Johnny Depp trial - live: Pirates actor will return to stand as Amber Heard’s sister and Ellen Barkin testify

WARNING: This article contains allegations of physical and sexual violence that some readers may find distressing.

Court proceedings in the defamation trial opposing Johnny Depp and Amber Heard will be on hiatus this week. Judge Penney Azcarate is attending a conference and informed both parties and the jury of the break at the start of the trial.

Heard is being sued by Depp for $50m for implying he abused her in a 2018 Washington Post op-ed. Although she didn’t name him, he claims her allegations impacted his ability to work.

At the end of last week, both sides issued statements of confidence in how proceedings are going.

Heard will continue giving testimony on 16 May. She has already spoken extensively about her troubled relationship with Depp and detailed alleged physical fights. The court heard a harrowing account of an alleged sexual assault on Heard during a brutal and bloody altercation in Australia in 2015.

According to reporting by Law & Crime, Depp will also be called back to the witness stand as part of Heard’s case. The jury will also hear from Whitney Henriquez, Heard’s sister, and actor Ellen Barkin, with whom Depp had a brief relationship in the 1990s.

Key points

• Here’s what attorneys say about the Johnny Depp v Amber Heard so far

• Heard and Depp tell very different versions of Australia fight

• Why is the Johnny Depp v Amber Heard trial on a break?

• The most damning things Depp has said about Heard

• The most damning things Heard has said about Depp

• Depp to return as witness when trial resumes in addition to Heard’s sister and Ellen Barkin

Most explosive moments so far in star-studded defamation trial

04:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Testimony has thus far painted a captivating and disturbing portrait of Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s doomed marriage, laying bare their violent fights, drug use, and vicious words to each other.

Here are some of the biggest moments so far:

Most explosive trial moments so far from Johnny Depp vs Amber Heard trial

Amber Heard says Johnny Depp grilled her about sex scene with James Franco

03:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Amber Heard has alleged that Johnny Depp once subjected her to a “disgusting” and violent grilling about a sex scene she had filmed with James Franco.

During testimony, she was asked about an incident she alleges occurred on a private flight in 2014. At the time, Ms Heard had been cast to star alongside Mr Franco in The Adderall Diaries, a thriller that was ultimately released in 2016.

“He was mad at me for taking the job with James Franco,” Ms Heard said. “He hated, hated James Franco and was already accusing me of secretly having a thing with him in my past, since we had done [the 2008 movie] Pineapple Express together.”

Heard says Depp subjected her to ‘disgusting’ grilling about sex scene with Franco

What does Johnny Depp need to prove to win his case against Amber Heard?

02:30 , Oliver O'Connell

The defamation trial opposing Johnny Depp and Amber Heard in Virginia is now two-thirds of the way through.

Here is what you need to know about the case moving forward:

What Johnny Depp needs to prove to win his case against Amber Heard

The unbearable memeification of the Johnny Depp vs Amber Heard trial

01:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Clémence Michallon writes:

It’s a messed-up world out there. We’re all aware of course, but every once in a while we receive a reminder of the messed-upness of things so spectacular it cannot be shrugged off. A recent example is the memeification of the Johnny Depp v Amber Heard trial.

The Johnny Depp v Amber Heard memes have got to stop

Amber Heard’s testimony so far: Sexual assault allegations, physical violence, and a stifled career

Thursday 12 May 2022 00:30 , Oliver O'Connell

WARNING: This article contains allegations of physical and sexual violence that some readers may find distressing.

Amber Heard has testified two days in a row in the defamation trial between her and her ex-husband Johnny Depp.

Ms Heard took the stand on Wednesday (4 May) after being called as a witness by her own team, and returned to the stand on Thursday (5 May). She will be cross-examined by Mr Depp’s legal team later on.

During her first afternoon of testimony, she provided some background on her and Mr Depp’s relationship, recounting how they met, how they fell in love, and sharing several allegations of physical abuse, as well as an allegation of sexual assault.

Ms Heard’s second day of testimony included more accounts of the physical and verbal violence she alleges Mr Depp subjected her to, and another sexual assault allegation.

Here is what we’ve learned from Ms Heard’s testimony so far:

Key moments from Amber Heard’s testimony on Johnny Depp

Depp lost $40m after publication of Heard op-ed, forensic accountant testifies

Wednesday 11 May 2022 23:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Johnny Depp lost $40m after the publication of Amber Heard’s op-ed, a forensic accountant testified shortly before Mr Depp’s legal team rested their case.

Forensic accountant Michael Spindler told the court on Tuesday that he was tasked for this case with reviewing Mr Depp’s lost earnings. He analysed the time between 18 December 2018, when Ms Heard’s op-ed was published, and 31 October 2020.

