Amber Heard has spoken out about why she thinks people have been quick to call her a "liar".
The Aquaman star is currently in the midst of a high-profile defamation trial against ex-husband Johnny Depp.
Depp is suing Heard for $50 million over a 2018 Washington Post op-ed in which she claimed to be a victim of domestic abuse. He has alleged that he was the real victim of their turbulent marriage and that Heard's accusations wrecked his reputation and his career.
Heard, meanwhile, has doubled down on her claims and countersued for $100 million, citing several occasions during their relationship when she says Depp was physically abusive.
Over the past few weeks, both actors have delivered emotional testimonies to the court in Fairfax, Virginia, regaling jurors with harrowing tales of their violent marriage.
However, while Depp seems to have won widespread support and sympathy on social media, people have been less eager to believe Heard's side of the story.
The Pirates of the Caribbean star has had devoted fans turn out in the droves to support him, be it by gathering outside the courthouse or using the 'Justice For Johnny Depp' hashtag on social media. By contrast, many people have branded Heard a liar and taken up the idea first suggested by Depp's legal team that her tearful testimony was just a performance.
While on the witness stand last Monday (May 16), Heard gave her opinion on why she has been labeled a liar in the past - suggesting it is because her husband is a "bigger star" than her, per The Independent.
The Aquaman star was being grilled by Depp's lawyer over a statement she made in 2018 that she had given half of her $7 million divorce settlement to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). The charity said several years later that they were yet to receive the donation, prompting Depp's attorney to asked Heard whether her announcement was made because she wanted "good press" and "praise".
"That wasn’t my interest," Heard said.
She went on to elaborate: "My interest is in my name – in clearing my name. At the time, I was being called a 'liar' and my motives were being questioned. I did see it as important to clear that up."
"I wanted to make a statement to make sure there was not any doubt. That I couldn’t be labeled these things just because Johnny was the bigger star and had more publicity reach," she added.
One of the accusations Heard's team has leveled at Depp is that he was behind a smear campaign that used targetted bots on social media to discredit her.
.jpg_zwQsIw?tr=h-184)
.jpg_afiN0s?tr=h-184)
