Johnny Depp tells court he’s ‘ashamed’ of texts to ex wife Amber Heard calling her a ‘c**t’

Pirates of the Caribbean star Johnny Depp has taken the stand for the first time in his defamation suit against ex wife Amber Heard.

Johnny Depp told a court he’s ‘ashamed’ of his text messages to his ex wife Amber Heard. Picture: JIM WATSON/POOL/AFP

Johnny Depp has responded publicly for the first time since a court heard confronting details of how he once texted a friend saying he hoped the “rotting corpse” of his ex wife Amber Heard was “decomposing in the f – king trunk of a Honda Civic”.

The damning revelations surfaced in court last week where Depp, 58, is seeking $50 million in damages from Heard, 35, who he claims defamed him when she wrote in a 2018 Washington Post op-edthat she was a victim of “sexual violence”, The New York Post reported.

While Depp wasn’t named in the op-ed, the actor claims it ruined his reputation and career after it was widely assumed Heard was writing about their five-year relationship.

Depp in court on Tuesday (local time) told the jury he was “embarrassed” about sending Heard the text messages, having repeatedly called her a “c**t”.

Johnny Depp testified during his defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard. Picture: JIM WATSON/POOL/AFP

“I am ashamed of some of the references made,” Depp said.

“I’m embarrassed that at the time, the heat of the moment, the heat of the pain that I was feeling went to dark places.”

The allegations came on the second day of testimony in Depp’s bombshell defamation suit against Heard.

Heard’s lawyer Elaine Bredehoft read a series of texts while cross-examining Isaac Baruch, Depp’s close friend of 42 years, who was called by the actor’s attorneys as the second witness at trial.

Heard is being sued for defamation by her former husband, Depp. Picture: JIM WATSON/POOL/AFP

One text read by Ms Bredehoft was sent by Depp to Mr Baruch in 2016 and read: “That c**t ruined such a cool life we had for a while”.

Mr Baruch, who has lived rent-free in Depp’s multimillion-dollar properties for years, tried to brush off the texts when asked if Depp often referred to Heard with such strong language.

“He’s called me a c**t in a text,” he replied, causing trial attendees in the courtroom gallery to laugh.

Depp told the court he was ashamed of messages he sent to Heard. Picture: JIM WATSON/POOL/AFP

Depp told the court Tuesday his texts to Mr Baruch were one way he had been dealing with the “pain” of his situation.

“Pain has to be dealt with humour, something dark, very dark humour,” he said.

Depp on Tuesday also responded to Heard’s comments about his drinking and drug use, saying they were “grossly embellished” and mostly “plainly false.”

“I think it was an easy target for her to hit,” Depp told the jury. “I am not some maniac who needs to be high or loaded all the time.”

He said his addiction issues began at just 11 years old, when he would fetch his mum her “nerve pills” — and pop one himself.

“I’d done pretty much all the drugs I was aware of by the time I was 15 years old,” he testified.

“It’s never been for the party effect,” Depp said about his substance abuse.

Depp claimed his texts describing Heard a ‘c**t’ were a way he delt with the ‘pain’. Picture: JIM WATSON/POOL/AFP

“It’s been for trying to numb the things inside that can plague someone who has experienced trauma.”

Depp told the jury he was pursuing Heard in court because he felt a “responsibility to clear my name”.

“My goal is the truth, my goal is the truth,” he told the jury.

The Pirates of the Caribbean star described how his career took a nosedive after Heard alleged she was a victim of domestic abuse.

“One day you’re Cinderella and then in zero point six seconds you’re Quasimodo,” Depp said. “I didn’t deserve that and neither did my children.”

The pair began dating in 2012 and married in February 2015. Heard filed for divorce in May 2016.