After the Depp vs. Heard libel case was paused for a week, the court is heating up again: Amber Heard has now confirmed that she invited actor James Franco to her home the night before she filed for divorce from Johnny Depp. Surveillance footage shows her and Franco in the elevator to Heard’s apartment.
Panic attacks because of Johnny Depp
The Aquaman actress recently revealed she was plagued by panic attacks at the time because she feared Depp might enter her home at any time. In addition, she reported that she had applied for an injunction against her ex-husband in order to be able to change the locks on the shared apartment. Heard was then asked why she felt comfortable with James Franco coming to visit. She denied remembering when the actor was with her. Depp’s attorney, Camille Vasquez, who was previously accused of having an affair with Johnny Depp, helped jog her memory.
Amber Heard and James Franco stand head to head in the elevator
The 58-year-old’s lawyers obtained surveillance recordings from May 22, 2016 and played them in court. At first only Heard can be seen, with tousled hair and dressed in a long bathrobe, she enters the elevator. Shortly thereafter, she leaves and reappears seconds later with a man in tow. He is wearing a cap and a backpack. Heard first stands away from the person, then she moves closer, whereupon he rests his head on her shoulder. She leans her head against his.
The 36-year-old confirmed that the person was James Franco. At the same time she claimed not to remember when he had come by. When asked if she knew that Depp wasn’t in town that night, she said no. She wouldn’t know about his schedule.
Johnny Depp ‘hated’ James Franco
Heard said of Franco: “He was my friend. And he literally lived next door. And honestly I had maxed out the support network from my usual friends and was happy to be getting as much friendship as I could at the time.” The two were “close” friends, according to Amber Heard. She further claimed that Depp was often jealous of Franco, even “hating” him because he suspected he was having an affair. Her ex also repeatedly accused her of having romantic relationships with co-stars, which is why he wanted to discourage her from acting. Depp had actually testified that he had sensed an affair between the two.
Whether the two really had a relationship was not explained further. However, according to Amber Heard, Franco was only reacting to what he saw that night. By that she means her face, which is said to have had a bruise on it. This was due to the fact that Depp had thrown a phone at her. According to a witness, there were regular outbreaks of violence against Heard when Depp was on drugs. Due to their ongoing arguments, the two even had a stop code word.
Johnny Depp is suing his ex-wife for $50 million in damages. She had publicly claimed to have been a victim of domestic violence. Depp’s name was not explicitly mentioned in her reveal. The serious charge could still cost him several jobs, and the actor sees his reputation permanently damaged. Heard counterclaimed that Depp’s lawsuit portrayed her as a liar.