Johnny Depp v Amber Heard trial: Craziest moments and weirdest courtroom appearances

The very public trial between former partners Johnny Depp and Amber Heard has gripped attentions all around the world in recent weeks. The two actors first met on the set of The Rum Diaries and were married for two years.

Depp has sued Heard in Virginia for loss of earnings due to an op-ed in The Washington Post which described herself as “a public figure representing domestic abuse” in 2018. The trial, broadcast live throughout, has played out in front of a global audience and included a number of bizarre cameos and strange appearances.

Here are some of the weirdest moments from the Depp v Heard trial…

Witness removed from the court for watching coverage online

In the early days of the trial Gina Deuters, a friend of Depp’s, was giving testimony regarding the actor’s character and recounting her experiences of him on alcohol and drugs. However her testimony was stricken from the record after admitting that she had been watching clips of other witnesses’ testimony online during the trial.

Johnny Depp appears to fall asleep

The Depp v Heard trial lasted for seven weeks in court, a long time for those involved to sit through countless testimonies and literally hundreds of pieces of evidence. This may have been too much for some in attendance, and Depp appeared to briefly nod off during an explanation from Heard’s attorney.

Attorney celebrates after Heard mentions Kate Moss in trial

One of the vagaries of the trial was the unexpected mention of Kate Moss during Heard’s testimony. She made reference to an allegation that Depp had pushed the British model down a flight of stairs during their romance in the 1990s. This mention allowed Depp’s team to call on Moss to refute the claim, hence the courtroom fist pump.

Witness gives testimony while driving

The pandemic brought about all sorts of solutions for working away from the office, but one witness took this to another level when he appeared in the courtroom via video link, clearly driving his car. More bizarrely, as the testimony of Alejandro Romero was pre-recorded he had no real reason to choose this moment to record the clip.

Attorney objects to his own question

The seven-week long trial was a gruelling affair for all involved and the strain began to show for their respective legal teams at points. One memorable moment came when Benjamin Rottenborn, Amber Heard’s attorney, objected to his own question. The lawyer was questioning Ben King regarding an injury to Depp’s finger before deciding to halt the answer, prompting the judge to remark: “Wait, you asked the question.”

Judge describes lawyer as “a snarky guy”

It’s fairly rare that the judge in such a high-profile case begins cracking jokes at the expense of one of the attorneys, but that’s exactly what happened in Virginia. Judge Azcarate asked if Ben Chow, Johnny Depp’s lawyer, “was just snarky guy” after a remark made in court.

Depp’s courtroom comebacks

During the course of the lengthy trial, Depp has often appeared bored with the nature of some of the questions he has faced. The actor has sparred with Heard’s attorneys on a number of occasions, making his frustrations known to all in attendance.