Johnny Depp’s ex-girlfriend Ellen Barkin says he was ‘jealous, controlling’

Johnny Depp’s former girlfriend, actor Ellen Barkin has called the actor “jealous, controlling and frequently drunk” during her testimony in Johnny’s ongoing defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard. Ellen, who dated Johnny in the 90s, is a witness on the defence’s behalf. In a pre-recorded testimony on Thursday, she also recounted that Johnny once threw a wine bottle in his hotel room in Las Vegas. Also read: Amber Heard admits to hitting Johnny Depp multiple times, claims it wasn’t assault but self-defence

Ellen, 68, said she had a brief “sexual relationship” with Johnny in the 1990s. Her testimony was videotaped in November 2019 and played for the seven-person jury hearing the defamation case in Fairfax County Circuit Court in Virginia.

In her testimony, she said that during the several months they were together, Johnny was often drunk and was exceedingly jealous. “He was drunk a lot of the time. He was a red wine drinker. He’s just a jealous man, controlling — ‘Where are you going? Who are you going with? What did you do last night?’” she said.

She also claimed that Johnny would accuse her of cheating on him. “I had a scratch on my back once that got him very, very angry because he insisted it came from me having sex with a person who wasn’t him,” Ellen said.

The actor recounted an incident during the filming of the 1998 movie Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. “Mr Depp threw a wine bottle across the room, the hotel room in Las Vegas. I don’t know why he threw the bottle,” Ellen said, although she recalled that Depp may have had an argument with friends or with his assistant. The two actors briefly dated in the late-1990s when they were filming Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

Johnny has sued Amber for defamation in a $50 million suit. The bone of contention is a 2018 Washington Post article Amber wrote where she called herself a survivor of domestic abuse. While the article didn’t name Johnny, his legal team argues that the implication was defamatory and caused the actor to lose work and social standing. Johnny has also alleged that it was Amber who was the abusive one in the relationship. Amber has claimed Johnny was physically and sexually abusive towards her and countersued him for $100 million. Both suits are being tried concurrently.

The jury also heard testimony from Johnny’s former talent agent, his former business manager, and the agent for the 36-year-old Amber during the trial.

Earlier, Johnny, during his four days on the witness stand, denied ever striking Amber or any other woman and claimed that she was the one who was frequently violent. During her testimony on Wednesday, Amber admitted she hit Johnny multiple times but argued that it was always in self-defence and not assault.

Johnny, who filed the defamation complaint in the United States in 2019, had also filed a separate libel case in London that he brought against The Sun for calling him a “wife-beater.” He lost the case in November 2020.

Johnny, a three-time Oscar nominee, and Amber were married in February 2015. Their divorce was finalized two years later. Judge Penney Azcarate has scheduled closing arguments in the case for May 27.

(With AFP inputs)

Johnny Depp’s former girlfriend, actor Ellen Barkin has called the actor “jealous, controlling and frequently drunk” during her testimony in Johnny’s ongoing defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard. Ellen, who dated Johnny in the 90s, is a witness on the defence’s behalf. In a pre-recorded testimony on Thursday, she also recounted that Johnny once threw a wine bottle in his hotel room in Las Vegas. Also read: Amber Heard admits to hitting Johnny Depp multiple times, claims it wasn’t assault but self-defence

Ellen, 68, said she had a brief “sexual relationship” with Johnny in the 1990s. Her testimony was videotaped in November 2019 and played for the seven-person jury hearing the defamation case in Fairfax County Circuit Court in Virginia.

In her testimony, she said that during the several months they were together, Johnny was often drunk and was exceedingly jealous. “He was drunk a lot of the time. He was a red wine drinker. He’s just a jealous man, controlling — ‘Where are you going? Who are you going with? What did you do last night?’” she said.

She also claimed that Johnny would accuse her of cheating on him. “I had a scratch on my back once that got him very, very angry because he insisted it came from me having sex with a person who wasn’t him,” Ellen said.

The actor recounted an incident during the filming of the 1998 movie Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. “Mr Depp threw a wine bottle across the room, the hotel room in Las Vegas. I don’t know why he threw the bottle,” Ellen said, although she recalled that Depp may have had an argument with friends or with his assistant. The two actors briefly dated in the late-1990s when they were filming Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

Johnny has sued Amber for defamation in a $50 million suit. The bone of contention is a 2018 Washington Post article Amber wrote where she called herself a survivor of domestic abuse. While the article didn’t name Johnny, his legal team argues that the implication was defamatory and caused the actor to lose work and social standing. Johnny has also alleged that it was Amber who was the abusive one in the relationship. Amber has claimed Johnny was physically and sexually abusive towards her and countersued him for $100 million. Both suits are being tried concurrently.

The jury also heard testimony from Johnny’s former talent agent, his former business manager, and the agent for the 36-year-old Amber during the trial.

Earlier, Johnny, during his four days on the witness stand, denied ever striking Amber or any other woman and claimed that she was the one who was frequently violent. During her testimony on Wednesday, Amber admitted she hit Johnny multiple times but argued that it was always in self-defence and not assault.

Johnny, who filed the defamation complaint in the United States in 2019, had also filed a separate libel case in London that he brought against The Sun for calling him a “wife-beater.” He lost the case in November 2020.

Johnny, a three-time Oscar nominee, and Amber were married in February 2015. Their divorce was finalized two years later. Judge Penney Azcarate has scheduled closing arguments in the case for May 27.

(With AFP inputs)