Johnny Depp is taking the stand once again to testify in a trial of dueling defamation lawsuits involving his ex-wife, Amber Heard, and is claiming he helped Heard nab her role in Aquaman.
Depp is being called to the stand by his own team as a rebuttal witness after he previously testified in the trial. In Heard’s testimony, she denied Depp helped get her the role, in which she co-starred alongside Jason Momoa.
In his testimony Wednesday, Depp said after Heard’s audition for Warner Bros. for the DC superhero flick, she expressed concern over the fact the film would be produced in Australia. Depp said he spoke to three WB execs, amidst being in a multi-film deal with the studio, and “curbed their worries,” resulting in Heard successfully being placed in the role.
Depp already testified on his own behalf, under direct and cross-examination, earlier in the trial, wrapping up four days of testimony late last month.
Though it had been reported Depp would be called upon as a witness by Heard’s team, that did not end up panning out.
In a statement by Heard’s team, they said, “Calling Depp back to the stand would be as relevant to us as a bicycle to a fish.” The statement added that Depp’s previous testimony was “irrelevant to the heart of this case.”
As witness lists get revised, it’s important to keep in mind lawyers on both teams are doing so under the pressure of a time limit. Prior to Heard’s team resuming their case Monday, they had little more than eight hours left available to make their case.
According to an analysis provided by Katherine Lizardo, a plaintiff’s attorney from Texas, it’s possible for a party to call in an adverse witness — from the opposing party of a legal battle — in certain states, including Virginia, as well as in federal court, Law & Crime Network reported. This was the basis for Heard’s team initially calling upon Depp as a witness in their case, which they apparently decided against doing, after all.
While Heard maintains she was abused by Depp, Depp claims just the opposite: he was abused by her and not the other way around.
Depp is suing Heard for $50 million for defamation, for allegedly false domestic abuse accusations she made against him that he said hurt his career. Heard is counter-suing Depp, also for defamation, for $100 million.
Depp’s lawsuit against Heard centers around an op-ed she wrote for the Washington Post in 2018, in which she describes herself as a “public figure representing domestic abuse.” Though Depp isn’t named in the article, Heard made prior allegations of abuse against Depp in 2016, which he claims is referenced in the piece.