VA - Johnny Depp's defamation case against ex Amber Heard, who countersued #2

[Allabouttrial]

Sky News

Heard's 'righteous chase' and Depp's 'blinding hurt'

Johnny Depp says he was "shocked" when he first read Amber Heard's 2018 Washington Post op ed. He says he read it just a few days after publication, when it was brought to his attention by a member of his team.

He says "I couldn't believe it was continuing... It was clear the more bad press, the more hit pieces that came out on me, the more of these stories of Ms Heard and her righteous chase against me. It wasn't stopping."

Asked how he felt about it, Depp says: "Blinding hurt. It was like somebody hit me in the back of the head with a two-by-four [a plank of wood]".

He says he was unable to respond to all the 'hit pieces' in the press about him, so he saw this article as his opportunity to respond.

 

[Allabouttrial]

Sky News

'Guilty until proven innocent'

Johnny Depp is asked to talk about his work on Pirates Of The Caribbean franchise, and when he realised his relationship with the films was coming to an end. He is asked to talk about a Disney producer called Sean Bailey. Depp describes Mr Bailey as "third in command" at Disney.

Depp is asked how he felt when he discovered he "was being dropped" from the franchise. He says: "Captain Jack Sparrow was a character I had built from the bottom up and you put a lot of yourself into the character... Having put much of myself, and re-writing the dialogue, scenes and jokes, I didn't quite understand how after that long and successful relationship, especially from Disney... That I would become guilty until proven innocent".

He says his intention with the movies was to give "the characters their proper goodbye. A franchise can only last for so long, and there's a way to end a franchise like that. The characters deserve to end the franchise on a very good note. I planned on continuing until it was time to stop."

 

[turaj]

now AH counsel reading various headlines of unflattering stories about JD's financial and work troubles in attempts to establish that JD's career was already suffering losses before AH's op-ed.

And it's true, his career was suffering prior to the op-ed. But I suggest it is no stretch to imagine that AH is the direct cause of JD's career and financial woes, and her machinations simply CULMINATED in that op-ed, they certainly didn't START with it.

His financial woes started long before he met her....he not only did not look at his own movies he trusted a bunch of freeloaders to manage his finances.

 

[turaj]

now AH counsel reading various headlines of unflattering stories about JD's financial and work troubles in attempts to establish that JD's career was already suffering losses before AH's op-ed.

And it's true, his career was suffering prior to the op-ed. But I suggest it is no stretch to imagine that AH is the direct cause of JD's career and financial woes, and her machinations simply CULMINATED in that op-ed, they certainly didn't START with it.

His financial woes started long before he met her....he not only did not look at his own movies he trusted a bunch of freeloaders to manage his finances.

I'm just reading the thread for highlights because I find the trial so boring. I did like the Johnny snark clip video that someone posted though. I'll watch all of those. He has great comedic timing.

not sure the courtroom is the place for his humor and I find it really irritating. Finally the judge said something about the outbursts.

 

[Allabouttrial]

Sky News

'$300,000,000 and a million alpacas'

Johnny Depp is now elaborating about a comment he made in which he said he wouldn't work on the Pirates franchise again for "$300,000,000 and a million alpacas".

He says he made it at the San Sabastian film festival, he believes in 2021.

Depp was also asked about this last week by Heard's lawyer Ben Rottenborn.

 

[Chelly]

The Groupies just laughed out loud in unison. Judge said if it happened again, she will have them removed.

 

[Allabouttrial]

Sky News

'Order in court'

Depp's lawyer is referring him to a contract which appears to be between him and Disney over his appearance in Pirates 4 and 5, and relating merchandise.

He's asked what other franchises he's worked on, and the actor says Alice In Wonderland... He then stumbles and struggles to remember. He says: "I'm so pathetic at remembering what films I've been in... I'm more comfortable not watching them". He then says he's forgotten the question.

There is loud laughter in the courtroom, and the judge sharply snaps: "Order in the court". She says if there is any other outburst (such as the peel of laughter) she will have the perpetrator "removed from court".

Depp is asked again about franchises he's worked on, and he adds Fantastic Beasts to the list.

 

[Allabouttrial]

He's not wrong on UK humour. We can be rather dry and sick.

 

[floridafreshsqueez]

Not sure why people are getting so worked up over Johnny’s fans. Where was that same criticism when Amber’s girlfriend was passing notes and using her laptop in court?

Johnny is a charismatic person. He’s an artist, and he’s authentic in court IMO. This is not a criminal trial…god forbid anyone laugh at the absurdity of this trial. He’s not being inappropriate at all.

The judge already admonished the court for the reaction, let’s move on.

 

[Chelly]

GROAN. Now that JD is being questioned by Prosecutor again, he is back to his long, rambling soliloquies.

 

[Allabouttrial]

Sky News

Paul Bettany and the 'witch burning' text

Johnny Depp is asked to talk about his relationship with British actor Paul Bettany.

Depp says he met him while filming The Tourist in Venice. He says it was an "instant connection". He says he liked Bettany's "English dry, obtuse sense of humour".

Depp now talks about a series of graphic texts between himself and Bettany which the court has been shown before.

