5 stars supporting Johnny Depp in his trial against Amber Heard, from Fantastic Beasts director David Yates and his Pirates of the Caribbean co-star Penélope Cruz, to his ex Winona Ryder

May 3 , 2022

Ex Winona Ryder and friend Penelope Cruz have publicly thrown their weight behind Johnny Depp during his trial. Photos: AFP, EPA-EFE, DPA

From allegations of drug use and painting on fake bruises, to the bizarre issue of faecal matter on bedsheets, the details of Johnny Depp’s ongoing defamation trial against his ex-wife Amber Heard have had Hollywood hooked since mid-April.

Johnny Depp in the Virginia courtroom where he is suing ex-wife Amber Heard for libel after she wrote an op-ed piece in The Washington Post in 2018 referring to herself as a “public figure representing domestic abuse”. Photo: AP

As more details of their tumultuous marriage emerge, many celebrities are speaking up in support of Depp, who is currently in the process of being publicly cross-examined by Heard’s legal team.

So which stars have taken Depp’s side in this legal battle?

1. Winona Ryder and Vanessa Paradis

Winona Ryder dated Johnny Depp in the early 90s. Photo: @winonaryderofficial/Instagram

Despite Depp’s failed relationships with actress Winona Ryder and French singer Vanessa Paradis (with whom he shares two children), his two exes still seem to think highly of him. In a separate libel case filed by Depp’s team against UK tabloid The Sun for labelling him a “wife-beater”, Ryder and Paradis came to Depp’s defence by releasing witness statements testifying that he was never abusive toward them.

Ryder’s statement said that, “The idea that he is an incredibly violent person is the farthest thing from the Johnny I knew and loved. He was never, never violent towards me. He has never been violent or abusive towards anybody I have seen.”

Vanessa Paradis and Johnny Depp were a couple for 14 years and have two children together. Photo: @nostalgiadiariess/Instagram

Similarly, Paradis wrote that, “From my personal experience of many years, I can say [Depp] was never violent or abusive to me.”

2. Penélope Cruz

Johnny Depp has made three films with Penélope Cruz including Blow, Pirates of the Caribbean and Murder on the Orient Express. Photo: @johnny_depp_and_penelope_cruz/Instagram

Penélope Cruz, who has co-starred with Depp in three films including Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, filed a separate declaration about Depp’s behaviour.

According to Cruz, she met Depp when she was 19 years old and considers him a good friend. She stated that while she was pregnant on the set of Pirates of the Caribbean, Depp treated her with “sweetness, protection and kindness” throughout.

Penelope Cruz said that Johnny Depp treated her with “sweetness” while she was pregnant on the set of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. Photo: Disney

“I’ve seen Johnny in so many situations and he is always kind to everyone around. He is one of the most generous people I know,” her declaration read.

3. Sia

Sia joked that she didn’t love Johnny Depp’s penchant for heavy jewellery, but said he was “clearly the victim”. Photo: @adam_siafan/Instagram

In late 2020, when recordings of Heard admitting to physically harming Depp were released by the court, Sia showed her support for Depp through a tweet.

Sia doesn’t appear to know Johnny Depp personally, but was clearly shocked by the tapes in which Amber Heard admitted to harming Depp. Photo: @Sia/Twitter

“Just showing my public support for Johnny Depp. I mean, I’d love him to get clean and stop with the jewellery, but he is clearly the victim after hearing those tapes,” she wrote.

4. David Yates

Director David Yates was forced to defend his decision to keep Depp in the Fantastic Beasts films. Photo: Handout

When rumours of Depp’s alleged domestic violence first surfaced in 2017, David Yates, director of the Fantastic Beasts films (a spin-off of the popular Harry Potter franchise) defended his decision to keep Depp in the role of Gellert Grindelwald, the film’s antagonist.

David Yates said Johnny Depp was “full of decency and kindness” on the set of Fantastic Beasts. Photo: @salveogvm/Twitter

“I can only tell you about the man I see every day: he’s full of decency and kindness, and that’s all I see. Whatever accusation was out there doesn’t tally with the kind of human being I’ve been working with,” Yates was widely quoted as saying.

Want more stories like this? Follow STYLE on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter.

Fame and celebrity

Exes Vanessa Paradis and Winona Ryder both released supporting statements for the Pirates of the Caribbean actor, and even Sia said he’s ‘clearly the victim’ on Twitter
Penélope Cruz said Depp showed her ‘sweetness, protection and kindness’, while Fantastic Beasts director David Yates spoke of his professionalism and ‘decency’ on set