A complete timeline of Johnny Depp and Amber Heard's tumultuous relationship
June 2024 · 44 minute read
Updated Redeem now
Johnny Depp and Amber Heard were in a relationship for four years before filing for divorce.
They have since been involved in numerous defamation cases.
In 2022, a jury ruled in favor of Depp in a defamation trial against Heard.
Depp starred as Paul Kemp, a journalist who takes a job in Puerto Rico in "The Rum Diary" — based on Hunter S. Thompson's book of the same name. Thompson was Depp's real-life friend and idol.
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In 2009, Depp met Heard on the set of 'The Rum Diary'
Johnny Depp and Amber Heard in "The Rum Diary." FilmDistrict
Heard played Chenault — a woman engaged to another man — whom Kemp is immediately smitten with as soon as he sees her.
Heard told Vogue in 2011: "Working with Johnny was torture. It was better than I ever imagined, which is really saying something."
Depp and Heard were dating by early 2012
Johnny Depp and former partner Vanessa Paradis. MARTIN BUREAU/AFP via Getty Images
In a court filing, Heard wrote that she and Depp began dating "around the end of 2011 or the start of 2012." It was also in 2012 that Depp and long-time partner Paradis publicly announced their separation after 14 years of dating. Depp had two children with Paradis: Lily-Rose (born in 1999) and John Christopher (2002).
Depp had previously been in relationships with Winona Ryder (from 1989 to 1993) and Kate Moss (1994 to 1998).
Heard split up with partner Tasya van Ree at the same time. USA Today reported that Heard was arrested in 2009 on a charge of physically assaulting then-girlfriend van Ree at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in Washington. The two got into a disagreement after Heard allegedly grabbed and hit van Ree's arm.
All charges were dropped, however, with van Ree herself saying that Heard was "wrongfully" accused by cops who "misinterpreted and over-sensationalized" the incident.
In 2014, Heard was spotted wearing an engagement ring
People magazine reported that Depp and Heard were engaged after a picture emerged of the actress wearing an ornate engagement ring.
Depp himself seemed to confirm the engagement in a video interview with The Daily Mail, after discussing wedding planning and pointing out that he was wearing "a chick's ring" on his finger.
"It's probably a dead giveaway, isn't it? Not very subtle," Depp said.
In 2015, Depp and Heard married in a private ceremony
After several years of dating, Depp and Heard married in a very private ceremony in their home in LA, with People reporting photos.
Later in 2015, Depp and Heard breached Australia's biosecurity laws after they failed to declare their dogs (Yorkshire terriers) when they arrived in the country. They released an apology video together.
In 2016, Heard filed for divorce from Depp and accused him of physical abuse
On May 23, 2016, Heard filed for divorce from Depp and, four days later, obtained a temporary restraining order against the Oscar-nominated actor. She alleged that Depp had physically abused her during their relationship, and said it was usually while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
She alleged that on May 21, 2016, before filing for divorce, an incident had recently taken place in which Depp threw his phone at her, leaving her with a bruised face. However, a police spokesman told People that an investigation into the domestic incident radio call found that no crime had taken place.
Depp denied these accusations and through his representatives said Heard was "attempting to secure a premature financial resolution by alleging abuse."
A $7 million settlement was reached out of court on August 16, 2016
Heard testified under oath at a deposition, but a settlement was eventually reached after she withdrew her request for a domestic violence restraining order. She also rescinded her spousal support request of $50,000 a month.
Depp and Heard also released a joint statement, saying: "Our relationship was intensely passionate and at times volatile, but always bound by love. Neither party has made false accusations for financial gain."
It continued: "There was never any intent of physical or emotional harm."
Heard received $7 million from the divorce but donated it to charity, according to People.
In 2017, the divorce was finalized
Amber Heard filed for divorce in 2016. Getty Images
Depp and Heard's divorce was finalized a year after Heard filed. Heard kept the dogs that were at the center of the 2015 scandal in which the couple failed to declare the animals in Australia. Meanwhile, Depp retained sole possession of all properties, including his private island in the Bahamas, as well as his collection of classic cars and motorcycles.
The Hollywood Reporter reported that a non-disparagement clause was inserted into the settlement that prevented either party from saying anything negative about the high-profile relationship and break-up.
In December 2018, Heard wrote an op-ed for The Washington Post saying she was abused
Heard alleges that Depp physically abused her. The Sun UK
Heard wrote an op-ed for The Washington Post in which she spoke about the treatment of women in domestic abuse cases.
In the op-ed, Heard wrote: "I became a public figure representing domestic abuse, and I felt the full force of our culture's wrath for women who speak out."
Depp himself was never mentioned by name.
In 2019, Depp sued Heard for $50 million for defamation over the Washington Post article
The suit said that Heard "is not a victim of domestic abuse, she is a perpetrator," and denied that Depp ever abused her. Instead, the suit said that Heard's allegations were part of an "elaborate hoax to generate positive publicity" for the actress.
Depp's lawyers said: "The op-ed depended on the central premise that Ms. Heard was a domestic abuse victim and that Mr. Depp perpetrated domestic violence against her."
In a court filing that attempted to dismiss Depp's defamation suit, Heard detailed multiple instances of alleged abuse that she said occurred during their marriage and referred to him as "the Monster," per Variety.
Depp has claimed that Heard had affairs with James Franco and Elon Musk. Getty Images/Frazer Harrison/Aaron P. Bernstein/Reuters
Heard claimed that she still had scars on her arms and feet from an incident where Depp allegedly threw her through a ping pong table and dragged her through broken glass.
In 2020, phone recordings were released in which Heard admitted to 'hitting' Depp
In January 2020, phone recordings obtained by the Daily Mail were released. In these recordings, Heard admitted to "hitting" Depp.
