Depp arrived at the High Court in London wearing a face mask for the hearing on Tuesday. He is suing News Group Newspapers and Dan Wootton, the executive editor of one of its tabloids, the Sun, for libel after the paper claimed in a 2018 story that Depp was an abusive husband.
Heard was also present in court; she is expected to give evidence later in the case.
Court papers show the newspaper group alleges that Depp was "controlling and verbally and physically abusive" towards Heard, "particularly when he was under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs." Depp has always denied allegations of physical abuse against his former wife.
Lawyers for News Group Newspapers (NGN) told a high court judge that its description of Depp is "entirely accurate and truthful," the PA Media news agency reported.
Citing evidence, including photos, audio recordings and Depp's own text messages, which are to be presented at the trial, lawyers for the newspaper group argued in court filings that Depp "beat his wife Amber Heard, causing her to suffer significant injury, and on occasion leading to her fearing for her life," PA reported.
The newspaper group claims there were 14 alleged incidents of domestic violence, PA said, including what Heard describes in court flings as a "three-day hostage situation in Australia in March 2015". Depp denies all the allegations.
Giving evidence in court, Depp described accusations that he subjected her to "torture and other abuse" as "sick" and "completely untrue," PA reported, and he claimed that Heard was physically abusive to him.
"The claimant's position is clear -- Ms Heard's allegations are complete lies. The claimant was not violent towards Ms Heard, it was she who was violent to him," Depp's barrister David Sherborne said in a written outline of the actor's case, PA reported.
Court documents show that Depp's former companions Vanessa Paradis and Winona Ryder are also expected to give evidence in the case, who both say that he was never violent to them.
Heard and Depp, who met on the set of "The Rum Diary" in 2009, married in 2015 and were later involved in a months-long, contentious split, with charges of bad behavior alleged by both sides.
Depp denied he was abusive to Heard at the time, and through his representatives, claimed Heard had made up the abuse.
The estranged couple settled their divorce months later, releasing a statement saying they "have agreed to resolve their divorce proceeding privately." Heard initially obtained a restraining order against Depp, but then withdrew a petition to extend it.
The UK trial is scheduled to last 15 court days.
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Johnny Depp says ex-wife's abuse allegations were 'sick' as libel case begins - CNN
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