Depp lost $40m after publication of Heard op-ed, accountant says as actor rests case

Amber Heard did not borrow lines from The Talented Mr Ripley

Wednesday 11 May 2022 22:30 , Oliver O'Connell

A claim that Amber Heard lifted from the plot ofThe Talented Mr Ripley for her testimony at the Johnny Depp defamation trial has been debunked.

After the Aquaman actor delivered her second day of testimony at the ongoing trial on Thursday (5 May), she was accused of taking lines verbatim from director Anthony Minghella’s critically acclaimed film.

One popular social media claim alleged that Heard’s beginning statement borrowed the plot of the 1999 psychological thriller, which stars Jude Law, Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow and Cate Blanchett.

No, Amber Heard did not use quotes from The Talented Mr Ripley during testimony

Voices: What have we learnt from #MeToo? Johnny Depp v Amber Heard holds the answer

Wednesday 11 May 2022 21:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Opinion: What have we learnt from #MeToo? Johnny Depp v Amber Heard holds the answer

Why is the trial on a break?

Wednesday 11 May 2022 21:00 , Oliver O'Connell

The defamation trial between actors Johnny Depp and Amber Heard is taking a 10-day break from testimony.

Having begun on 11 April in Fairfax, Virginia following Mr Depp’s lawsuit against his ex-wife in March 2019, the trial is will resume on 16 May at 9am.

Judge Penney Azcarate informed both sides and the jury at the start of the trial that she had a scheduling conflict due to a conference this week.

Why is the Johnny Depp v Amber Heard trial on a break?

Differing accounts of relationship leave little room for middle ground

Wednesday 11 May 2022 20:15 , Oliver O'Connell

He said, she said: Accounts from Depp and Heard rarely match

Depp and Heard: A timeline of their relationship, allegations, and court battles

Wednesday 11 May 2022 19:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Here is a timeline of Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s relationship, separation, and court battles, from when they are said to have started dating to the latest trial:

A timeline of Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s relationship and court battles

What is the Depp v Heard case all about?

Wednesday 11 May 2022 18:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Why is Johnny Depp suing Amber Heard?

Voices: Depp was lovable onscreen – it doesn’t mean he’s a nice guy

Wednesday 11 May 2022 18:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Sunny Hundal writes:

The Johnny Depp/Amber Heard trial is possibly the most talked-about and memed defamation case of recent years. Even someone like me, who tried to pay as little attention to it as possible, has not been able to avoid it. The discussion, videos and memes are everywhere.

Opinion: Johnny Depp was lovable onscreen – it doesn’t mean he’s a nice guy

Voices: Why are any of us laughing about Johnny Depp v Amber Heard?

Wednesday 11 May 2022 17:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Victoria Richards writes:

What is happening? Have people gone completely bonkers? It’s a defamation trial centred on accusations of domestic abuse – not the red carpet premiere of Pirates of the Caribbean 7.

Opinion: Why are any of us laughing about Johnny Depp v Amber Heard?

When will there be a verdict in Johnny Depp’s trial against Amber Heard?

Wednesday 11 May 2022 16:30 , Oliver O'Connell

The defamation trial opposing Johnny Depp and Amber Heard has concluded its fourth week at the district court in Fairfax, Virginia.

Having begun on 11 April, the first four weeks of testimony have painted a harrowing portrait of the former couple’s tumultuous relationship as the jury heard testimony from both actors as well as a string of other people who knew them.

Here’s what happens next:

When will there be a verdict in Johnny Depp’s trial against Amber Heard?

Here’s how Depp’s legal team reacted to the mention of Kate Moss

Wednesday 11 May 2022 16:06 , Oliver O'Connell

Heard references previous claim Depp pushed Kate Moss down the stairs

Wednesday 11 May 2022 16:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Amber Heard said she “instantly” thought “of Kate Moss and stairs” when she recounted a fight with Johnny Depp involving her sister Whitney.

On the stand on Thursday in the defamation trial between the two actors, Ms Heard walked through one of many fights between herself and Mr Depp, with this one taking place in March 2015.

Read more:

Amber Heard references previous claim Johnny Depp pushed Kate Moss down the stairs

Johnny Depp to return as witness when trial resumes

Wednesday 11 May 2022 15:49 , Oliver O'Connell

According to reporting by Law & Crime, when the trial resumes next week, not only will Amber Heard continue her testimony, but Johnny Depp will also be called to return to the stand.

In addition, the jury will hear from Heard’s sister Whitney Henriquez and actor Ellen Barkin.

Depp and Barkin had a brief relationship during the filming of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas in the late 1990s.

Johnny Depp’s ex-fiancé shares view on Amber Heard’s $50m defamation trial

Wednesday 11 May 2022 15:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Dirty Dancing star Jennifer Grey has shared her view on the Johnny Depp-Amber Heard trial.

Grey, who was briefly engaged to Depp in the late 1980s, reflected on their time together in her new memoir Out of the Corner.

She said their whirlwind romance in 1989 saw Depp propose to her after just two weeks. However, Grey claims he started “getting into trouble” when they were together, having “fights in bars and skirmishes with cops”.

