Johnny Depp was dropped from the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise because of the domestic abuse allegations made by Amber Heard, his former Hollywood agent said on Wednesday, backing up the actor's claim against his ex-wife.
"My opinion is that it was related to the accusations that Amber has made," Christian Carino, who works for Creative Arts Agency, said in a videotaped deposition in the defamation suit filed by Depp against Heard.
Depp filed a defamation case against Heard over a column she wrote for The Washington Post in December 2018 in which she described herself as a "public figure representing domestic abuse".
Heard, 36, never named Depp, 58, but he sued her for implying he was a domestic abuser and is seeking $50 million in damages.
Texas-born Heard countersued, asking for $100m, claiming she suffered "rampant physical violence and abuse" at his hands.
Depp filed the defamation complaint in the US after losing a separate libel case in London in November 2020 that he brought against The Sun for calling him a "wife-beater".
Carino, Depp and Heard's former agent, said it was never explicitly stated by Disney that Depp was being dropped from the Pirates franchise because of the domestic abuse accusations but it was "understood".
Depp, testifying earlier on his own behalf, blamed the accusations by Heard for the loss of his lucrative role in Pirates as Captain Jack Sparrow.
Carino, the former fiance of Lady Gaga, was also asked about Heard's relationship with billionaire Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk, which followed her 2017 divorce from Depp.
Lawyers for Depp read out August 2017 text messages between Carino and Heard, who starred in the movie Aquaman.
"Dealing with break-up. I hate when things go public. See, I'm so sad," Heard said in a message about the end of her relationship with Musk.
"You weren't in love with him and you told me 1,000 times you were just filling space," Carino replied. "Why would you be sad if you weren't in love with him to begin with?"
Heard responded: "I know but I wanted time to grieve and recover in my own time."
Asked by a lawyer for Depp if Heard was referring to Musk or Depp, Carino said "I don't know."
He also provided her with some advice. "You could avoid all this if you stopped dating uber-famous people," he said. "You can be with a big man who isn't famous."
Testifying last week, Depp said the allegations that he was a "drunken, cocaine-fuelled menace who beat women" have cost him "everything".
Depp denies ever physically abusing Heard and claims she was the one who was frequently violent.
Depp, a three-time Oscar nominee, and Heard met in 2009 on the set of the film The Rum Diary and were married in February 2015. Their divorce was finalised two years later.
The specs
Price, base / as tested Dh100,000 (estimate)
Engine 2.4L four-cylinder
Gearbox Nine-speed automatic
Power 184bhp at 6,400rpm
Torque 237Nm at 3,900rpm
Fuel economy, combined 9.4L/100km
The Vile
Starring: Bdoor Mohammad, Jasem Alkharraz, Iman Tarik, Sarah Taibah
Director: Majid Al Ansari
Rating: 4/5
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
RoboCop%3A%20Rogue%20City
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The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
PAST 10 BRITISH GRAND PRIX WINNERS
2016 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2015 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2014 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2013 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes-GP)
2012 - Mark Webber (Red Bull Racing)
2011 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari)
2010 - Mark Webber (Red Bull Racing)
2009 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)
2008 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
2007 - Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)
Britain's travel restrictions
- A negative test 2 days before flying
- Complete passenger locator form
- Book a post-arrival PCR test
- Double-vaccinated must self-isolate
- 11 countries on red list quarantine
Museum of the Future in numbers
- 78 metres is the height of the museum
- 30,000 square metres is its total area
- 17,000 square metres is the length of the stainless steel facade
- 14 kilometres is the length of LED lights used on the facade
- 1,024 individual pieces make up the exterior
- 7 floors in all, with one for administrative offices
- 2,400 diagonally intersecting steel members frame the torus shape
- 100 species of trees and plants dot the gardens
- Dh145 is the price of a ticket
Stormy seas
Weather warnings show that Storm Eunice is soon to make landfall. The videographer and I are scrambling to return to the other side of the Channel before it does. As we race to the port of Calais, I see miles of wire fencing topped with barbed wire all around it, a silent ‘Keep Out’ sign for those who, unlike us, aren’t lucky enough to have the right to move freely and safely across borders.
We set sail on a giant ferry whose length dwarfs the dinghies migrants use by nearly a 100 times. Despite the windy rain lashing at the portholes, we arrive safely in Dover; grateful but acutely aware of the miserable conditions the people we’ve left behind are in and of the privilege of choice.
'The Batman'
Stars:Robert Pattinson
Director:Matt Reeves
Rating: 5/5
Smart words at Make Smart Cool
Make Smart Cool is not your usual festival. Dubbed “edutainment” by organisers Najahi Events, Make Smart Cool aims to inspire its youthful target audience through a mix of interactive presentation by social media influencers and a concert finale featuring Example with DJ Wire. Here are some of the speakers sharing their inspiration and experiences on the night.
Prince Ea
With his social media videos accumulating more half a billion views, the American motivational speaker is hot on the college circuit in the US, with talks that focus on the many ways to generate passion and motivation when it comes to learning.
Khalid Al Ameri
The Emirati columnist and presenter is much loved by local youth, with writings and presentations about education, entrepreneurship and family balance. His lectures on career and personal development are sought after by the education and business sector.
Ben Ouattara
Born to an Ivorian father and German mother, the Dubai-based fitness instructor and motivational speaker is all about conquering fears and insecurities. His talk focuses on the need to gain emotional and physical fitness when facing life’s challenges. As well managing his film production company, Ouattara is one of the official ambassadors of Dubai Expo2020.
'Morbius'
Director: Daniel Espinosa
Stars: Jared Leto, Matt Smith, Adria Arjona
Rating: 2/5
'Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore'
Rating: 3/5
Directed by: David Yates
Starring: Mads Mikkelson, Eddie Redmayne, Ezra Miller, Jude Law
