The Pirates of the Caribbean actor - dressed in a grey suit, his hair in a ponytail - described a controlling Heard who weaponized his relationship with his abusive mother and allegedly attacked her husband with repeated physical violence and "a parade of insults." Lawyers for Depp presented grisly photographic and audio exhibits in an effort to shine a light on injuries the actor sustained during her fits of "Rage." Among the pictures shown to the jury was one of Depp's face after being scratched by Heard in December 2015.
During the testimony, Depp recounted the pair's drug-fueled wedding celebration where many of the guests took MDMA. Depp claimed that he only smoked marijuana on their wedding day, and that he didn't remember even drinking during the occasion.
The actor said that at the time of their wedding, he and Heard did not have a prenuptial agreement, and broaching the topic of having one was a "Springboard into unpleasantness and arguments." When the idea of a "Post-nup" agreement was broached, "That was the beginning of the Australian fight," Depp said, as the actor was working on Pirates of the Caribbean 5 in that country at the time.
Depp's self-described position as a victim who "Would often hide in the bathroom to get away from Ms. Heard during arguments" and endured her "High school bullying tactics" followed a day in which his legal team laid the groundwork for humanizing the A-list actor whose career took a nosedive in the wake of allegations that he physically abused Heard.
Depp's team is hoping to convince the seven-member jury that his reputation was irreparably harmed by the op-ed, which he counters is based on "Lies" and is "Diabolical." Although Depp wasn't specifically named in the piece, it was widely assumed at the time that she was speaking directly about her ex-husband.
Heard, who countersued Depp for $100 million in 2020, is expected to take the stand later in the trial in an effort to undermine Depp's efforts to paint her as the violent perpetrator and he the passive victim of her wrath.
Depp's testimony followed witnesses, including his head of security Sean Bett and longtime sound engineer Keenan Wyatt, who both said on the stand that Depp never abused Heard or any other woman, a position reiterated by the actor in his three hours on the stand on Tuesday.