Jennifer Grey shares verdict on ex-fiancé Johnny Depp’s trial against Amber Heard

Voices: Stop bringing age difference into Depp v Heard

Wednesday 11 May 2022 15:27 , Oliver O'Connell

Gabrielle Pickard-Whitehead writes:

As the media and public attempt to make sense of the increasingly murky and perplexing defamation trial between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, questions around the couple’s age gap are repeatedly surfacing.

Reports describing their connection as occurring “despite their 22-year age difference” are commonplace in the frenzy of analysis about the Depp-Heard story.

Opinion: Say what you like about Depp v Heard, but stop blaming their age gap

Here’s what attorneys say about the Johnny Depp v Amber Heard so far

Wednesday 11 May 2022 15:12 , Oliver O'Connell

In discussions with The Independent during the fourth week of proceedings, three attorneys highlighted the high standard Depp must reach if he hopes to win his defamation case – the same standard Heard must also meet if she wants her countersuit against Depp to be successful.

They also pointed to the ultra-public nature of the trial, and the potential gap between the opinions of viewers following the proceedings online and those of jurors, who are prevented from reading up on the trial while it happens.

Clémence Michallon reports:

What attorneys say about the Depp v Heard trial

Depp v Heard: Most explosive moments so far in star-studded defamation trial

Wednesday 11 May 2022 15:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Testimony at the trial has thus far painted a captivating and disturbing portrait of the actors’ doomed marriage, laying bare their violent fights, drug use and vicious words to each other.

Here are some of the biggest moments so far:

Most explosive trial moments so far from Johnny Depp vs Amber Heard trial

Heard and Depp tell very different versions of Australia fight

Wednesday 11 May 2022 14:15 , Oliver O'Connell

WARNING: This article contains allegations of physical and sexual violence that some readers may find distressing.

Amber Heard and Johnny Depp have both testified about what they each allege happened during a violent incident in Australia in early 2015, when the latter actor severed his finger.

Ms Heard and Mr Depp have both been asked about the alleged incident as part of the defamation trial opposing them in Fairfax, Virginia.

Read more:

What Amber Heard and Johnny Depp have each said about fight where he severed finger

Depp lost $40m after publication of Heard op-ed, forensic accountant testifies

Wednesday 11 May 2022 13:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Johnny Depp lost $40m after the publication of Amber Heard’s op-ed, a forensic accountant testified shortly before Mr Depp’s legal team rested their case.

Forensic accountant Michael Spindler told the court on Tuesday that he was tasked for this case with reviewing Mr Depp’s lost earnings. He analysed the time between 18 December 2018, when Ms Heard’s op-ed was published, and 31 October 2020.

Depp lost $40m after publication of Heard op-ed, accountant says as actor rests case

Amber Heard did not borrow lines from The Talented Mr Ripley

Wednesday 11 May 2022 12:45 , Oliver O'Connell

A claim that Amber Heard lifted from the plot ofThe Talented Mr Ripley for her testimony at the Johnny Depp defamation trial has been debunked.

After the Aquaman actor delivered her second day of testimony at the ongoing trial on Thursday (5 May), she was accused of taking lines verbatim from director Anthony Minghella’s critically acclaimed film.

One popular social media claim alleged that Heard’s beginning statement borrowed the plot of the 1999 psychological thriller, which stars Jude Law, Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow and Cate Blanchett.

No, Amber Heard did not use quotes from The Talented Mr Ripley during testimony

Profile: Amber Heard

Wednesday 11 May 2022 12:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Below is an in-depth look into who Amber Heard is, including her early life, film and television career and everything in-between.

What we know about Amber Heard’s career, background and family life

Voices: What have we learnt from #MeToo? Johnny Depp v Amber Heard holds the answer

Wednesday 11 May 2022 11:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Opinion: What have we learnt from #MeToo? Johnny Depp v Amber Heard holds the answer

Why is the trial on a break?

Wednesday 11 May 2022 10:00 , Oliver O'Connell

The defamation trial between actors Johnny Depp and Amber Heard is taking a 10-day break from testimony.

Having begun on 11 April in Fairfax, Virginia following Mr Depp’s lawsuit against his ex-wife in March 2019, the trial is will resume on 16 May at 9am.

Judge Penney Azcarate informed both sides and the jury at the start of the trial that she had a scheduling conflict due to a conference this week.

Why is the Johnny Depp v Amber Heard trial on a break?

Differing accounts leave little room for middle ground

Wednesday 11 May 2022 09:00 , Oliver O'Connell

He said, she said: Accounts from Depp and Heard rarely match

Depp and Heard: A timeline of their relationship, allegations, and court battles

Wednesday 11 May 2022 08:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Here is a timeline of Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s relationship, separation, and court battles, from when they are said to have started dating to the latest trial:

A timeline of Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s relationship and court battles