Heard is heard saying: "I'm sorry that I didn't ... hit you across the face in a proper slap, but I was hitting you, it was not punching you. Babe, you're not punched.
"I don't know what the motion of my actual hand was, but you're fine, I did not hurt you, I did not punch you, I was hitting you."
Meanwhile, Depp said in the recording: "I left last night. Honestly, I swear to you because I just couldn't take the idea of more physicality, more physical abuse on each other.
"Because had we continued it, it would have gotten f---ing bad. And baby, I told you this once. I'm scared to death we are a f---ing crime scene right now," Depp continued.
Heard replied: "I can't promise you I won't get physical again. God, I f---ing sometimes get so mad I lose it."
On July 7, 2020, a three-week libel trial began
Depp fought News Group Newspapers, the publisher of The Sun, in court over a 2018 article in which they called him a "wife beater" in reference to Depp and Heard's former marriage. Depp sued both the publisher and The Sun's executive editor Dan Wootton for libel.
Johnny Depp arrives at the High Court in London, Thursday, July 9, 2020. Johnny Depp is back in the witness box for a third day at the trial of his libel suit against a tabloid newspaper that called him a “wife-beater.” Depp is suing News Group Newspapers, publisher of The Sun, and the paper’s executive editor, Dan Wootton, over an April 2018 article that said he’d physically abused ex-wife Amber Heard. He strongly denies ever hitting Heard. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali) Associated Press
Ryder and Paradis both provided statements in Depp's defense.
Ryder wrote: "The idea that he is an incredibly violent person is the farthest thing from the Johnny I knew and loved. I cannot wrap my head around these accusations."
Meanwhile, Paradis wrote that Heard's accusations are "nothing like the true Johnny I have known, and from my personal experience of many years, I can say he was never violent or abusive to me."
The trial began in early July 2020, and lasted three weeks. Depp alleged that Heard defecated in his bed and punched him, which Heard denies. Depp also accused Heard of having extra-marital affairs with James Franco and Elon Musk, which Heard also denies.
Heard, meanwhile, accused Depp of physically abusing her, and has also accused him of throwing a phone at her face, which she says left her bruised. Furthermore, Hear said that Depp threatened to kill her on several occasions.
On November 2, 2020, the court ruled against Depp in the libel trial
Actor Johnny Depp at the High Court in London Reuters
Three months after the blockbuster trial began, Judge Mr Justice Nicol ruled that The Sun was correct in reporting that Depp was violent towards his ex-wife Amber Heard.
In reaching his ruling, Nicol referred to 14 separate incidents that The Sun's lawyers cited to justify calling Depp a "wife-beater."
Following the ruling, a spokesman for The Sun said: "The Sun has stood up and campaigned for the victims of domestic abuse for over 20 years. Domestic abuse victims must never be silenced and we thank the judge for his careful consideration and thank Amber Heard for her courage in giving evidence to the court."
In a statement seen by the BBC, Heard's lawyer in the US said: "For those of us present for the London High Court trial, this decision and judgment are not a surprise. Very soon, we will be presenting even more voluminous evidence in the US.
"We are committed to obtaining justice for Amber Heard in the US Court and defending Ms. Heard's right to free speech."
Johnny Depp strenuously denied all claims that he was violent towards Heard and in a statement published shortly after the ruling, his lawyers said: "This decision is as perverse as it is bewildering.
"Most troubling is the judge's reliance on the testimony of Amber Heard, and corresponding disregard of the mountain of counter-evidence from police officers, medical practitioners, her own former assistant, other unchallenged witnesses and an array of documentary evidence which completely undermined the allegations, point by point.
"All of this was overlooked. The judgment is so flawed that it would be ridiculous for Mr. Depp not to appeal this decision. In the meantime, we hope that in contrast to this case, the ongoing libel proceedings in America are equitable, with both parties providing full disclosure rather than one side strategically cherry-picking what evidence can and cannot be relied upon."
Depp also launched a $50m case against Heard in the US over a column she penned for the Washington Post about her experience as a victim of domestic violence. While Depp is not named in Heard's piece, his legal team insists that it is strongly inferred that the article is about him.
Four days later on November 6, Depp announced that he had been 'asked to resign' from his role as Grindelwald in 'Fantastic Beasts 3'
Johnny Depp as Gellert Grindelwald in "Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald." Warner Bros.
Depp will no longer portray the controversial dark wizard Grindelwald in the upcoming "Fantastic Beasts" film.
In a statement posted to his Instagram on November 6, 2020, four days after the conclusion of his libel case, he wrote in a typed letter: "I wish to let you know that I have been asked to resign by Warner Bros. from my role as Grindelwald in 'Fantastic Beasts' and I have respected and agreed to that request."
He continued, "Finally, I wish to say this. The surreal judgment of the court in the UK will not change my fight to tell the truth and I confirm that I plan to appeal."
"My resolve remains strong and I intend to prove that the allegations against me are false," Depp added. "My life and career will not be defined by this moment in time."
The third film in the "Fantastic Beasts" saga had already begun production, but in a statement published shortly after Depp's, Warner Bros. confirmed his departure to Variety, in a statement.
"We thank Johnny for his work on the films to date," the studio said.
Despite being ousted from the film and only shooting one scene since filming started on September 20, 2020, in the UK, The Hollywood Reporter claims that Depp will still receive full compensation for the next installment.
Per his "pay-or-play" contract, which states that he "be fully compensated whether or not the film is made and even if it is recast," Depp will receive an 8-figure sum for his work.
