Amber Heard says delving into her past with ex husband Johnny Depp has brought her "great pain" as the pair go head-to-heard in court.
In a very public message on Instagram, Amber said that she still has "love" for the actor, who is suing her for $50millon for an op-ed she wrote about her experiences of domestic abuse.
The 35-year-old told fans that she would be going offline for a few weeks as she prepared to face Johnny in court in Virginia.
"I'll be in Virginia, where I face my ex-husband Johnny Depp in court. Johnny is suing me for an op-ed I wrote in the Washington Post, in which I recounted my experience of violence and domestic abuse.
![](https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article26688247.ece/ALTERNATES/s810/0_Main.jpg)
"I never named him, rather I wrote about the price women pay for speaking out against men in power.
"I continue to pay that price, but hopefully when this case concludes, I can move on and so can Johnny," she wrote.
Amber wrote the controversial piece in 2018, that was published under the headline: "Amber Heard: I spoke up against sexual violence — and faced our culture’s wrath. That has to change.”
![](https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article26688195.ece/ALTERNATES/s810/0_JS231278864.jpg)
She urged women who had been victims of domestic violence to speak up against their attackers.
The Pirates of the Caribbean star filed a defamation lawsuit against his ex wife, demanding $50 million in damages.
However, Amber filed a counterclaim, accusing her ex of allegedly orchestrating a “smear campaign” against her and describing his own lawsuit as a continuation of “abuse and harassment.”
![](https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article26687385.ece/ALTERNATES/s810/0_Art-Of-Elysium-HEAVEN-Gala.jpg)
She has doubled Johnny's figure and is suing him for $100million.
"I have always maintained a love for Johnny and it brings me great pain to live out the details of our past life together in front of the world," Amber continued.
Giving a nod to the circle around her, adding: "At this time, I recognize the ongoing support I've been fortunate to receive throughout these years, and in these coming weeks.
![](https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article26685008.ece/ALTERNATES/s810/1_The-Art-of-Elysium-Presents-Their-9th-Annual-Heaven-by-Visionaries-Vivienne-Westwood-Andreas-Kront.jpg)
"I will be leaning on it more than ever."
Johnny had tried to bar Heard's lawyers from claiming immunity at the trial, which began today.
But Virginia 19th Judicial Circuit Judge Penney Azcarate ruled against him last month, claiming that Amber's Washington Post piece was a matter of public interest.
James Franco, Elon Musk, Paul Bettany and Ellen Barkin are expected to take to the witness stand.
![](https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article26684901.ece/ALTERNATES/s810/1_FILE-PHOTO-Johnny-Depp-loses-his-libel-case-against-the-Sun-newspaper-Depp-Libel-Trial-Continues-In.jpg)
The pair met in 2012 after they met on the set of the 2011 film The Rum Diary, in which they both starred.
They were engaged by 2014 and married in 2015, but Amber filed for divorce the following year citing irreconcilable differences.
She was then granted a restraining order against her ex husband over allegations of domestic violence.
![](https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article26684188.ece/ALTERNATES/s810/0_FILES-BRITAIN-US-COURT-MEDIA-DEPP-HEARD.jpg)
Do you enjoy reading about celebrities? Sign up for all the best celeb news from the Mirror here .
In a sworn declaration, she claims that he threw a mobile phone at her, screamed at her, hit her, violently grabbed her face and pulled her hair.
Johnny denied the claims, calling them “categorically and demonstrably false”.
Do you have a story to sell? Get in touch with us at webcelebs@mirror.co.uk or call us direct 0207 29 33033.