Amber Heard Testifies 'Nothing I Did' Made Johnny Depp 'Stop Hitting Me'

Johnny Depp's defamation trial against his ex-wife continued Thursday (May 5) with testimony from Amber Heard who said she "tried" to defend herself during physical fights in their relationship.

Warning: Explicit/sensitive content ahead

Heard testified why she responded physically to Depp's allegedly abusive outbursts and explained that no matter what she did, the alleged abuse wouldn't stop, according to People. The Aquaman actress said:

"In these fights, I would try to stand up for myself. By December 2014, I was pushing back, I'd push him off me, I tried to hit his hands away. I tried to always get back up, which would sometimes — not sometimes, almost always made it worse, always seemed to provoke him. But I tried. I would yell at him, scream at him. I'd call him ugly names. So ashamed of the names we'd call each other. It was awful. And we both got into that pattern. I felt so angry that this was happening to me, and it just felt so unfair. Nothing I did made him stop hitting me. Nothing."

Heard went on to say that for a year or two, she wouldn't respond physically. She said she would just stare at him.

"I tried to freeze, I tried going to a different place. I would try then lashing out verbally. I would try to threaten that if he hit me again that I would call the police. Police were called several times. I tried to do everything. I even threatened to leave him — tried to leave him. Nothing was working. And I think by this point in our relationship, we're both saying awful things to each other, screaming at each other and, unfortunately, when Johnny would start hitting me, he'd just win. I don't know how else to describe it."

The Pirates of the Caribbean actor said earlier in the trial, "I've never struck Ms. Heard. I have never struck a woman in my life." According to People, Heard's testimony is riddled with claims that Depp allegedly slapped, kicked and sexually assaulted her.

Depp is suing Heard over a Washington Post op-ed she wrote in 2018 about surviving domestic violence. Depp wasn't named in the article, but he claims the piece negatively impacted his career. He filed the $50 million lawsuit in 2019.

If you have experienced sexual violence and need help, the free and confidential National Sexual Assault Hotline is available 24 hours a day at 1-800-656-4673.