Actor Johnny Depp and ex-wife Amber Heard continue to make headlines as the trial approaches closing arguments on Friday.
The couple has been facing each other at the Fairfax County Circuit Court for most of the past month. The “Pirates of the Caribbean” actor is suing his ex-wife for $50 million over a December 2018 op-ed Heard wrote for the Washington Post where she claims that she is a domestic violence survivor. Although she did not mention Depp by name, he claims that he has lost movie roles due to the “clear implication” that he was her abuser. Heard claims that she has also been losing out on movie roles, including several scenes from the upcoming “Aquaman” sequel, and is countersuing for $100 million dollars.
On Monday, Depp was supposed to be called to the stand by Heard’s legal team. However, they later changed their minds and Depp will not testify. However, Depp’s team is expected to call Kate Moss to the stand on Wednesday.
At the start of the day, Depp’s legal team moved to reject Heard’s counterclaim. However, their motion was denied.
DC Films President Walter Hamada Testifies About Amber Heard ‘Aquaman 2’ Role
DC Films President Walter Hamada testified via video deposition dated March 15, 2022.
He testified that Heard did not get a pay raise for the “Aquaman” sequel because there was already a deal in place. Hamada testified that Heard’s role in the film was determined in the early versions of the film, which he claims occurred in 2018.
He testified “no” when asked if Heard’s role was reduced “for any reason.” He also testified that Heard’s role was not affected by Mr. Waldman “or by anybody representing Johnny Depp.”
Hamada stated that he did not see Heard as one of the leads of “Aquaman” and felt that the movie was more of a buddy comedy between Patrick Wilson and Jason Momoa. He also said that there were concerns that Heard did not have enough chemistry with Heard to make the movie work.
Hand Surgeon Testifies About Johnny Depp’s Hand Injury
Dr. David A. Kulber is a hand surgeon that treat Depp’s hand injury for several months in 2015.
Kulber was not clear as to whether or not Depp could cause the damage in Australia after he lost the tip of his finger. Depp had claimed that Depp threw a bottle at him, which severed the tip of his finger. However, several text messages and audio clips show Depp saying that he cut his finger off himself.
Kulber could not recall whether or not there were any injuries to Depp’s cast during the few months he was treating him.
Richard Marks Testifies About Amber Heard’s Expert Witness
Richard Marks, who testified previously in the trial, rejected the notion that Amber Heard could have doubled her salary for the “Aquaman” sequel if not for Mr. Waldman’s defamatory statements.
He countered many of the statements made by Kathryn Arnold yesterday, who felt that Mr. Waldman’s statements had stunted Heard’s career. He told the jury that, in his opinion, Arnold was not an expert and felt that her testimony was not credible.
“She was constructing a Jenga without the bottom pieces,” he said. “It does not hold up under scrutiny as someone who makes deals.”
Under cross-examination, Marks admitted that he had negotiated deals for fantasy movies, but not superhero blockbusters.
Michael Spindler Called As Next Expert Witness
Depp’s legal team called Michael Spindler to the stand next to cast doubt on the statements expressed by Kathryn Arnold on Monday, May 23.
Spindler called out Arnold’s statements as “unreliable” due to her methodology of comparing Heard’s career to other actors who had appeared in major superhero blockbusters, such as Gal Gadot, Zendaya, and Chris Pine.
