Former sweethearts and a close friend of Johnny Depp have risen to his defense amid domestic abuse allegations put forward by the actor's estranged wife, Amber Heard. They insist that Depp has never been known to be abusive and attested to his kind-heartedness.
Depp and Heard are currently in the middle of a nasty divorce. Heard has obtained a temporary restraining order against the actor and accused him of being abusive throughout their 15-month marriage.
Comedian Doug Stanhope, a close friend of Depp, has the actor defended Depp and dismissed claims that the Pirates of the Caribbean star is abusive. In an essay he wrote which was published by The Wrap, Stanhope stated that Heard is a manipulative woman. He added that the allegation that Depp is abusive is an attempt to blackmail him. Stanhope revealed that Depp confided in him that Heard was threatening to leave him and spread lies about him if he did not agree to her terms.
Heard has since filed a defamation case against Stanhope due to the essay, a lawsuit that the comedian scoffs at, stating that the lawsuit is ridiculous.
Stanhope is not the only person who has defended Depp. The actor's ex-fiancé Winona Ryder, who dated Depp in 1989 and became engaged to him the year after, stated that he was never abusive towards her and insisted that he is a loving man. Careful not to imply that Heard is lying, the famous actress clarified that she is basing her opinions on her experiences and that Depp was a good and kind-hearted man.
Depp's ex-wives Vanessa Paradis and Lori Ann Allison have also defended the actor and downplayed Heard's claim that he is abusive. The women claim that the actor is sensitive and loving and did not even scream or shout during their marriage.
