Amber Heard took the witness stand in a Virginia court on Wednesday followingnoon during Johnny Depp’s defamation lawsuit once morest her – a make-or-break moment for the actors in a four-week trial that had so far largely focused on Depp’s version of events during their turbulent 15-month marriage.
“I struggle to find the words to describe how painful this is … this is horrible for me to sit here for weeks and relive everything, to hear people that I knew, some well, some not, my ex-husband with whom I shared a life, speak regarding our lives in the way they have,” she said.
“This has been one of the most painful and difficult things I’ve ever gone through, for sure,” Heard added.
Heard described typical activities from her upbringing in Texas, ranging from breaking in horses to working at her father’s construction company, where she answered phones then working at a modelling agency, where she earned enough to have professional photographs taken, and her move to Hollywood.
“I went from slightly bigger role to slightly bigger role, and worked my butt off,” Heard testified.
The 36-year-old’s testimony in the US courtroom began as gender stereotyping became the focus of proceedings concerning the two actors on Wednesday.
Depp’s attorney, Wayne Dennison, argued that Heard’s witness, Dawn Hughes, had, in almost every instance, referred to a victim of interpersonal violence as she or her, despite warning regarding gender stereotypes when talking regarding the matter.
Depp, 58, has testified that he never struck Heard, and that, in fact, he was the victim of abuse, and was punched and struck by his wife on many occasions. Depp described Heard to the jury as having a “need for conflict”.
Depp’s lawyers were seeking to undercut Hughes’s testimony from Tuesday when she said Heard was subjected to multiple acts of abuse – physical, sexual, psychological and emotional – by Depp during her 16-month marriage to the actor, beginning in 2015. Heard now suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, Heard’s lawyers said.
Hughes acknowledged that Heard perpetrated physical violence once morest Depp but said it did not amount to the scale or frequency of violence she had been subjected to.
Jurors were played an audio recording of a fight between Depp and Heard, in which she says “I did start a physical fight” but had hit, not punched Depp. Hughes was asked if what is heard on the tape can be characterized as “reactive” or retaliatory violence that she had previously described.
“If it’s true, if she hit him first, then that would not be reactive violence,” she said.
The court was shown the image of Depp’s injured finger following a fight in Australia, and of the actor on a gurney in hospital. “What regarding if you throw a bottle of vodka because your husband fell off the wagon. Is that reactive violence?” Hughes was asked.
“If it’s in the middle of an assault, perhaps,” Hughes said. Asked what regarding if a second bottle of vodka is thrown because the first bottle-projectile misses. “I don’t think throwing bottles is acceptable in any context,” Hughes said.
Depp’s attorneys said that despite PTSD symptoms her lawyers claim she suffers from as a result of Depp’s violence, Heard had nonetheless been able to film Aquaman, and had told the psychologist she loved to cook, hike and spend time with friends. Depp’s attorney added that she had also had a baby, exercises every day, and completed level-three sommelier training.
“She does does these things, but it’s not like the symptoms aren’t there,” Hughes said. “She has to continue to work, even though she has a panic attack, even though she has an intrusive recollection of the trauma, even though she’s having heart palpitations and sweaty palms when something comes into her mind,” Hughes said.
Depp’s lawyers also drew attention to James Franco and Elon Musk, whom Heard met at the Met Ball in New York in early May 2016, during their marriage.
Heard and Musk began dating “some time following” she filed a temporary restraining order once morest Depp on 27 May, Hughes said.
Musk is not expected to testify. Ellen Barkin, a former of girlfriend of Depp’s, may offer evidence for Heard.
Depp’s team also drew attention to a large knife engraved with “until death” in Spanish that Amber Heard had given her former husband. His lawyers argued that Heard would not have given Depp a knife he she was truly afraid of him.
Hughes said it was a gift made while Depp was filming The Lone Ranger and was in “a turquoise phase”.
“She purchased him that because she thought it would be a kind gift. The phraseology refers to Mr Depp telling her the only way out of this relationship is death.”