Depp was denied the right to appeal by the court's ruling
Actor Johnny Depp, centre, is surrounded by fans as he arrives at the High Court in London, Thursday, July 16, 2020. Depp is suing News Group Newspapers, publisher of The Sun, and the paper’s executive editor, Dan Wootton, over an April 2018 article that called him a “wife-beater.” The Sun’s defense relies on a total of 14 allegations by his ex-wife Amber Heard of Depp’s violence. He strongly denies all of them. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) Associated Press
Johnny Depp and his legal team had hoped to overturn the court's ruling with an appeal but in a statement that was made public on November 25, 2020, Judge Nicol refused to grant Depp permission to appeal against his judgment, saying: "I do not consider that the proposed grounds of appeal have a reasonable prospect of success."
The judge also ordered Depp to make an initial payment of £630,000 ($841,733) to News Group Newspapers, publisher of The Sun, to cover its legal fees.
In March 2021, Depp was once again denied permission to appeal against the high court ruling by the Court of Appeals in London
Andreas Rentz/Getty Images for ZFF)
Depp and his lawyers submitted an application to the Court of Appeals in London — the second-highest court in the land — to obtain permission to contest the High Court ruling that he assaulted his ex-wife Amber Heard.
However, the Court of Appeal judges denied Depp's application saying the original hearing "was full and fair" and that the trial judge "gave thorough reasons for his conclusions which have not been shown even arguably to be vitiated by any error of approach or mistake of law."
During the evidence given at the application hearing, Depp's lawyers said that they had not received a fair trial and presented "fresh evidence" that alleged Amber Heard lied about donating her full $7 million divorce settlement to charity.
Depp's lawyer Andrew Caldecott QC told the court that Heard's claim about the donation was a "calculated and manipulative lie" that "tipped the scales against Mr. Depp from the very beginning," The Guardian reported.
A representative for Heard said her camp was "pleased" but not surprised by the court's denial of Depp's application to appeal. "The evidence presented in the UK case was overwhelming and undeniable," the rep told The Guardian.
Heard and Depp's $100 million libel suit began on April 11, 2022
In 2016, Amber Heard shared a later accusing Johnny Depp of domestic violence. Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images and Andreas Rentz/Getty Images
Depp and Heard's defamation lawsuit began on April 11, 2022, at the Fairfax County courthouse in Virginia.
As Insider previously reported, Depp filed the defamation suit against Heard in response to an op-ed she wrote for the Washington Post that detailed her experience with domestic violence. Depp's name isn't mentioned, but the article was widely interpreted as being about him.
In January 2021, Heard countersued Depp for $100 million after her motion to move the case to California was denied.
Insider's Zahra Tayeb previously reported that Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and actor James Franco were among the high-profile celebrities due to testify during the case. Musk and Franco were dragged into the legal dispute after Depp accused Heard of having "two extra-marital affairs" with them while she was still with him, Insider previously reported.
Page Six also reported that "WandaVision" star Paul Bettany, actor Ellen Barkin, and representatives from Disney and Warner Bros would give evidence to the court. The publication also reported that new evidence would be introduced in court, including unseen police bodycam footage from an "altercation" between Depp and Heard.
The court case began with opening statements from Heard and Depp's lawyers
In opening statements, Heard's lawyer, J. Benjamin Rottenborn, told the jury that Depp was "going to try to turn this case into a soap opera," referencing his tumultuous relationship with Heard, Insider reported.
Rottenborn continued that this lawsuit centered around the question of whether Heard was exercising her First Amendment right to Free Speech by writing an op-ed for the Washington Post about her experience with domestic violence.
"The answer is very clearly yes," Rottenborn said.
At one point during the proceedings, Rottenborn read out the full op-ed and argued that it was clear that the article wasn't meant to drudge up allegations against Depp but to speak about an issue impacting pending legislation. Rottenborn argued that if Heard had intended to describe her relationship with Depp "believe me, the article would have looked very, very different."
"She could fill a book with those details. She would have told you about the monster, but she didn't. That wasn't the point of this article," Rottenborn said. "Because Johnny Depp brought this case, all of that is going to come out. Just know Amber Heard didn't want to unearth for the public who the real Johnny Depp is ... You'll see the real Johnny Depp, behind the pirate costume."
Depp's lawyer Benjamin Chew blasted Heard as a liar, saying in court that her accusations ruined Depp's career and alienated him from producers who once favored the movie star.
"When, like Mr. Depp, your career depends on your image and your reputation, or whether movie producers want their movie associated with you, that can be particularly harmful," Chew told the court.
"By choosing to lie about her husband for her own personal benefit, Amber Heard chose to ruin his reputation," he added.
Depp took the stand in court and said that Heard had 'a need for violence' during their relationship
Johnny Depp testifies in his lawsuit against ex-wife Amber Heard. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/Pool
On the stand on April 20, 2022, Depp said that Heard was the real abuser in their relationship and the change in their relationship started with her making "little digs" and "demeaning name-calling."
Depp said he felt like he was "suddenly wrong" about everything, and suffered an "endless parade of insults."
The actor added that sometimes these arguments would escalate to violence, with Heard — who he said "has a need for violence" — shoving him or throwing a glass of wine in his face. When these arguments would start, Depp said he would try to extricate himself from the situation, sometimes locking himself in the bathroom just to get away from Heard.
Depp also said his relationship with Heard — as well as what he described as her frequent verbal attacks — often contributed to his use of alcohol and drugs.
"I was more inspired by Miss Heard to reach out for a numbing agent because of the constant clashes," he said. "I had to have something to distance me and distance my heart from those verbal attacks."
