The explosive divorce between Hollywood icon Johnny Depp and his wife of less than two years, actress Amber Heard, was a particularly unnerving case of trial-by-media.
Heard filed for divorce from Depp, accusing the Edward Scissorhands star of serial domestic abuse, whilst providing photos of herself with a black eye to the court, as well as images of smashed wine bottles and glass along with a detailed story of being terrorized by a heavily inebriated Depp on the evening of May 21.
“I endured excessive emotional, verbal and physical abuse from Johnny, which has included angry, hostile, humiliating and threatening assaults to me whenever I questioned his authority or disagreed with him,” Heard stated in her request for protection filed May 27 in Los Angeles Superior Court.
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Depp, on the other hand, denied the abuse allegations and claimed through his lawyer that Heard was after a chunk of his $400 million fortune. But more items in the media emerged, including a sneak-vid shot by Heard of a seemingly drunk and infuriated Depp raising hell in their kitchen, as well as a particularly odd story wherein Depp is said to have sliced off the tip of his finger in a jealous rage and scrawled messages in blood on a wall accusing the actress of cheating with Billy Bob Thornton. Friends from both sides of the fence also weighed in as character witnesses.
Now Marilyn Manson, a longtime friend of Depp’s who’s said he’s “like a brother to me,” is godfather to Depp’s daughter Lily-Rose, and who shares a skeleton tattoo with the actor from Baudelaire’s Les Fleurs du mal, has given his two cents on the split.
In an interview with The Daily Beast for a longer profile to run next week tied to his creepy upcoming role in the WGN drama Salem, the musician and artist stood by Depp, claiming that his pal was “crucified” by Heard in the press.
“Lily-Rose is my goddaughter and I was there when [his son] Jack was born, so we go back,” said Manson. “Johnny is one of the nicest people that I know—to the extent where it’s almost heartbreaking how kind he is to his friends, and everyone around him. I know that he was completely crucified—unjustly.
“I would stand by him on anything,” Manson continued. “As my friend, I know that he’s handling it the best he can and he’s a great dad, too. It fills me with joy to see his kids grow up and be so smart, and so hilarious. We played a show together not too long ago. It’s hard to say when you talk about your friends. Of course I think that all of it was bullshit, and I think that he is a great person. I wouldn’t agree with any of it if someone were to put me on the stand and ask me what I know, or what I’ve witnessed.”
Heard and Depp recently reached a $7 million settlement in their divorce, with Heard dismissing the restraining order against Depp and then donating the money to the American Civil Liberties Union and the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. The actress explained the donation of the divorce money by stating: “Money played no role for me personally [in the divorce] and never has, except to the extent that I could donate it to charity and, in doing so, hopefully help those less able to defend themselves.”
The former couple also released a joint statement reading: “Our relationship was intensely passionate and at times volatile, but always bound by love. Neither party has made false accusations for financial gain. There was never any intent of physical or emotional harm.”
