WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Opening statements are expected on Tuesday in Johnny Depp's U.S. defamation case against his ex-wife Amber Heard, the latest chapter in a long-running legal fight between the two Hollywood stars.
Depp, 58, has sued Heard for $50 million, saying she defamed him when she penned a 2018 opinion piece in the Washington Post about being a survivor of domestic abuse.
The op-ed never mentioned Depp by name, but Depp's lawyers have said it was clear Heard, 35, was referencing him, and that the piece damaged his film career and reputation.
Depp, known for his work in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise, has denied all allegations of abuse. Depp said in his lawsuit that Heard's claims were an "elaborate hoax to generate positive publicity for Ms. Heard and advance her career."
A state court judge in Fairfax County, Virginia is overseeing the trial, which could last six weeks. A jury was selected on Monday and opening statements are slated to begin on Tuesday.
The U.S. trial comes less than two years after Depp lost a libel case against The Sun, a British tabloid that labeled him a “wife beater." A London High Court judge ruled he had repeatedly assaulted Heard and put her in fear for her life.
In the U.S. case, Depp and Heard both submitted long lists of potential witnesses they could put on the stand.
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