Depp said a 'possessed' Heard severed his finger with a vodka bottle after an argument
Actor Johnny Depp displays the middle finger of his hand, injured while he and his ex-wife Amber Heard were in Australia in 2015, as he testifies during his defamation trial against Heard at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Fairfax, Virginia, U.S., April 20, 2022. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
Depp said the fight in which his finger was severed happened about a month after his 2015 wedding to Heard when she flew out to Australia to visit him as he filmed the fifth installment of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise.
Insider previously reported that Heard arrived in Australia "very upset" about how a meeting with Depp's lawyers had been conducted, feeling that one of the lawyers she met with had been "rude and dismissive." Depp told the court that he had asked his lawyers to discuss a postnuptial agreement with Heard.
Depp said he was staying in a large house in Australia, and remembered locking himself in "at least nine bedrooms and bathrooms" that day "as she was banging on the doors and screaming obscenities and wanting to have a physical altercation."
At that point, Depp said he had been sober from drinking for some time, but noted the stress of the situation caused him to go to the bar in the house and pour himself a few shots of vodka. He continued that Heard followed him to the bar and started yelling at him for drinking again, and proceeded to throw the bottle of vodka at him. Depp said the bottle flew past his face and smashed on the ground behind him.
Depp said he then went back to the bar, picked up a larger bottle of vodka, and continued to pour himself another drink. He said Heard picked up the second bottle and threw it at him, and that time it made contact with his hand, slicing off his middle right finger.
"It made contact and it shattered everywhere," he said. "I honestly didn't feel the pain at first, what I felt was heat and I felt as if something were dripping down my hand. Then I looked down and realized that the tip of my finger had been severed and I was looking directly at my bones sticking out and the meaty portion of the inside of your finger."
Depp later testified that he lied to doctors about how the tip of his right middle finger was cut off rather than telling them Heard threw a vodka bottle at him.
"I didn't want to disclose that it had been Ms. Heard that had thrown a vodka bottle at me and then took my finger off," he said. "I didn't want to get her in trouble. I tried to just keep things as copacetic and easy as possible for everyone. I didn't want to put her into that mix."
Depp testified that Heard or one of her friends defecated in their bed after he broke up with her
Actor Johnny Depp testifies at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Virginia. Jim Watson/Pool via REUTERS
Depp later testified that Heard was responsible for fecal matter found on their shared bed after a fight in which he said he was leaving her. The actor alleged that the incident happened following a fight after a dinner party for Heard's 30th birthday on April 21, 2016.
"My initial response to that was, I laughed," Depp said, describing the reaction to seeing a photo of the feces. "It was so outside. It was so bizarre and so grotesque that I could only laugh."
According to Depp, Heard blamed the fecal incident on Pistol and Boo, her two dogs — an explanation Depp said he found ridiculous.
"She brought up the fecal matter on the bed. She tried to blame it on the dogs," Depp said. "They're teacup Yorkies. They weigh about 4 pounds each. I lived with those dogs. I picked up their funk. It was not the dogs."
The ACLU said Heard donated $1.3 million of the $3.5 million she pledged to the organization from her Depp divorce settlement
Actor Amber Heard attends her ex-husband Johnny Depp's defamation trial against her, at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Fairfax, Virginia, U.S., April 27, 2022. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/Pool
Terence Dougherty, the general counsel and chief operating officer of the ACLU, testified that the organization received four donations from Heard, which totaled $1.3 million, Insider reported.
Only one of those payments was from Heard directly: a payment for $350,000 in August 2016. The other payments were a $100,000 check from Depp, $500,000 from a donor-advised fund at Vanguard, an investment management company, and $350,000 from a donor-advised fund at Fidelity, another investment management company.
Dougherty said the ACLU believed the $500,000 Vanguard payment was from a fund set up by Heard's former partner Elon Musk.
When Depp and Heard reached a divorce settlement in 2016, Heard announced that she would donate the entirety of her $7 million settlement to charity. She said the money would be split between two organizations: the American Civil Liberties Union and Children's Hospital Los Angeles.
A psychologist said Depp forced Heard to give him oral sex and penetrated her with a bottle when he was angry during their relationship
Actor Amber Heard reacts during the her defamation trial at the Fairfax County Circuit Court in Fairfax, Virginia, on April 21, 2022. Jim Lo Scalzo/Pool via REUTERS
Dawn Hughes, a clinical psychologist, testified in court that Depp forced Heard into oral sex during instances of sexual violence throughout their relationship.
"When Mr. Depp was drunk or high, he'd throw her on the bed, rip off her nightgown, and try to have sex with her. There were times when he forced her to give him oral sex when he was angry," Hughes testified. "These weren't in loving moments. These were angry moments."
As Insider previously reported, Hughes provided testimony in the Fairfax County Court based on 29 hours' worth of clinical interviews with Heard, as well as her review of court transcripts. Hughes said Depp displayed "obsessive jealousy" and was the true abuser in the pair's relationship.
She continued to detail one specific instance when Depp accused a woman of flirting with Heard and proceeded to take Heard into his trailer and "performed a cavity search" on her. Hughes said Depp was "ostensibly looking for drugs."
"He felt it acceptable to rip off her nightgown and stick his fingers up her vagina to look for cocaine," Hughes said. "He thought that maybe she was hiding them there."
She continued that the "most severe instances of sexual violence that Ms. Heard had to endure" was during a fight with Depp in Australia where the actor penetrated Heard with a vodka bottle.
"He grabbed a bottle that was on the bar and penetrated her with that bottle," Hughes said. "And Ms. Heard reported to me of disassociating and going outside of her body."
Hughes said Depp was beating and choking Heard and telling her that he was "going to fucking kill you" when he grabbed the bottle.
"The only thing she was thinking is: 'Oh god, I hope it's not the broken one,'" Hughes said.
