Johnny Depp took the stand in court Tuesday to testify against ex-wife Amber Heard, whom he has accused of ruining his reputation and career with false accusations of domestic violence.
Depp began his testimony claiming that he wants the public to know the truth about what happened between the couple.
“I had to wait for my opportunity to address the charges, which were criminal charges. They just weren’t true.”
Speaking frequently of the impact the case and its details have had on his children, Depp said he’s also suffered from a personal fall-from-grace.
“One day you’re Cinderella, so to speak, and then in 0.6 seconds you’re Quasimodo.”
When questioned about his childhood, Depp described in detail the abuse he and his siblings suffered at the hands of his mother, Betty Sue Palmer.
“My mother was quite unpredictable. She had the ability to be as cruel as anyone can be,” Depp shared.
“Essentially, she could become quite violent and she was quite violent and quite cruel.”
Johnny Depp testifies against ex-wife Amber Heard
Depp also talked about the relationship with Heard.
“In the beginning, from what I recall, she was as if she were too good to be true,” he said, adding that they shared similar musical and literary interests.
However, there were early warning signs that something might be off, said Depp.
He recalled how Heard would bring him a glass of wine and take of his shoes at the end of each day. One day, when he came home from work he took of his shoes himself and said Heard became “visibly shaken, upset, that I had broken her rules of routine.”
“Within a year, year-and-a-half, she had become another person, almost.”
As the new trial continues, jurors will hear from several potential witnesses, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk, actor James Franco and Marvel WandaVision star Paul Bettany.