Amber Heardtook the stand Wednesday to begin her testimony as ex-husbandJohnny Deppsues her for defamation.

TheAquamanactress, 36, went under oath in the Fairfax, Virginia, courtroom as Depp, 58, looked on. Heard’s time on the stand comes after Depp’s legal team made their case over three weeks, bringing witnesses — including Depp — on the stand to tell the jury about how Heard was allegedly abusive and manipulative toward Depp.

“I am here because my ex-husband is suing me,” Heard said, referring to Depp, in her opening remarks.

“I struggle to find the words to describe how painful this is,” Heard continued. “This is horrible for me to sit here for weeks and relive everything.”

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She added, visibly emotional, “This is the most painful and difficult thing I’ve ever gone through, for sure.”

ELIZABETH FRANTZ/POOL/AFP via Getty

Amber Heard

Depp has testified that his “goal is the truth” as he seeks to clear his name in the trial, which is being televised live via various outlets. Ahead of the trial, Heard said in a statement that “hopefully when this case concludes, I can move on and so can Johnny. I have always maintained a love for Johnny and it brings me great pain to have to live out the details of our past life together in front of the world.”

Amber Heard

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Heard and Depp met while making the 2011 filmThe Rum Diary, and later wed in 2015. They broke up in May 2016, when Heard sought a domestic violence restraining order against him, accusing him of abusing her. Depp denied the claims, and the former couple settled theirdivorceout of court in August 2016.

During his testimony, Depp — who has said multiple times under oath that he has never struck Heard or any woman — said that, after Heard’s allegations against him, he lost “nothing short of everything.”

Johnny Depp; Amber Heard.JIM WATSON/POOL/AFP via Getty (2)

US actor Johnny Depp looks on in the courtroom at the Fairfax County Circuit Court in Fairfax, Virginia, on May 3, 2022. - US actor Johnny Depp sued his ex-wife Amber Heard for libel in Fairfax County Circuit Court after she wrote an op-ed piece in The Washington Post in 2018 referring to herself as a “public figure representing domestic abuse.” US actress Amber Heard looks on during a hearing at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Fairfax, Virginia, on May 3, 2022. - US actor Johnny Depp sued his ex-wife Amber Heard for libel in Fairfax County Circuit Court after she wrote an op-ed piece in The Washington Post in 2018 referring to herself as a “public figure representing domestic abuse."

Back in November 2020, Depplost his highly publicized U.K. libel lawsuit caseagainst British tabloidThe Sunfor calling him a “wife-beater.” The court upheld the outlet’s claims as being “substantially true” and Heard testified to back up the claims. In March 2021, thePirates of the Caribbeanstar’s attempt tooverturn the decision was overruled.

One of Depp’s witnesses, their former marriage counselor Dr. Laurel Anderson, previously testified in this case that Depp and Heardengaged in “mutual abuse” with each other. Anderson said she also observed “multiple” small bruises on Heard’s face at an in-person meeting. In audio recordings, Heard has admitted to hitting Depp, and a security guard for Depp testified that heonce witnessed Heard punch Depp.

source: people.com