Johnny Depp can be a “remarkable man” when he is “clean and sober,” but when he’s not, he’s a “monster,” his ex-wife Amber Heard told London’s High Court Thursday. She is there testifying amid Depp’s libel suit against The Sun. The actor sued the U.K. paper after it dubbed him a “wife beater,” and The Sun is pointing to Heard’s allegations of abuse in defense.
TEXTS
The court was read a series of texts that Heard sent to her mother Paige in 2013. At the time, the 34-year-old described Depp as “violent and crazy” and said: “I’m heartbroken that this is who I love.”
Heard wrote: “It’s terrible, mum. I don’t know what to do.” Another read: “He’s nuts, mum.”
In a third, she wrote: “I feel like I’m on a very fast train that’s about to explode, but I don’t want to jump off and leave my love behind. So I stay on the train, even though I know it’s about to explode.”
Heard also testified that in 2013 Depp hit her so hard with the back of his hand, it caused her blood to hit a wall.
‘MONSTER’
Heard told the court: “I was so in love with Johnny at that time. We had had a wonderful year together where he was sober and clean and that is how I got to know him. And Johnny, when he was like that, (is) generous, loving, he is a remarkable man when he is like that.
“I loved him and I didn’t want to lose that… the other side of him was a monster, but I always held out hope that he would get clean and sober.”
SISTER
Heard’s sister Whitney Henriquez, who lived in one of five penthouses owned by Depp in L.A., testified as well, saying he kicked her out of her rent-free apartment after the 57-year-old accused her of selling pictures of their wedding to a tabloid.
Henriquez denied being responsible for selling the pictures, but said Heard “believed it at the time.”
She added: “I think she was hurt. I don't think she was angry.”
In her witness statement, which was presented to the court today, Henriquez stated: “Johnny accused me of leaking and selling stories to the about him and Amber to my friend, Sara Kitnick, who is a journalist and was then writing for People magazine.
She also said that she “begged” her sister not to marry Depp, adding that she noticed “early on” signs of abuse at his hands.
Henriquez said: “In fact, she was tipping me off about stories that other media outlets were going to publish about Johnny and Amber’s upcoming wedding and warned me that other people were going to send helicopters over the wedding and things like this. It was not true that I was giving or selling her information, but Johnny used my relationship with Sara to accuse me of selling stories to the media. Amber believed him and was devastated. I was upset that she believed Johnny over me, and there was a long period in 2015 when I was estranged from Amber and Johnny because of this.”
PAINTING
Before their estrangement, Depp and Henriquez were good friends
The court also heard that Depp vandalized a painting given to Heard by by her ex-girlfriend, artist Tasya van Ree, changing her surname to “van PEE.”
When Depp sent her a photo of the damage, Heard’s sister responded: “The van Pee painting earns you 20 points in my book.”
Depp has denied abusing Heard, and has asserted that he is the victim instead. The trial is expected to end this week.