From James Franco to Elon Musk, all the famous witnesses in Johnny Depp's trial against Amber Heard

After a media trial in London, actor Johnny Depp and his ex-wife Amber Heard return to court on Monday, this time in the United States, in a libel trial.

The case between Depp, 58, and Heard, 35, will be broadcast live. Both are expected to make statements, along with actors James Franco and Paul Bettany and mogul Elon Musk, among other celebrities.

Depp sued Heard over an op-ed she wrote in The Washington Post in December 2018 after the two divorced and in which she referred to herself as a “public figure representing domestic violence” and claims to have been harassed by society following her allegations of assault.

“I spoke out against sexual violence and faced the anger of our culture. That has to change”, the article was titled.

The actress never names Depp, whom she was married to from 2015 to 2017. But Depp sued her for defamation for implying that she was an abuser and is seeking reparation of $50 million for damages

“The suggestion in the op-ed that Mr. Depp is a domestic abuser is categorically and provably false. Mr. Depp has never abused Mrs. Heard,” the lawsuit says.

Depp accuses Heard of seeking “positive publicity for herself” before the release of the film Aquaman, in which she had a starring role.

Heard countersued and asked for 100 million dollars. He said he suffered “rampant physical violence and abuse” at the hands of Depp.

“The frivolous lawsuit Mr. Depp filed against Ms. Heard maintains that abuse and harassment,” says the counterclaim.

Intimate details

Jury selection begins this Monday in a court in Fairfax County, just outside Washington.

Depp filed the lawsuit in the state of Virginia, where the Washington Post is printed. Anti-defamation laws are also considered more favorable to plaintiffs there than in California, where the two actors live.

The trial, chaired by Judge Penney Azcarate, is expected to last several weeks. The first statements could be made on Tuesday.

Depp and Heard should offer their testimonies in person, while other witnesses could do so by video.

Depp claims that the founder of Tesla and his ex-wife had an affair, something that Musk strongly denies claiming that he started seeing Heard when she was already single again. Bettany will also testify on behalf of the plaintiff and during the trial the messages that the star exchanged with Jason Momoa and James Wan, respectively actor and director of the film Aquaman in which Heard participated will be read. Depp's mobile conversations with filmmaker Zack Snyder will also be taken into account.

The trial will also read what the actor said privately with Jack White, co-founder of the band The White Stripes; and with the famous British writer J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter saga and at the same time screenwriter of the A Nimales Extraordinarios franchise, of which the American performer was after his commented trial in London.

New details about the private lives of the two actors may emerge.

Beginning in 2016, Heard filed for a restraining order against Depp, among allegations of abuse. Their divorce was concluded in 2017.

Depp lost a case in London in which he sued the tabloid The Sun for portraying him as a “women's beater”. His appeal request was rejected last March.

That trial revealed details about the couple's explosive relationship, including Depp's battles against drugs and alcohol.

Heard declared that he loved the sober Depp, but that he became a “monster” after holidays.

Depp's career has suffered as a result of the case. He left his role as Captain Jack Sparrow in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise. Depp also said that he was asked to withdraw from the film franchise Fantastic Beasts. He was replaced by Mads Mikkelsen.

This weekend, Heard spoke about the process that begins this Monday.

“I'm going to disconnect over the next few weeks. As you know, I'll be in Virginia, where I'll face my ex-husband Johnny Depp in court. Johnny is suing me over an opinion piece I wrote in the Washington Post, in which I told about my experience of domestic violence and abuse,” Heard wrote in his post.

“I never named him, but wrote about the price women pay for speaking out against men in power. I continue to pay that price, but I hope that when this case is over, I can move on and so will Johnny,” he continued. “I have always maintained a love for Johnny and it causes me great pain to have to live the details of our past life together in front of the world,” concluded the actress, who last year became a mother thanks to a surrogate.

(With information from AFP and EFE)

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