After spending years in the public eye, the relationship between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard continues to be analyzed under the $50 million defamation trial Depp has pursued against his ex wife, Heard. 

Following the publication of an op-ed Heard wrote for The Washington Post describing herself as a “public figure representing domestic abuse,” Depp sued Heard for defamation as allegations of assault and domestic abuse began to surround his name. Later, Heard countersued Depp on grounds that he defamed her after releasing statements saying her allegations were an “elaborate hoax.” Beginning in 2019, this long legal battle has tarnished both their names and reputations as ugly claims reach the surface in court. 

“Mr. Depp brings this defamation action to clear his name,” Depp’s lawsuit said.

With the article surfacing, Depp was soon asked to step down from his iconic role in Disney’s “Pirates of the Caribbean” claiming the article was the root of his downfall. According to Time, as testimonies began Apr. 19, Depp described a lengthy layout of his childhood dealing with verbal and physical abuse, his first encounters with Heard along with how the success of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise changed his life. With a very public past of drug and alcohol abuse, it is clear Depp has gone through numerous life struggles. Yet through it all, he remains strong in his claims against Heard’s allegations.

“Never did I myself reach the point of striking Ms. Heard in any way nor have I ever struck any woman in my life,” said Depp.

Throughout the trial, multiple testimonies have entered the court with more expected to come including a physiologist hired by Depp to testify about Heard’s mental health and stability, many siblings, ex spouses, alleged affairs, friends and healthcare professionals. 

Shannon Curry, the clinical and forensic psychologist hired by Depp’s team to evaluate Heard in 2021, diagnosed Heard with borderline personality disorder and histrionic disorder. 

As Depp’s legal team continues analyzing the mental stability of Heard, Heard’s lawyers remind the jury of abuse allegations against Depp from 2016. This incident was explained as Depp throwing a phone close range directly at Heard’s face. She later filed a temporary restraining order against Depp, appearing at the LAPD office with a bruised face. In court, Heard’s legal team described a makeup palette Heard allegedly carried around with her in order to cover her beat marks. This statement was later proved false, as the Milani Cosmetics brand themselves refuted the claim saying the concealer palette had not yet been released at the time described. 

These harsh claims continue in court as Depp’s team describes an incident in which Heard defecated on their bed along with multiple text messages and voice recordings being exposed in court. 

In the following weeks, more testimonies are expected to appear such as Heard’s alleged ex, Elon Musk, along with former co-star James Franco.