Hughes later added that the incidents of sexual violence often happened when Depp was in a "drug-fueled rage."
Heard said she thought Depp was joking the first time he hit her
Actor Amber Heard attends her ex-husband Johnny Depp's defamation trial against her, at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Fairfax, Virginia, U.S., April 28, 2022. Michael Reynolds/Pool via REUTERS
Heard took the stand for the first time on May 4, 2022, and during her testimony, she was asked by her lawyer whether she recalled the first time Depp struck her to which she promptly responded: "Yes."
"I was sitting on the couch and we were talking. We were having a normal conversation. There was no fighting, no argument, nothing, and he was drinking," Heard began, noting that she believed Depp was also using cocaine at the time because there "was a vintage jar of cocaine" on a table inside the house, Insider reported.
Heard said that she asked Depp about the contents of a tattoo that he has on his arm. Depp said the tattoo depicted the phrase "wino," Heard testified, at which point she said she laughed, thinking Depp was joking. In response, Heard testified, Depp slapped her "across the face."
Heard said she laughed at the moment because she was unsure what had just happened and thought Depp had been joking. She testified that Depp slapped her a second time and said: "You think it's so funny, bitch. You think you're a funny bitch."
The actress said she then realized that Depp had not been joking but she didn't react because she was unsure of how to respond. Heard said she stared at Depp and he slapped her across the face a third time, at which point she lost her balance.
Heard said Depp once held one of her dogs out a moving car window while he was 'howling like an animal'
Actor Amber Heard testifies about the first time she says her ex-husband, actor Johnny Depp hit her, at Fairfax County Circuit Court during a defamation case against her by Depp in Fairfax, Virginia, U.S., May 4, 2022. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz/Pool
Heard testified that Depp once grabbed one of her pet dogs and held it out of a moving car window while he howled like an animal.
The incident, Heard said, came in March 2013, after Depp consumed copious amounts of cocaine and hard liquor throughout the night and repeatedly accused her of infidelity, Insider reported.
"He grabs this teacup Yorkie and holds Boo out of the window of the moving car, and he's howling like an animal while holding the dog out the window," Heard testified. "And everyone in the car — I'll never forget it — everyone just froze. No one did anything."
Heard said that she didn't want to react in case she prompted Depp to drop the dogs.
"It was just this eerie moment where he's howling and holding this animal outside the car window," she said.
The actress added that she "gently pulled" Depp's arm back into the vehicle.
Amber Heard said Johnny Depp hurt himself during fights by cutting his arms and putting cigarettes out on himself
Actor Amber Heard testifies in the courtroom at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Fairfax, Virginia, on May 17, 2022. Brendan Smialowski/Pool via REUTERS
Amber Heard said Johnny Depp would "often" self-harm during fights, using knives to cut himself and putting lit cigarettes out on himself, Insider reported.
"He often in fights would cut his arms or hold a knife to his chest or draw blood, superficially at first. He also put cigarettes out on himself," Heard said.
"He'd flick them at me and once or twice he'd try and put out one on me, but mostly he would do it while screaming at me. He once did it right in front of me, screaming at my face as he put the cigarette out on his cheek."
Heard added that Depp's self-harming became more frequent as their relationship was ending in 2016.
Amber Heard said she befriended Elon Musk after Johnny Depp stood her up at the Met Gala
Amber Heard and Elon Musk Getty/Getty
Amber Heard said she became friends with Elon Musk — whom she later dated — after her then-husband, Johnny Depp, stood her up on the Met Gala red carpet in 2016, Insider reported.
Heard testified that Depp failed to show up at the event, which was held two weeks after the couple had an explosive fight that Depp previously said led to the end of their relationship. On the line for the red carpet, Heard met the Tesla and SpaceX CEO, she said. She didn't recognize him at first.
"I was standing in line, right in front of a gentleman. It was Elon," Heard said. "I didn't recognize him until we started talking. He has reminded me that we had met once before when he was with his mother."
Heard added that while alone inside at the gala, she reconnected with Musk who was sitting at a nearby table.
"He was at a nearby table, we got to speaking that night, and we eventually became friends," she said.
Amber Heard testified that her sister taught Johnny Depp to snort cocaine with a tampon applicator
Actor Amber Heard testifies in the courtroom at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Fairfax, Virginia, on May 16, 2022. Steve Helber/Pool/AFP via Getty Images
Amber Heard said that her sister, Whitney Henriquez, taught Johnny Depp to snort cocaine with a tampon applicator during their relationship.
Insider previously reported that the actress was responding to a photo presented in court by one of Depp's lawyers that showed four lines of cocaine next to a tampon applicator on a table. Heard said she took the picture at her apartment in California in 2013.
"When you snort cocaine, typically it goes into your nose, and then it doesn't stay on the table. There's residue from that cocaine when your lips and nose touch the table, right?" Depp's lawyer, Camille Vasquez, asked Heard in reference to the photo.
In response, Heard said: "The tampon applicator next to the driver's license that you see is a device that I believe my sister had taught him to use in order to put the cocaine in."
Amber Heard once wrote I 'want to rip you apart, devour you and savor the taste' in a private letter to Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp's lawyers presented two private letters in court that Heard wrote for the actor, alongside an image of the pair on holiday in Australia, from what they described as a series of "love journals" that Heard had complied and shared with Depp, Insider reported.
"True love isn't about just the madness of passion or instead picking the safety of peace. No, it's about having both," Heard wrote in the first letter, according to the evidence.
"Falling madly in love with your friend. That is what has surprised me perhaps the most, that I have seen in you the true bones of friendship and respect. But I still, of course, more than ever, want to rip you apart, devour you, and savor the taste. Fret not."
