Depp’s ex-lovers come to his defense
Two former romantic partners of actor Johnny Depp came to his defense Wednesday in his libel suit against British newspaper The Sun, dismissing claims that he was violent or abusive.
Actresses Vanessa Paradis and Winona Ryder offered supportive statements for the star, who is suing the tabloid paper’s publisher, News Group Newspapers, over an April 2018 article that referred to Depp as a “wife -beater.”
The article contained allegations by Depp’s exwife, Amber Heard. Depp, 56, has strenuously denied the allegations. In a hearing conducted remotely, lawyers for Depp argued that statements from Ryder and Paradis should be included as evidence.
“We’ve been partners for 14 years, and we raised our two children together,” Paradis said, court documents show. “Through all these years, I’ve known Johnny to be a kind, attentive, generous and nonviolent person and father.”
“I cannot wrap my head around (Heard’s) accusations,” said Ryder, who had a relationship with Depp in the ’90s, according to the documents. “He was never, never violent toward me. He was never, never abusive at all toward me.”
Lawyers for NGN agreed to Paradis and Ryder being witnesses at the trial now set for July.
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