Audio played for the court on Monday revealed that actor Johnny Depp has not once looked ex-wife Amber Heard in the eyes during the explosive defamation suit because he’s honoring a vow he made after the actress filed for divorce and obtained a domestic violence temporary restraining order.
Depp is suing Heard for more than $50 million over an op-ed she wrote at The Washington Post about domestic violence, which the actor claims significantly hurt his Hollywood career.
“You will not see my eyes again,” Depp promised Heard during a meeting in 2016, the last time the couple spoke to one another in person.
“He won’t look at you, right?” Depp attorney Camille Vasquez asked Heard during the first hour of cross-examination.
“You know exactly why Mr. Depp won’t look at you,” Vasquez pressed. “He promised you he would never see your eyes again, is that true?”
“I don’t recall that,” Heard responded, before Depp’s team played the 2016 audio clip for the court.
“Please, I just want to hug you and say bye,” Heard begs Depp on the audio.
“I am nothing to you, and I will always be nothing to you,” the “Pirates of the Caribbean” actor said back. “You will not see my eyes again.”
WATCH:
WATCH: #JohnnyDepp’s lawyer questions #AmberHeard about why Depp hasn’t looked at her the whole trial. @LawCrimeNetwork pic.twitter.com/wIPebGoygG
— Law&Crime Network (@LawCrimeNetwork) May 16, 2022
Viewers of the trial noticed earlier this month the Depp would not look at Heard during her testimony, one legal commentator suggesting this was a “strategy” for the actor.
“What do you think of the strategy of #JohnnyDepp purposely not looking, even one time, at #Amber Heard during testimony?” posted Cathy Russon, Executive Producer at Law&Crime Trial Network.
Two images in the post show Depp with his head down as Heard testified.
What do you think of the strategy of #JohnnyDepp purposely not looking, even one time, at #AmberHeard during her testimony? @LawCrimeNetwork pic.twitter.com/d2TFQLHBhX
— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) May 5, 2022
Later in the trial, Russon noticed a rare moment of Depp looking up toward Ms. Heard while she recounted a brutal fight the pair allegedly had in Australia in 2015.
Notably, Depp had on shaded glasses.
In the video clip, the 58-year-old glances toward Heard at least six times while the actress recalls the alleged fight. “I thought he was punching me,” Heard repeatedly said in-between sobbing fits.
WATCH as #AmberHeard sobs on the stand as she recounts a fight in Australia.
(Notice Depp appears to look up at her) #JohnnyDepp #DeppHeardTrial @LawCrimeNetwork pic.twitter.com/56x7N2LyME
— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) May 5, 2022
During the first day of cross-examination on Heard, Depp’s team also pressed the actress about public claims that she donated all $7 million from the divorce settlement to charities. Heard battled with Depp’s team but admitted that she has yet to fulfill her “pledge.”