Amber Heard and Johnny Depp Make Statements Following Heard’s Explosive Courtroom Testimony

Amber Heard and Johnny Depp have both issued statements after Heard took the stand Thursday in court and claimed that her ex-husband sexually assaulted her with a bottle amid her testimony about the alleged abuse she experienced at Depp’s hands. The Pirates of the Caribbean actor is suing Heard for $50 million in a defamation lawsuit centered around Heard’s 2018 op-ed for The Washington Post in which she shared her experience as a domestic violence survivor, but did not name Depp. 

“As Mr. Depp’s counsel correctly predicted in their opening statements last month, Ms. Heard did indeed deliver ‘the performance of her life’ in her direct examination,” a spokesperson for Depp told PEOPLE Friday. “While Ms. Heard’s stories have continued to grow new and convenient details, Mr. Depp’s recollections have remained exactly the same throughout the six painful years since her first allegations were made. His truth – the truth – is the same no matter the environment in which it has been presented.”

Depp’s statement concluded, “The upcoming cross-examination from Mr. Depp’s team will be most telling, and will certainly highlight the many fallacies Ms. Heard has now attempted to pass off as fact throughout her convoluted testimony.

Heard’s spokesperson also released a statement referencing what Depp’s team had said. “As evidenced by the statement just released, Mr. Depp’s defamation claim is falling apart so rapidly that his counsel are turning from prosecutor to persecutor,” they said in a statement to PopCulture.com.

“They boast that Mr. Depp’s story has not changed. If so, since he lost the Domestic Violence Restraining Order and he resoundingly lost the libel case in the UK, perhaps he should consider a new strategy rather than the recycled approach of attacking the victim, and refusing to take responsibility for his own conduct,” Heard’s statement continued. “If Mr. Depp was truly innocent, why has he repeatedly apologized to Ms. Heard and promised to put the ‘monster away for good.’”

“One of Ms. Heard’s disappointments is Mr. Depp’s inability to distinguish fact from fiction – a malady which appears to have spread to his legal team,” they added. “That same team is so panicked they are fighting tooth and nail to prevent compelling evidence and photos from being introduced. Small wonder Mr. Depp does not have the fortitude or courage to even look at Ms. Heard at all throughout the proceedings – as he could not in the UK trial – and, instead he doodles and snickers.” Heard’s spokesperson concluded, “Mr. Depp’s behavior in this trial has been as pitiful as it was in their marriage. Apparently, they feel they must double-down on their demonstrably losing two-part strategy: distract the jury and demonize the victim.”