The case has been pending since April 11
Washington:
Wriggling between drama and farce, the courtroom pitting Johnny Depp against ex-wife Amber Heard focused this week on the many professionals and supporters who surround the stars, painting a portrait of Hollywood in all its glory.
The accusations of the 36-year-old actress of domestic violence and the denials of the 58-year-old star are at the heart of the high-profile defamation lawsuit that has been pending since April 11 on the outskirts of the US capital Washington.
After a flood of testimonies, Depp ceded his seat on the witness stand on Tuesday to the domestic players who gravitate around him: agent, driver, bodyguard, wealth manager … And these minor characters sometimes stole the show.
– The vaping porter –
Alejandro Romero is a porter in a luxury building in Los Angeles, where the couple lives. Giving testimony via video link while sitting behind the wheel of his car, he said he had not seen any scars on Hurd’s face since the couple’s last dispute in May 2016.
The actress appeared in court shortly afterwards, her face apparently swollen to apply for a protection order.
But the porter did not want to dwell on his memories. “I’m so stressed,” he said, smoking an e-cigarette. “I don’t want to deal with this anymore,” he said, stressing the issue by setting his car on fire.
“All right,” Judge Penny Azkarate replied. – This was the first time, I’m sorry.
– The Loyal Bodyguard –
Bodyguard Malcolm Connelly has worked for Depp for 23 years. With a strong Scottish accent, he gave his continued support on Thursday, saying Hurd “wants to wear pants in this regard” and said it was she who initiated the couple’s controversy.
Asked about the actor’s alcohol and drug use, he insisted that the star has a “very high tolerance” for “any substance”.
“I think Jack Sparrow was more drunk than Johnny Depp,” he said, referring to Depp’s famous character in the Pirates of the Caribbean movie.
However, he said he had never seen the actor urinate in the hallway, as suggested by Hurd’s lawyers.
“I think I would have remembered if I had seen Mr. Depp’s penis,” he said.
In an effort to show his financial dependence on the actor, Hurd’s lawyers asked him if he had received $ 8,500 in gifts over the years.
“He gave me so much more than that!” Connelly replied without flinching.
– Huge checks from the financial manager –
Depp’s lifestyle, which has owned 45 luxury cars, a yacht and several properties, including an island, regularly hits the headlines.
His business manager, Edward White, told the court on Thursday that he had tried to fix his accounts while settling the costs of his divorce from Amber Heard in 2017.
“Initially, she was looking for a salary of $ 4 million, but her demand has been steadily increasing,” he said.
In the end, Depp paid her $ 6.8 million, wrote checks for $ 200,000 in donations in her name, paid half a million to her lawyers, and took on all the debts that arose during their life together, about $ 13.5 million.
– The agent and the trustee –
Christian Carino was an agent and friend of the two actors, but he no longer speaks to either of them.
In a video, he said he tried in vain to reconcile them and read text messages exchanged with Hurd after their divorce.
In a statement, the Aquaman actress said she was “sad” that she had broken up with her new lover, billionaire Elon Musk.
“You weren’t in love with him and you told me a thousand times that you were just filling a space,” said Carino, who was once engaged to Lady Gaga.
– Psychological analysis of clothes –
On the first day of the trial, Depp wore a light gray suit with a black tie decorated with a bee motif. The next day, Amber Heard wore a gray jacket, and the next day wore a tie depicting a bee.
At the booth, Shannon Curry, a psychologist called by Depp’s legal team, said she believed the actress was suffering from a “borderline personality disorder” that could cause her to “imitate” her loved ones.
– And now? –
Hurd’s lawyers want to hear from Elon Musk and actor James Franco, another close associate of their client. But the two men refused, without explaining their reasons.
(This story was not edited by NDTV staff and is automatically generated by a syndicated channel.)
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