Johnny Depp's defamation trial against Amber Heard is set to continue next week. ET has learned that the actress will continue to be questioned on the stand on Monday, with her cross-examination likely to begin that same afternoon.
Heard is likely to still be on the stand for cross examination through at least Tuesday, ET has learned. Once her questioning concludes, Heard's legal team is set to call more witnesses to the stand.
Ellen Barkin, Depp's former girlfriend, will testify via video, and Whitney Henriquez, Heard's sister, will testify in person. Additionally, Heard's legal team will call Depp to the stand. The actor previously testified during the trial, so this will mark his return to the witness stand.
Depp first filed his defamation lawsuit against Heard in March 2019, in response to an op-ed Heard wrote for the Washington Post in December 2018 about being the victim of domestic violence. The article itself did not mention Depp by name, however, their contentious 2016 divorce had been in the news over the previous two years.
After Depp's legal team called their final witness earlier this month, Heard's lawyers filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing that Depp’s team did not present enough evidence to justify their case. They also argued that the actress should be awarded a summary judgment.
Depp's attorney argued that they had presented enough evidence, citing audio recordings of alleged arguments between the former couple, witness testimony that claimed Heard had physically abused the actor, and more.
Judge Penney Azcarate sided with Depp's team, noting, "If there is a scintilla of evidence that a reasonable juror could weigh, then the matter survives a motion to strike."
Heard's team then moved forward with their case, calling Dr. Dawn Hughes, a clinical and forensic psychologist, and the actress herself to the stand.
Stay up to date with the defamation trial with ET's livestream of the proceedings.
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