He says: "None of it was ever intended to be real... The language I am ashamed of it and that it has to be spread on the world like peanut butter... For example a text about burning Ms Heard is directly from Monty Python and burning and drowning witches... It is a film we all watched when we were about 10, it's irreverent and abstract humour."

He says the texts were private and no one else saw them.

 

[Allabouttrial]

Sky News

Heard 'made Bettany's son cry'

Johnny Depp says Amber Heard frequently got mean and loud" with actor Paul Bettany, talking over him.

He also describes an occasion when he says Heard "demeaned" Bettany's then 18-year-old son and made him "burst into tears".

Depp says he then advised Heard "to be wrong sometimes... so she could learn something".

We are shown a series of texts between Depp and Bettany sent in May 2014. Depp says in them he is talking in ways to make Bettany understand he is "drowning", and were not meant to be taken literally.

Part of the message written by Depp talks about taking drugs and says "I'm too messed up in the head... I'm too old to be that guy... But pills are fine". Depp says he was talking about pain killing drugs. Depp returns to the story of bringing his mother 'nerve pills' as a child and his use of drugs to 'numb' his pain.

Depp says Heard was good at pushing his buttons and that "I was that little boy again in my head. I guess I am incapable of doing anything write, I guess I will never be happy, I guess this is who I am, I can never get along with this person".

He says Heard "demeaned" and "berated" him, and treated him "as a lesser animal". He adds: "It's hard to understand why someone who's supposed to love you can be that cruel."

 

[shotgun09]

JD was describing an incident on 'the island' while Paul Bettany and his family were visiting. He stated that AH was so cruel that she brought a son of Bettany's to tears. While he was speaking, we were able to watch AH on the screen. All I could see was Cruella Deville.

 

[Allabouttrial]

Sky News

'A thousand Red Bulls and vodkas, two bottles of champagne, no food for days '

Depp is reading a text he sent to actor Paul Bettany which says he's consumed: "A thousand Red Bulls and vodkas, two bottles of champagne, no food for days and half a bottle of whisky".

Depp says those things, "had that all been absolutely true would not only have caused a blackout, but alcohol poisoning, and an overdose... I would have had to be immediately taken to hospital and would have likely died".

Depp says he was taking painkilling drug Roxicodone at the time, two tablets of which would have caused him to "blackout", and by that he means go into a deep sleep. He says he would not have been able to throw a punch at anyone after taking them.

 

[Tippy Lynn]

GROAN. Now that JD is being questioned by Prosecutor again, he is back to his long, rambling soliloquies.

After being silenced for so long who could blame him for rambling.

 

[Allabouttrial]

Sky News

'Slippery w****'

We now look at a series of texts sent by Johnny Depp to actor Paul B in 2013. In them he seems to be using very vulgar language about a woman who among other things he calls a "slippery w****".

Depp is questioned about the texts, which after some time thinking about it, he says were likely about a nanny they had who was "stealing from the family" including his son J. Depp says the messages were definitely not about Heard as he and Bettany didn't often talk about her.

 

[Allabouttrial]

Sky News

The Hangover

We now move to a series of texts sent by Johnny Depp to his former assistant Stephen Deuters. In them Depp refers to chaos in his hotel room, including "animals and hookers".

Depp says none of the messages were meant to be taken literally, and says they were referencing, among other things, the film The Hangover.

 

[floridafreshsqueez]

After being silenced for so long who could blame him for rambling.

Exactly. And some of it could be a trauma response from being constantly gaslit and abused. Context is important and I’m never going to begrudge someone for giving context in a testimony to paint a more vivid picture.

Can’t say I’ve ever watched a trial that wasn’t boring in some parts or laborious to watch. that’s the way of court proceedings IMO. This case is also incredibly messy and complicated. Its not fun for those involved, but I would be lying if I said I didn’t find the TikTok’s and reaction videos to the case hilarious.

 

[Gardenista]

The defense is just going with audio and text as questioning JD on stand yields no straight answers...he just goes on live streaming his fantasy life. I am disgusted that he can smart off to the defense atty and nothing is said by this judge...is she star struck too? As for that compact...if you take a look at their products the packing is all the same compacts from 2013/2015 and 2017 all look the same. They still do today.

Where did you see that compact? I spent a bunch of time on Wayback looking from 2013 to the end of 2016 and I didn't see it.

 

[Allabouttrial]

Sky News

'The monster'

Johnny Depp's lawyer asks what "the monster" was - it's a phrase that frequently comes up in arguments between Depp and Amber Heard.

He says it's "his sobriety" and Heard's constant insistence on him stopping drinking. He says it's also when "he was that guy who was dumb enough to take part in arguments that would ultimately go nowhere". He says that's why he would often try to get away from Heard and her "rapid fire" of criticism.

Depp says "I should never have fallen for that or taken the bate... To get into an argument... that would lead to physical violence".

He's asked why he used the phrase in messages to other people and Depp explains that it was because it was Heard's "go to phrase".

He says in messages to singer Elton John he called his sobriety "the monster" after he had a drink and was "disappointed in myself". He says he also used it in messages to singer Patti Smith.