While the Johnny Depp defamation trial was supposed to end this week, due to “significant evidence” that has yet to be presented to the jury, fans will get to see the Pirates of the Caribbean star back at the Fairfax County Circuit Court tomorrow when the case enters its sixth and final week. And according to The New York Post, the 58-year-old is expected to take the stand once more as a rebuttal witness either on Wednesday or Thursday, now that his ex-wife Amber Heard has concluded her cross-examination, where she recalled her version of events of the abuse she allegedly endured in their marriage.
The A-list actor and his former flame were given 18 hours and 30 minutes to present their cases in court, and as of Friday, Amber’s attorneys still had 8 hours left, with Johnny’s legal team having another 18 hours and 30 minutes. But bringing Johnny back on the stand could be a risky move, says civil attorney Katherine Lizardo, simply because of how friendly he came across during his first testimony last month. “There is a risk that he is going to have more time being likable on the stand,” she told The Post.
Katherine added that Johnny presented himself as a very charming guy, who frequently smiled while on the stand and showed his “very unique personality,” which could make him all the more appealing to the jury. Having him take the stand once more could ultimately see Amber’s lawyers put a nail in the coffin with regards to the probability they will lose the case based on what they have presented in court so far.
The exhilarating drama during the trial has left many people wondering what will happen to Johnny’s career after the case concludes. Fans are still hoping that the father-of-two will reprise his famous role as Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates franchise. However, Disney production executive Tina Newman said during her testimony last week that the chances of him returning were still up in the air.
Johnny starred in five installments of the blockbuster phenomenon, having since claimed that though there had been discussions for him to front a sixth film, those conversations fizzled out after Amber released her 2018 op-ed in The Washington Post, claiming she had been the victim of domestic abuse. Her written piece was released just one year after divorcing the Kentucky native, and though she didn’t mention him by name, the release of the op-ed seemed to heavily imply Amber was referring to Johnny, leading the latter to file a defamation suit.
On the other hand, Amber testified in court, saying that her role in the upcoming Aquaman 2 had been greatly reduced because of the scandal with her ex. She stressed that any time she had ever been physical with Johnny, it was purely out of self-defense — a claim that the actor’s legal team has vehemently denied based on the evidence they have shown in court.