Johnny Depp apparently refused to sign a prenup with his then-fiance Amber Heard ahead of their 2015 wedding, allegedly telling her: “The only way out of this is death.”
Thursday is the second day of Heard’s testimony – and the 15th day of the multimillion-dollar libel trial brought by her ex-husband – detailing sexual and physical abuse she claims she suffered at the hands of the Pirates of the Caribbean actor.
In one incident, she said Depp accused her of flirting with another woman at Met Ball, and said when they got home: “He just whacked me in the face… I suspected I had a broken nose… I remember my nose being swollen, discoloured, red.”
Day 15: Heard back in the witness box – live updates
During another attack, she said he kicked her to the floor of a private plane.
Heard told a US court she felt “like the luckiest woman alive” after the actor proposed, presenting her with a “massive diamond” ring.
But she said she began to think about a pre-nuptial agreement, mainly due to the fact that Depp earned so much more than her and she felt it would “eliminate doubt”.
However, Heard said Depp was strongly against having any sort of agreement.
“He said if he ever got his hands on it he would tear it up. He told me, ‘the only way out of this is death’,” the actress told a court in Fairfax, Virginia.
She said he took it as an insult, asking her: “Kid, are you already planning on leaving?”
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Why are Depp and Heard in court?
Graphic texts and photos written in blood
Depp, 58, is suing Heard, 36, for $50m, claiming he defamed her in a 2018 article she wrote for the Washington Post in which she said she was a victim of domestic abuse.
He alleges he was the victim and has lost millions of dollars in work and been exiled from Hollywood as a result of her claims.
Heard is countersuing him for $100m, saying the Pirates of the Caribbean actor smeared her by calling her a liar.
During at times emotional testimony, Depp has refused to look at the Heard, with his eyes concentrated on his desk.
Warning – this article contains graphic descriptions of sexual abuse which some may find disturbing
‘Nagging b****’
Heard began Thursday’s testimony by describing a press trip to Tokyo, where she claims Depp called her a “nagging b****”.
She said it was shortly after she met Depp’s children, Lily-Rose and Jack.
The couple had a loud argument in their hotel room during the tour, which she was very concerned about as it was in the room next to the children.
During this time he called her a “nagging b****”, and other “awful things” which she did not tell the court, adding: “I don’t think they need to be repeated here.”
She said around this time, she would look for clues of Depp’s drinking and drug-taking and pictures were shown to the court of Depp passed out after drink and drug binges.
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Here are some of the key moments from Heard’s testimony on Thursday, the 15th day of the trial
• Heard said she began “negotiating” her career with Depp and stopped taking on jobs with romantic scenes and eventually only took on parts that required “minimal make up”
• Actress said she felt like “the luckiest woman in the world” when Depp proposed
• Depp sent threatening texts to Heard telling her “don’t test me”
• While filming in London, Depp would go on drink binges and missed work – including one incident where he had to be carried home “like a baby” by his security
• Court played recordings of Depp moaning and mumbling incoherently
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Amber heard suffered PTSD caused by Depp’s violence
Depp claims he lost millions in work
On Wednesday, the actress choked back tears as she told the court about the first time Depp slapped her and said she knew she should leave him then, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it.
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She said she had “never been hit like that” before and “I knew you don’t come back from that, and it broke my heart”.
Beginning her testimony, she told the jury that the US trial has been “the most painful and difficult thing I’ve gone through” after sitting through days of Depp and other previous witnesses talking “about our lives”.