Opening statements in Johnny Depp’s defamation action against his ex-wife Amber Heard in the United States are due on Tuesday, the latest episode in a long-running legal battle between the two Hollywood stars.
Depp, 58, has sued Heard for $50 million, alleging that she defamed him in a 2018 Washington Post opinion piece about being a survivor of domestic abuse.
Although the op-ed did not identify Depp by name, Depp’s lawyers claim it was evident that Heard, 35, was referring to him and that the essay harmed his film career and reputation.
Depp, who is most known for his role in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” film franchise, has denied all claims of sexual misconduct. In his lawsuit, Depp claimed that Heard’s statements were a “elaborate deception designed to generate positive publicity for Ms. Heard and further her career.”
The trial, which might last six weeks, is being overseen by a state court judge in Fairfax County, Virginia. On Monday, a jury was chosen, and opening statements are set to begin on Tuesday.
Depp lost a libel case against The Sun, a British tabloid, in which he was called a “wife beater,” less than two years ago. Heard was regularly attacked and put in fear of her life, according to a London High Court judge.
Depp and Heard each submitted large lists of potential witnesses to testify in the United States lawsuit.
Elon Musk, her ex-boyfriend and Tesla CEO, is on Heard’s list, and she texted him about Depp. Actor James Franco is also on the list of possible witnesses.
Depp wants jurors to decide that Heard made false accusations on purpose.
For her side, Heard will claim that she has told the truth and is exempt from responsibility because her 2018 op-ed on domestic violence addressed a topic of public importance.
“I never named him. Rather, I wrote about the price women pay for speaking out against men in power. I continue to pay the price, but hopefully when this case concludes, I can move on and so can Johnny,” Heard said in a statement released on Saturday.
The Washington Post is not a party to the lawsuit. According to Depp’s lawyers, the complaint was brought in Fairfax County, Virginia, outside of the District of Columbia, because the newspaper is printed there. Heard attempted unsuccessfully to have the case transferred to Los Angeles, where she and Depp lived.
The United States is a challenging venue for libel claimants, particularly public people like Depp, who is up against multiple obstacles in the Virginia case. Depp must show that Heard deliberately made false assertions through clear and convincing evidence.
In 2011, Depp and Heard met on the set of “The Rum Diary” and married four years later. After filing for divorce in 2016, Heard accused Depp of domestic abuse.