After Depp's lawyer finished reading the letter she asked Heard whether she had recited her words correctly, to which Heard said: "Yes, it's a love note."
Depp's lawyer moved on to the second letter which features Heard speaking directly to Depp about conflicts in their relationship.
"I'm sorry I can get crazy. I'm sorry I hurt you. Like you, I can get wicked when I am hurt. When I feel provoked. Shattered. And last night I was," Heard wrote in the letter to Depp.
Later in the letter, Heard apologized to Depp for what she described as "her part" in hurting the actor.
"There's never a reason good enough to hurt you. You are the last thing in the whole world that deserves it. The last person in the world who deserves it," she wrote. "I love you, Steve, I'm forever yours, Slim."
Steve and Slim are nicknames Heard and Depp used during their relationship.
Amber Heard said James Franco made a late-night visit to her apartment after she had a fight with Johnny Depp
Amber Heard, James Franco, and Johnny Depp. Getty Images/Frazer Harrison/JIM WATSON/POOL/AFP via Getty Images/Brendan Smialowski/Pool via REUTERS
Amber Heard said that James Franco once visited her apartment late at night after she had a fight with Johnny Depp, Insider reported.
Heard was quizzed about the late-night visit by Johnny Depp's lawyers in court. When asked why Franco came over, Heard said: "Because he was my friend and he lived next door, quite literally next door."
She added: "And I quite literally exhausted my support network with my usual friends and I was happy to welcome as much friendship at that time as I could possibly get."
Heard was then asked about video footage from that night in which Franco can be seen laying his head on her shoulder and what interaction could have led to that.
"After seeing my face, he put his head on my shoulder," she said. "He touched the side of my face and responded to what he saw."
Johnny Depp joked about being able to punch Amber Heard in the face with no repercussions moments after their wedding, according to Heard's former friend
The author iO Tillett Wright, a former friend of Amber Heard, said Johnny Depp made the comment about physically assaulting Heard immediately after the pair said I do at their 2015 wedding in the Bahamas, Insider reported.
"I was walking with Johnny and congratulating him that they pulled it off," Wright, who served as best man at the ceremony, testified, adding that Depp then said: "We're married now. I can punch her in the face and nobody can do anything about it."
Johnny Depp once asked his former agent to shut down a film because it featured nude scenes with Amber Heard
Actor Johnny Depp reacts during his defamation case against ex-wife, actor Amber Heard, at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Fairfax, Virginia, U.S., May 25, 2022. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/Pool
During testimony in court, Tracey Jacobs, Depp's former agent, said the actor romanticized drug culture and had "fundamental issues with anger" that intensified over time, before detailing one specific incident when Depp sent her a series of angry all-caps emails instructing her to shut down the 2018 film "London Fields" over nude scenes that featured Heard.
Depp began the exchange by informing Jacobs that the producers of "London Fields" intended to debut their film at the Toronto International Film Festival and that she should contact them immediately about cutting nude scenes that featured Heard.
"It is in Amber's contract that there will be no nudity and her f------ agents are weak and insipid," Depp said in the email, Insider reported. "Will you please call these motherf------ and you and Jake get on this immediately?"
In a follow-up email, Depp added: "It must be shut down or I will sue them eighteen ways from f------ Sunday. These people are nobodies in this business and they should be made to understand that we will ruin them instantly."
A lawyer who represented Amber Heard during prenup negotiations said Johnny Depp called her a 'b----' and tried to fire her while drunk
Christian Marquardt/Getty Images
Michelle Mulroney, an attorney who represented Amber Heard during pre and postnuptial negotiations with Johnny Depp, said the actor phoned her in the middle of the negotiation process and called her a "bitch."
Mulroney said Depp called her with his attorneys and told her to step away from the negotiations, using the sexist insult, Insider reported.
"My recollection is that he was very mean, he called me names, and that he fired me on behalf of Amber," Mulroney said. "My only exact recollection is that he called me a bitch."
Johnny Depp said he called Warner Bros. to curb 'their worries' after Amber Heard's 'Aquaman' audition
Amber Heard as Mera in "Aquaman." Warner Bros.
While on the stand, Depp said he reached out to Warner Bros. executives on Amber Heard's behalf following her audition for "Aquaman."
"For a few years, I had had a multi-film deal with Warner Bros., and so we'd been in business together. So, I knew these people. I'd been on films with them," Depp said of his relationship with the film studio, Insider reported.
He added that Heard "asked me if I would speak to them."
"I was informed by Ms. Heard that the film was going to be shooting in Australia and that was of concern to her," he said when asked what happened after Heard's audition for 2018's "Aquaman."
Depp said he made a phone call to three Warner Bros.' film executives, including former chairman and CEO of WB Entertainment Kevin Tsujihara, former president of marketing Sue Kroll, and former president of creative development Greg Silverman, in which he "painted a beautiful picture" of Heard for them.
When asked about the result of speaking with the studio heads, Depp said, "I can only say that ultimately she did get the job in the film. So hopefully, I suppose, I had curbed their worries to some degree."
A jury found both Johnny Depp and Amber Heard liable for defaming each other
Amber Heard and Johnny Depp. Reuters/Reuters
Jurors found both Depp and Heard liable for defamation against each other in a verdict reached in June 2022. They awarded Depp $15 million in damages from Heard, and awarded Heard $2 million from Depp, Insider reported.
Jurors reached a verdict after six weeks of trial testimony and less than three days of deliberation.
Depp was not present in court.
"Due to previously scheduled work commitments made before the trial, Mr. Depp will not be physically present for today's 3 p.m. verdict and will be watching from the United Kingdom," a spokesperson for Depp told Insider.
A spokesperson for Heard criticized Depp for his absence.
