Johnny Depp defamation suit: Actor says 'Burn Amber' texts were based on 'Monty Python'

On the fourth day of Johnny Depp and Amber Heard's defamation trial, the former explained the context of the explicit 'Burn Heard' text evidence, which was shown to the jury in the last hearing. On Thursday, during his third day on the stand of a Virginia courtroom, Depp was previously cross-questioned about a series of shocking text messages that the Pirates of the Caribbean star sent to his pal Paul Bettany. Now, on Monday, April 25, Depp testified that he is 'ashamed' of the language used in the messages, however, asserted that the texts had a comedy reference added to them.

Johnny Depp explains the context behind 'Burn Heard' texts

s per The Standard, The Pirates of the Caribbean star reportedly asserted that the explicit messages were never 'intended' to be real. He claimed that the evidence shown before the jury were 'private texts' that need to be put into 'context'. Depp testified that he is 'ashamed' of the language used and revealed that the real meaning of the messages was about a comedy sketch by Monty Python. 

Depp reportedly said, "It’s important to know none of that was ever intended to be real and the language used which … yes, I am ashamed (of) has to be spread on the world like peanut butter." He further told the Virginia court that the aforementioned comedy sketch was based on burning and drowning witches. Depp added that he made an 'abstract humour' about a film that he and his pal would watch in childhood.

Depp testified, "For example, the text that is about burning Ms Heard is directly from Monty Python and the sketch about burning witches and then drowning the witches. This is a film we’d all watch when we were 10 – it’s just irreverent and abstract humour". The actor also reportedly claimed that Amber Heard 'despised' his friend Bettany as she would consider him a 'threat'. He said, "Heard despised Bettany because of their friendship, for her he was a threat and would take me away from her."

Dated June 2013, the message sent by Johnny Depp was read aloud by Heard's attorney on Thursday that stated, "Let's down her before we burn her. I will f*** her burnt corpse afterwards to make sure she's dead." 

Johnny Depp is suing ex-wife Amber Heard for $50 million as damage over the op-ed the latter wrote for the Washington Post. 

In the opinion piece, Heard referred to herself as a 'public figure representing domestic abuse'. Although she did not identify Depp in her op-ed, he sued Heard for damaging his personal and professional life. After more than a year of the legal battle, Amber Heard countersued Depp alleging that he defamed her when his attorneys released statements calling her allegations of abuse a hoax.

Image: AP