Johnny Depp & Amber Heard Calling James Franco, Elon Musk As Witnesses – CB

There possible received’t be a purple carpet rolled out in entrance of the Fairfax County courthouse, however some massive names are coming to Johnny Depp’s now $100 million defamation battle with ex-wife Amber Heard when the lengthy delayed trial begins subsequent month.

If the three-year previous and counting case survives the newest abstract judgement movement set for a March 24 listening to, James Franco, WandaVision star Paul Bettany, Elon Musk and representatives of the Walt Disney Firm, Warner Bros, and the LAPD will probably be becoming a member of associates, household, attorneys and different associates of the formerly-married Rum Diary co-stars within the Virginia courtroom. Moreover, the personal correspondence of Depp and Heard with a few of Hollywood’s greatest stars and energy gamers will probably be laid out for the general public to see.

Kicked off by a $50 million defamation swimsuit filed by the one-time Pirates of the Caribbean star again in March 2019 over a Washington Submit op-ed about home violence which was penned by Heard in late 2018, the bitter and more and more scorched-Earth dispute between the couple is presently set to go to trial beginning April 11.

After failing to each get the matter moved to California and dismissed, the Aquaman star countersued her litigious ex-husband for $100 million in September 2020. After dropping his UK libel swimsuit in opposition to Rupert Murdoch’s The Solar tabloid in November 2020 for calling him a “spouse beater,” and denied an attraction in March 2021, Depp additionally got here up brief in January 2021 in his need to see Heard’s massive bucks countersuit tossed out.

At present each Depp and Heard are planning to take the stand, in-person, in Choose Penney S. Azcarate’s courtroom in the course of the trial, which is anticipated to final rather less than two weeks. Each Franco and SpaceX boss Musk have been dragged into this case by Depp, who accused them of getting affairs with Heard. They’re now on Heard’s witness record; The 2011 Oscar nominee and one of many world’s richest males will converse to the courtroom by way of WebEx video hyperlink.

Having given a scathing deposition in Depp’s UK libel case nearly two years in the past, Ellen Barkin is on Heard’s witness record on this trial, too.

Submitted to the Virginia state courtroom on March 15, Heard’s record sees the Animal Kingdom actress taking part by way of a deposition on this case, as will Depp’s fired (and sued) ex-lawyer Jacob Bloom. A Praetorian Guard together with a “Custodian of Information/Company Designee” for Warner Bros, the LAPD, the ACLU, Disney and WME Leisure will supply enterprise data declarations as part of the proceedings.

Avengers alum and Depp pal Paul Bettany is on the 21 Leap Avenue actor’s March 14 submitted 38-subject witness record to provide testimony “by way of video hyperlink.” Ignominiously drawn into Depp’s UK trial with the studying of intensive texts between the duo that detailed “burning”, “drowning,” and having intercourse with the “burnt corpse” of Heard, Bettany is just not a witness for the actress

Nonetheless, Bettany’s 2015 correspondence with Depp is on Heard’s 1530-item exhibit record.

What can also be on that wide-ranging exhibit record are texts between Heard and her Aguaman co-star Jason Momoa and director James Wan. There’s correspondence with unique Justice League helmer Zack Synder, and 2018 emails by CAA kingpin Bryan Lourd are on the record. Emails between Depp and Unbelievable Beasts creator J.Ok. Rowling in addition to musician Jack White are included, as nicely.

Articles by various retailers — together with this 2016 CB piece — on the Depp/Heard marriage and corresponding authorized dust-ups are to be discovered on the exhibit record too, together with years’ of tax returns and movie contracts. There are additionally hours of safety digicam footage, plus various pictures of a seemingly bruised and battered Heard and snaps of medication allegedly belonging to Depp.

All in all, between the witness lists and the intensive exhibit record from Heard’s legal professional Eliane Bredehoft, there look to be few rocks left undisturbed at this level. And we haven’t even seen an exhibit record but from Depp.

Submitting the case initially a couple of years after he and Heard cut up amidst restraining orders and a $7 million settlement from the actor, Depp has shared his POV on the connection.

“Ms. Heard is just not a sufferer of home abuse, she is a perpetrator,” Depp’s spring 2019 swimsuit declared.

Since then, by the authorized ups and downs, Depp and his authorized staff and advisors have constantly proclaimed Heard a liar and questioned how a lot of that $7 million settlement she truly donated to L.A.’s Youngsters Hospital Basis and the American Civil Liberties Union, as promised.

The intent of probing the charity donations has clearly been to undermine Heard’s credibility. The transfer gained some traction in early 2021 when Heard’s prime lawyer admitted it wasn’t all as easy as marketed.

“Amber has already been answerable for seven figures in donations to charitable causes and intends to proceed to contribute and finally fulfill her pledge,” the Reston, VA positioned Bredehoft instructed CB on the time.

As his followers have repeatedly and unsuccessfully tried to have Heard tossed off movie initiatives, Hollywood Vampires guitarist Depp has been on a tour during the last 12 months of farther afield festivals, the place he has plead his case to the general public.

“It doesn’t matter if a judgement, per se, has taken some inventive license,” the fired Unbelievable Beats actor instructed the San Sebastian Movie Competition final September with reference to so-called cancel tradition and his personal diminished profession. “When there’s an injustice, whether or not it’s in opposition to you or somebody you like, or somebody you consider in – arise, don’t sit down.”

What’s extra, in a possible career-defining occasion, Depp himself will probably be sitting down in courtroom subsequent month to assist argue his lengthy festering case – for higher or worse.