"Your presence shows where your priorities are," the spokesperson said. "Johnny Depp plays guitar in the UK while Amber Heard waits for a verdict in Virginia. Depp is taking his snickering and lack of seriousness on tour."
Immediately after the verdict, Heard released a statement on social media, saying in part: "The disappointment I feel today is beyond words. I'm heartbroken that the mountain of evidence still was not enough to stand up to the disproportionate power, influence, and sway of my ex-husband."
"I'm even more disappointed with what this verdict means for other women. It is a setback," she added. "It sets back the clock to a time when a woman who spoke up and spoke out could be publicly shamed and humiliated. It sets back the idea that violence against women is to be taken seriously."
A spokesperson for Depp also reacted to the verdict in a statement with Insider, saying in part: "Six years later, the jury gave me my life back. I am truly humbled."
"From the very beginning, the goal of bringing this case was to reveal the truth, regardless of the outcome," the statement continued. "Speaking the truth was something that I owed to my children and to all those who have remained steadfast in their support of me. I feel at peace knowing I have finally accomplished that."
Amber Heard's lawyer said that she planned to appeal the verdict
Amber Heard appears to look upset as jury reads verdict in defamation case. Screenshot from Law & Crime feed.
A day after the verdict Heard's lawyer Elaine Bredehoft told NBC's "Today" show that Heard planned to appeal and bring new evidence that was not admitted in the initial trial.
Bredehoft also started to make the claim that the jurors' verdict was affected by social media.
"How can you not?" Bredehoft said. "They went home every night. They have families. The families are on social media. We had a 10-day break in the middle because of the judicial conference."
She added: "There's no way they couldn't have been influenced by it. And it was horrible. It was really, really lopsided."
The social media response during the trial was highly in favor of Depp. Insider's Lindsay Dodgson and Charissa Cheong previously reported that Depp's supporters had declared the "Pirates of the Caribbean" actor the winner in the defamation trial before Heard even took the stand. Social media was filled with comments branding Heard as a liar, accusing her of acting on the stand and using misogynistic insults.
Johnny Depp joined TikTok and thanked his fans for their support, drawing criticism from Amber Heard
A week after the verdict, Depp joined TikTok, amassing millions of followers before he posted his first video. The first video was a short clip showing fans who came to support him outside the Fairfax County Circuit Court in Fairfax, Virginia during his trial.
In the caption, he thanked his "most treasured, loyal and unwavering supporters" adding: "We did the right thing together, all because you cared. And now, we will all move forward together."
A spokesperson for Heard slammed the post in a statement to E! News.
"As Johnny Depp says he's 'moving forward,' women's rights are moving backward," a spokesperson for Heard said. "The verdict's message to victims of domestic violence is...be afraid to stand up and speak out."
Johnny Depp's Lawyer suggested the actor might not make Amber Heard pay the damages
Johnny Depp's attorney Benjamin Chew gives closing arguments during Depp's defamation case against ex-wife Amber Heard at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Fairfax, Virginia, U.S., May 27, 2022. Steve Helber/Pool via REUTERS
Chew said that it was "never about the money for Mr. Depp" when asked whether the actor would agree to a settlement to waive monetary damages if Heard agreed not to appeal the case.
"This was about restoring his reputation, and he's done that," Chew added.
"Johnny owned his issues. He was very candid about his drug and alcohol issues. He was candid about some unfortunate texts that he wrote," Chew said. "And I think it was a sharp contrast to Ms. Heard, who didn't seem, or at least the jury may have perceived, that she didn't take accountability for anything."
In June 2022, Amber Heard suggested that the jury was influenced by social media
During one of her first TV interviews following the trial, Heard suggested the jury was affected by social media, which was overwhelmingly in favor of Depp.
Heard said on NBC's "Today" show in June 2022 that it was "impossible" for the jury to avoid this.
She added: "Even somebody who is sure I'm deserving of all this hate and vitriol, even if you think that I'm lying, you still couldn't tell me — look me in the eye and tell me — that you think on social media there's been a fair representation."
The "Aquaman" actress also said that she did not blame the jury for ruling in favor of her ex-husband.
"I actually understand. He's a beloved character and people feel they know him. He's a fantastic actor," She said.
A week before Heard's interview, Depp's lawyers said on the "Today" show that they rejected the notion that social media affected the trial. Depp's attorney Camille Vasquez added that rumors that Depp or his agents tried to pay for or orchestrate an online campaign in support of the actor were "categorically false."
Depp's lawyers said during an interview on NBC's "Dateline" on June 18, 2022, that Heard and her lawyers were "reimagining" the trial.
Amber Heard said she was scared of future lawsuits from Depp
During her interview on NBC's "Today" show, Heard admitted that she was afraid of receiving future lawsuits from Depp after losing the defamation trial in Virginia.
She told "Today" show host Guthrie: "I'm scared that no matter what I do, no matter what I say or how I say it, every step that I take will present another opportunity for this sort of silencing. Which is what a defamation lawsuit is meant to do. It's meant to take your voice."
Heard said she felt "less than human" during the trial, especially after seeing the support for Depp both outside the court and on social media.
Amber Heard said she still had love for Johnny Depp despite behaving in 'horrible, unrecognizable' ways during their relationship
Amber Heard is seen during an appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden. CBS via Fairfax County Circuit Court
During Heard's interview with Guthrie, Heard admitted that she still loved Depp despite what happened with the trial.
"I loved him with all my heart and I tried the best I could to make a deeply broken relationship work. And I couldn't," the "Aquaman" star said. "I have no bad feelings or ill will towards him at all. I know that might be hard to understand, or really easy to understand if you've ever loved anyone — it should be really easy."
