Johnny Depp tried to dictate which film roles Amber Heard took on to prevent her from doing “whore parts”, the High Court has heard.
Kristina Sexton, an acting coach who has been friends with Ms Heard since 2009, said in a written statement submitted as part of a libel action on Friday that the actress became a “nervous wreck” when trying to decide which parts to take, because she was worried about how Mr Depp, her then husband, would respond.
Ms Sexton said the Hollywood star tried to stop his wife from acting in roles that involved sex scenes because he didn’t want Ms Heard to do “whore parts”.
Mr Depp, 57, is suing The Sun’s publisher over an article in 2018 that accused him of being a “wife beater” and attacking Ms Heard during their marriage.
Ms Sexton’s statement recalls her friend telling her she had had “confrontations” with the Pirates of the Caribbean star when she had tried to submit auditions for some films that he strongly did not want her to do.
“She told me he was particularly concerned about her taking roles involving sexuality and/or sex scenes.
“When we would discuss upcoming opportunities and possible roles, she started saying things like, ‘He doesn’t want his woman doing this film,’ and he doesn’t want ‘his woman doing sex scenes’.”
The acting coach also alleged that Mr Depp accused his then wife of “wielding her sexuality” and was worried she would have affairs with co-stars.
“She started telling me that she couldn’t do certain roles because he didn’t want her doing ‘whore parts’.”
Ms Heard even gave up a lucrative modelling contract with the fashion company Guess because Mr Depp thought it made her look like a “cheap whore”, the court was told.
Lawyers for Mr Depp then pushed back on Ms Sexton’s testimony, suggesting the Hollywood star’s advice on what films Ms Heard should be pursuing would have been welcome and accusing her of mischaracterising Mr Depp’s relationship without knowing the “full facts”.
There were then further back-and-forths over later incidents that Ms Sexton was allegedly witness to, including screaming matches where the couple would “argue and call each other names” and a birthday celebration during which Mr Depp allegedly refused to come downstairs and join the party.
The trial continues.
