After ex-wife Amber Heard accused him of committing domestic violence during their marriage, multiple celebrities with ties to Johnny Depp have come forward in his defense. Depp’s other ex-wife and mother of his two children, Vanessa Paradis, Depp’s ex-fiance Winona Ryder, and his former co-star Penelope Cruz have all testified in the actor’s defense. It should be noted that though all three women insist Depp was never violent in their presence, the only ones for certain who know the intimate details of Heard and Depp’s marriage are Depp and Heard.
Depp is suing Heard for alleged defamation that occurred when Heard publicly accused Depp of committing domestic violence against her during their marriage. People close to the Pirates of the Caribbean star are providing their testimony about their own experiences with him.
Winona Ryder’s Testimony
In legal documents obtained by The Blast, Depp’s Edward Scissorhands‘ co-star and ex-girlfriend Winona Ryder declared that she had never experienced any of the behavior that Heard detailed. First, Ryder acknowledged that she had no insight into his marriage with Heard, but still insisted, “From my experience, which was so wildly different, I was absolutely shocked, confused and upset when I heard the accusations against him.” Ryder continued as part of her statement in defense of Depp’s character, “The idea that he is an incredibly violent person is the farthest thing from the Johnny I knew and loved. I cannot wrap my head around these accusations.” Winona Ryder went on to say that Johnny Depp was “never, never” violent or abusive towards her or “towards anybody I have seen.” She also said that she’d always “felt so very, very safe with him.”
Vanessa Paradis’ Testimony
That same publication also obtained the declaration of Johnny Depp’s ex-wife and mother of Lily-Rose and John Christopher Depp III for the defamation case. Vanessa Paradis was similarly defensive in her statement. “I have known Johnny Depp for more than 25 years… Through all these years I’ve known Johnny to be a kind, attentive, generous, and non-violent person and father.” Paradis also acknowledged her awareness “of the allegations which Amber Heard has publicly accused Johnny of for more than 4 years now,” but insisted that those accusations were inconsistent with “the true Johnny I have known.” Like Winona Ryder, Paradis also says she never experienced violence or abuse from Depp. Vanessa Paradis also acknowledged that the accusations against Johnny Depp have caused harm to his career.
Penelope Cruz’s Testimony
Penelope Cruz starred in three movies (Blow, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Murder on the Orient Express) alongside Johnny Depp. She also provided written testimony in his defense. The documents, via The Blast, said in part, “Many years have passed and I have not only made 3 movies with him, but I also count on him as a great friend. I’ve always been impressed by his kindness, his brilliant mind, his talent, and his peculiar sense of humor.”
Cruz also went into detail about how Johnny Depp treated her during her pregnancy with her first child. “During six months of my first pregnancy,” Cruz wrote, “I spent every single day with him while we shot Pirates of the Caribbean. My husband and I will never forget the sweetness, protection, and kindness he treated me with during every single step of that process.” The testimony from these three ladies in Depp’s defense will likely come in handy during his legal battle with Amber Heard.
Once again, it can not be emphasized enough that neither Cruz, Paradis, or Ryder had any real insight into the marriage between Heard and Depp. Domestic violence is a deadly serious issue and any allegations must be taken seriously. That also being said, the concept of innocent until proven guilty is an important concept to remember. Being tried in the court of public opinion is nowhere close to being tried in an actual court.