An entertainment industry expert has said Johnny Depp’s behaviour began to ‘interfere’ with his career, as the actor’s defamation case against ex-wife Amber Heard continues.
Depp is suing Heard over a 2018 article she wrote for the Washington Post, claiming she was a victim of domestic violence. While she did not name the Pirates of the Caribbean star, lawyers for Depp – who denies all accusations – have argued the opinion piece falsely implied he was physically and sexually abusive while they were together.
The latest witness for Heard’s defence is Kathryn Arnold, a producer and entertainment consultant who has qualified as an expert witness in defamation cases three or four times – having testified in cases that include economic damages.
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After taking to the stand, Arnold said Heard’s op-ed had ‘very little’ impact on Depp’s career, saying: “Very few people even noticed the op-ed before the lawsuit... and that includes Disney."
Discussing the rumours that Depp could be ditched for the sixth Pirates of the Caribbean film, she also said his well-known Captain Jack Sparrow character had been ‘exhausted in where it could go creatively’.
Arnold went on to say Depp has had an ‘extraordinary career’ over the years, noting how he was a ‘rising star in the late 80s and early 90s’.
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"He really started to break through when he worked with Tim Burton and in Pirates Of The Caribbean with his role Jack Sparrow which was world renowned,” she said.
“He was well-liked and admired, both critically within the industry and from the public as a movie star.
“At the same time, his behaviour both on and off the set in his personal and professional life started to interfere with his great talent."
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When asked what has caused Depp’s ‘career downturn’, Arnold listed ‘erratic behaviour’, ‘tardiness’ and the ‘drugs and alcohol abuse’, adding: “And the lawsuits have had a really big impact – just this lawsuit, but previous lawsuits that Mr Depp has been involved with, because there’s a lot of publicity around anything that he does. And every time he has filed a lawsuit, it has brought to light various issues with respect to whatever that lawsuit was about.”
Heard's team has also announced it will not be calling Johnny Depp as a witness, as previously expected.
A statement to the press said: “Calling Depp back to the stand would be as relevant to us as a bicycle to a fish. Everything Depp has testified up to this point has been irrelevant to the heart of this case, and there’s no reason to believe it would be any different now.”
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Topics: Celebrity, US News, Johnny Depp
Jess Hardiman