Actress Amber Heard testifies in the courtroom at the Fairfax County Circuit Court
(Picture: AP)Amber Heard detailed further instances of “disgusting” verbal and physical abuse she has allegedly suffered at the hands of Johnny Depp as she continued giving evidence in the US defamation trial.
Jurors at Fairfax County District Court heard the relationship became a “constant battle” and that Depp had taken particular issue with her professional relationship with actor James Franco, who he “hated”.
They were also played audio clips of an incident on a plane in May 2014 in which Ms Heard alleges she was kicked in the back by the actor, who became so intoxicated he “howled like an animal”.
Depp, 58, is suing Heard, 36, for libel over a 2018 article she wrote in The Washington Post which his lawyers say falsely implies he physically and sexually abused her while they were together.
The actor has denied all accusations.
Continuing her testimony on Thursday, Heard recalled the plane incident where her former partner had allegedly thrown things and kicked her in front of friends and staff members.
“I just knew every cell of my body that something was wrong,” she said, describing seeing Depp get onto the plane.
“He reeks of weed and alcohol, and his breath smelled so bad. I could anticipate there was a no-win situation here.
She continued: “He was saying really disgusting things about my body ... and then he started straight up insulting me. And this is happening in front of everyone.
Heard said she had moved seats multiple times on the plane and that Depp had thrown “ice cubes and utensils” at her before sitting in front of her and slapping her face.
“I walk away from him, my back is turned and I feel this boot in my back. He just kicked me in the back,” she said.
“I fell to the floor and it felt like I was looking at the floor of the plane for a long time.
“No-one said anything, no-one did anything, you could hear a pin drop on that plane, you could feel the tension.”
The court was again played audio in which Mr Depp can be heard moaning, which Heard described as a “howl like an animal”.
Heard later described how she was “constantly catering” to his changing moods as he took different medication to help him detox from drugs.
The Aquaman star took to the witness box for the first time on Wednesday and tearfully described other incidents of alleged violence including one where Depp had performed a “cavity search” on her.
She told the court the early days of their relationship were “a beautiful and strange time”, and that she had “fallen head over heels in love” with Depp.
Heard said Depp proposed to her while they were both in London, saying: “I felt like the luckiest girl in the world.”
The actress became emotional as she described how Depp asked her to marry him in a hotel room in the capital in 2013, when she was set to film London Fields.
“He promised me that every day when I woke up he would make me smile at least once... I had so much hope in that moment,” she said. “Is this an impulse thing? Is this real?”
Heard says Depp said: “I want you to be my wife,” adding that she walked around for a few days with butterflies.
She told the court Depp brought her father to London and that he told her the Hollywood star had asked for her hand in marriage.
“I felt like the luckiest girl in the world,” she said.
Heard told the trial she had just started filming London Fields in September 2013.
“That role was a difficult role. Every scene that involved sexuality or romance was like, I’d look at that on a page and I’d feel my gut tighten...I knew it was going to be an issue.”
The star of the Pirates of the Caribbean films and others is suing Heard for $50 million, saying she defamed him when she claimed she was a victim of domestic abuse.
Heard has counter-sued for $100 million, arguing Depp smeared her by calling her a liar.
The trial continues.
