Depp denies hitting ex-wife Amber Heard after she laughed at tattoo

London — Actor Johnny Depp denied slapping his former wife Amber Heard after she insulted him over one of his tattoos, London’s High Court heard recently.

The Pirates of the Caribbean star was giving evidence on the second day of his libel trial against Britain’s The Sun newspaper. He was asked by the publication’s lawyer about an incident at his former wife’s home in March 2013 when he had “fallen off the wagon” and it was alleged that he slapped her.

The Sun’s lawyer Sasha Wass said the actor had started drinking again after being sober for months and he had become enraged when Heard laughed at one of his tattoos.

The said tattoo was “Winona Forever” and he had changed it to “Wino Forever”. The tattoo referred to his former lover Winona Ryder.

The lawyer said that the actor hit Heard three times because she did not react first.

Depp said that it was not the case and that it was untrue. He said that he did not remember having any fights about his tattoos. The actor is suing The Sun’s publisher, News Group Newspapers, and its Executive Editor, Dan Wootton. The latter had written an article in which he called the 57-year-old Depp a “wife beater” based on allegations from Heard. The 34-year-old Heard had claimed that Depp punched, slapped and kicked her when he got angry. The behaviour was fuelled by alcohol and drugs and it made her fearful.

Depp accused Heard of lying and that she had attacked him and even severed one of his fingers during an incident. The actor denied being a “monster” under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

He said he had tried “every drug known to man” and had spent US$30,000 (S$41,700) a month on wine, in evidence given to court.

Depp also introduced his 13-year-old daughter to marijuana. He said he wanted to be sure the drug was good quality and that his daughter was in a safe environment when she tried it.

He accused Heard and her friends for defecating in their bed as a prank. He also accused her of having affairs with Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk and actor James Franco.

Depp and Heard met on the set of the 2011 film The Rum Diary. The couple tied the knot in February 2015. After 15 months together, Heard filed for divorce and their divorce was finalised in 2017.

The present case is set to last three weeks. /TISG