Two former romantic partners of embattled star Johnny Depp have cast doubt on Amber Heard’s claim that the actor repeatedly physically abused her during their 15-month marriage, describing the Pirates of the Caribbean star as a “soft” person who never so much as raised his voice against them.
Vanessa Paradis — the French model who was with Depp for 14 years and is the mother of his two children — and Lori Anne Allison, to whom Depp was married between 1983 and 1986, have both released statements testifying to what they claim is Depp’s gentle character.
On Friday, Heard, 30, filed for a restraining order against her 52-year-old husband, claiming he regularly verbally and physically abused her during their marriage.
The latest incident was alleged to have occurred Saturday, when Heard claims Depp wound up his arm “like a baseball pitcher” and threw a cell phone at her face, striking her in the eye and cheek. The actress reportedly brought photos of her bruised face to the courtroom on Friday as evidence.
The Rum Diary star filed for divorce from Depp on Monday.
“I believe with all my heart that these recent allegations being made [against Depp] are outrageous,” Paradis wrote in an open letter obtained by TMZ. “In all the years I have known Johnny he has never been physically abusive with me and this looks nothing like the man I lived with for 14 wonderful years.”
In a statement to the UK Sun newspaper over the weekend, Depp’s attorney, Laura Wasser, accused Heard of fabricating the domestic violence claims in order to secure a larger financial settlement in what is expected to be a highly contentious divorce.
“Amber is attempting to secure a premature financial resolution by alleging abuse,” Wasser told the paper. “Amber is a successful model and actress who earns her own income and is capable of supporting herself.”
Lori Anne Allison, who was married to Depp for three years before their divorce in 1986, has reportedly friends that she does not believe Heard’s claim of domestic violence, saying he never physically assaulted her during their marriage, according to TMZ. Allison described the Pirates of the Caribbean star as a “soft person” who hardly even raised his voice.
The gossip site reports that the former couple are still close; Allison reportedly called Depp to offer her condolences after the actor’s mother died earlier this month.
In court documents Friday, Heard said that Depp’s temper and paranoia is “exceptionally scary for me as it has proven many times to be physically dangerous and/or life-threatening to me.”
Police arriving at the couple’s Los Angeles apartment on Saturday told TMZ that they found no evidence of physical violence consistent with the abuse Heard has accused Depp of. The actress reportedly declined to file a police report.
A judge reportedly denied Heard’s request for $50,000 per month in spousal support and refused to order Depp into mandatory anger management. Heard is reportedly staying in the family home while Depp played a concert overseas with his band, the Hollywood Vampires, and promoted his latest film, Alice Through the Looking Glass.
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