On April 11, a highly publicized trial involving actors Johnny Depp, 58, and Amber Heard, 36, started in Fairfax, Virginia. Since then, lawyers for Depp and Heard have presented opening statements and Depp has taken the stand. The trial is expected to continue until late May.
Depp, widely known for his role in the Pirates of Caribbean franchise, is suing Heard, his ex-wife, for defamation over an opinion piece she wrote for The Washington Post and is seeking $50 million. Heard is also countersuing for $100 million.
Here's what else you should know about the trial.
Heard is a model and actress who starred in 2018's Aquaman. In December of 2018, she wrote an op-ed for The Washington Post titled, "I spoke up against sexual violence -- and faced our culture's wrath. That has to change." She said in the article that she had become "a public figure representing domestic abuse," but did not mention Depp's name.
Depp alleges Heard defamed him in the op-ed. During opening statements, Depp lawyer Benjamin Chew said Heard's article clearly refers to Depp, and that Heard's "false allegations had a significant impact on Mr. Depp's family and his ability to work."
Benjamin Rottenborn, a lawyer for Heard, said the case is about Heard's right to free speech under the First Amendment. "The article isn't about Johnny Depp," Rottenborn said. "The article is about the social change for which she is advocating and that the First Amendment protects."
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