Expert testimony:Hand surgeon says Johnny Depp's severed finger story is unlikely
Contributing: Naledi Ushe, Maria Puente, USA TODAY; Matthew Barakat, The Associated Press
Source link
