Amber Heard emotionally testifies about alleged Johnny Depp abuse
Amber Heard took the stand in the "painful" Johnny Depp defamation trial's fourth week.
The Aquaman star testified Wednesday amid her defamation battle with her ex-husband, whom she has accused of domestic abuse. He's suing her over an op-ed she published in 2018.
"I struggle to find the words to describe how painful this is," Heard testified. "This is horrible for me to sit here for weeks and relive everything."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Heard described falling in love with Depp after working with him on the film The Rum Diary. "When I was around Johnny, I felt like the most beautiful person in the world," she said. But Heard alleged the Pirates of the Caribbean star would drink, become violent, and throw things, including a glass. She became emotional as she described the first instance of physical abuse in the relationship, recounting an incident where she alleges he slapped her across the face multiple times.
"I knew that I had to leave him, and that's what broke my heart because I didn't want to leave him," she said. "I thought if I got up out of that room, I'd leave the best thing that ever happened to me."
Heard said she stayed in the relationship because Depp apologized and promised he would never hit her again, but she alleges the physical abuse continued and that he later sexually assaulted her.
Depp previously testified he has never hit Heard, "nor have I ever struck any woman in my life."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
Ex-Sen. Bob Menendez sentenced to 11 years
Speed Read The former New Jersey senator was convicted on federal bribery and corruption charges last year
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Passenger jet, Blackhawk helicopter collide in DC
Speed Read An American Airlines flight with 64 people aboard collided with an Army helicopter, and no survivors have been found
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
White House withdraws Trump's spending freeze
Speed Read President Donald Trump's budget office has rescinded a directive that froze trillions of dollars in federal aid and sowed bipartisan chaos
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The Louvre is giving 'Mona Lisa' her own room
Speed Read The world's most-visited art museum is getting a major renovation
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Honda and Nissan in merger talks
Speed Read The companies are currently Japan's second and third-biggest automakers, respectively
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Taylor Swift wraps up record-shattering Eras tour
Speed Read The pop star finally ended her long-running tour in Vancouver, Canada
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Drake claims illegal boosting, defamation
Speed Read The rapper accused Universal Music of boosting Kendrick Lamar's diss track and said UMG allowed him to be falsely accused of pedophilia
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'Wicked' and 'Gladiator II' ignite holiday box office
Speed Read The combination of the two movies revitalized a struggling box office
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Jussie Smollet conviction overturned on appeal
Speed Read The Illinois Supreme Court overturned the actor's conviction on charges of staging a racist and homophobic attack against himself in 2019
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Quincy Jones, music icon, is dead at 91
Speed Read The legendary producer is perhaps best known as the architect behind Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
OJ Simpson, star athlete tried for murder, dead at 76
Speed Read The former football hero and murder suspect lost his battle with cancer
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published