An actor is set to tell the High Court in London that she was “misquoted” in an article which labelled Johnny Depp (57) a wife beater.
Mr Depp is suing The Sun’s publisher News Group Newspapers (NGN) and its executive editor Dan Wootton over an article, published on April 27th, 2018 which alleged he was violent towards his ex-wife Amber Heard (34).
Katherine Kendall (50) an campaigner for the #MeToo movement which sprang out of widespread revelations about Harvey Weinstein’s sexual misconduct, is expected to give evidence in the trial today over a video link from the US.
Ms Kendall has publicly accused Mr Weinstein of harassing her in the 1990s. The American movie producer was convicted of rape and other sexual offences in March, receiving a 23-year jail sentence.
In court documents from an earlier hearing in the case, counsel for Mr Depp said Ms Kendall will give evidence to explain how annoyed she was that the article was presented as if she was “endorsing” a comparison between the Mr Depp and Mr Weinstein.
In a complaint to the newspaper, Ms Kendall wrote: “I never meant to be in an article that called Johnny Depp a ‘wife beater’.
“I told you that I didn’t know that to be true at all! I have heard several times that she was in fact abusive to him."
“I’m telling you that you misquoted me and intentionally took things I said out of context in what I now realise was your purpose in defaming Johnny Depp.
“I told you I have heard Amber Heard hit him, which is why as you know I don’t condone ‘any’ violence.
“You have improperly tried to use the #MeToo movement for your purposes by using me in this way,” added Ms Kendall.
Mr Depp’s representative say the article, published under the heading: : “Gone Potty: How can JK Rowling be ‘genuinely happy’ casting wife beater Johnny Depp in the new Fantastic Beasts film?” implied there was “overwhelming evidence” that Mr Depp assaulted Ms Heard on a number of occasions and left her “in fear for her life”.
NGN is defending the article as true, and says Mr Depp was “controlling and verbally and physically abusive towards Ms Heard, particularly when he was under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs”.