Guthrie also brought up the criticism by Depp's lawyers that Heard had not taken accountability. In response, Heard said that she behaved in "horrible, unrecognizable to myself, ways" which she regrets.
"We were awful to each other. I made a lot of mistakes. A lot of mistakes. But I always told the truth," she said.
Amber Heard said she still plans to donate the $7 million from her divorce settlement
Johnny Depp and Amber Heard. John Phillips/UK Press via Getty Images
One of the key arguments by Depp's lawyers during the defamation trial was that Heard had lied about donating $7 million of her divorce settlement from Depp to the American Civil Liberties Union. Heard made the pledge in 2017 after her divorce but during the trial, it was revealed that she had not donated the money yet.
Heard said on the "Today" show that she intended to honor the pledge.
"So much of the trial was meant to cast dispersions on who I am as a human, my credibility, to call me a liar in every way you can, and this is another one of the examples where if you pull back and you think about it, I shouldn't have to have donated it in an effort to be believed," Heard said.
Amber Heard and Johnny Depp failed to reach a settlement, leading to Heard's team pursuing a mistrial
Johnny Depp and Amber Heard. ELIZABETH FRANTZ/POOL/AFP via Getty Images/JIM WATSON/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
On June 24, 2022, Judge Penney Azcarate, who presided over the defamation trial, entered the jury verdict into the docket, making it official. She had given Depp and Heard 23 days to come up with a settlement to enter instead of the verdict however the parties failed to do so.
Judge Azcarate's order also said that the amount owed by each party was subject to a 6% annual interest rate, in accordance with Virginia law.
A week later, Heard's lawyers filed a 53-page document calling for the jury's verdict to be tossed. They claimed that there was insufficient evidence to support Depp's claims and that the monetary damage awarded was "excessive."
Heard's lawyers had previously said they would pursue a retrial for the case. Heard also said on NBC's "Dateline" earlier in June 2022 that there was other evidence that could have swayed the jury such as notes from her doctor that treated her during her relationship with Depp.
Johnny Depp appeared to call Amber Heard 'a dog'
Jeff Beck and Johnny Depp perform together during the Helsinki Blues Festival on June 19, 2022 in Helsinki, Finland. Venla Shalin / Redferns
While the mistrial was being discussed, reviews from Depp's new album "18" with English musician Jeff Beck were released. One review of the album published by The Sunday Times said that Depp's two new songs appeared to reference his seven-week defamation trial against Heard.
The first, "Sad Motherfuckin' Parade," appeared to allude to Heard without naming her.
According to the Sunday Times critic Jonathan Dean, Depp sings: "You're sitting there like a dog with a seven-year itch. And I think you've said enough for one motherfucking night."
A seven-year itch refers to the phenomenon of a partner wanting to leave a relationship after seven years. Depp and Heard divorced after 15 months.
In another line, Depp sings, "If I had a dime, it wouldn't reach your hand."
Depp's other song, "This is a Song for Miss Hedy Lamarr," which he performed in May 2022 while touring in the UK with Beck, seems to refer to his fall from grace after Heard's accusations of domestic violence.
"Erased by the same world that made her a star," he sings. "Spun out of beauty, trapped by its web."
In the chorus, he adds, "I don't believe in humans anymore."
The album was officially released on July 15, 2022.
A couple of days after Heard's calls for a mistrial, Depp's legal team responded saying that the court should deny her request.
In a document, which was obtained by the outlet Deadline, Depp's lawyers wrote: "Mr. Depp respectfully submits that the Court should deny Ms. Heard's Post-Trial motions, which verge into the frivolous."
Depp's lawyers said that the mistrial argument should not be considered in the first place because Heard missed the deadline to make a complaint about the trial by a full week. They added that Heard knew about the mistake from the beginning of the trial but did not raise the issue until losing the case, which meant she had no right to complain now.
Depp's legal team also said that Heard didn't prove that the wrong juror was unfairly prejudiced against her so a mistrial would be an "extraordinary remedy" to such a mistake.
Judge Azcarate, who presided over the trial in Fairfax County, Virginia, rejected Heard's motion on July 13, 2022, and announced that the jury's original verdict would stand.
Amber Heard appealed the 'chilling' $10m verdict in defamation case
Actor Amber Heard waits before the verdict was read at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Fairfax, Va, Wednesday, June 1, 2022. Evelyn Hockstein/Associated Press
In November 2022, Heard's lawyers filed an appeal in Virginia requesting that Depp's $10m defamation lawsuit against her be reversed, or a new trial be granted, reported Deadline.
Heard's lawyers argued that the case was filed in the wrong state and that the case "should never have gone to trial because another court had already concluded that Depp abused Heard on multiple occasions," referring to Depp losing a libel case in the UK against The Sun newspaper, which labeled him a "wife-beater," in 2020.
Heard's lawyers said that if the verdict is "allowed to stand" it "undoubtedly will have a chilling effect on other women who wish to speak about abuse involving powerful men."
Amber Heard said she's settled her defamation lawsuit with Johnny Depp
On December 19, 2022, Heard announced via a statement on Instagram that she had decided to settle Depp's defamation case against her.
A post shared by Amber Heard (@amberheard)
She said in the statement that her life "as I knew it" had been destroyed after "defending my truth" but she was not admitting or confessing to anything by settling the case.
"There are no restrictions or gags with respect to my voice moving forward," Heard wrote.
The "Aquaman" star also mentioned the online criticism she received during the trial in her statement.
"The vilification I have faced on social media is an amplified version of the ways in which women are re-victimised when they come forward," Heard wrote. "Now I finally have an opportunity to emancipate myself from something I attempted to leave over six years ago and on terms I can agree to."
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