6h 45min, mar 12, 2020 y - MEDIA COVERAGE 12 -15 March 2020 Winona Ryder comes to defense of ex-Johnny Depp and calls Amber Heard's claims of domestic violence 'impossible to believe' in legal declaration

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Winona Ryder says Amber Heard’s allegations against Johnny Depp are ‘impossible to believe’

By Emma Kelly

Winona Ryder has claimed that Amber Heard’s allegations of domestic abuse against Johnny Depp are ‘impossible to believe’.

The Stranger Things actress, who was engaged to Depp for three years in the early 90s, filed a declaration in Depp’s defamation case in Virginia against his ex-wife, giving the actor support.

In documents acquired by The Blast, the 48-year-old said she could ‘not wrap my head around these accusations’ and said that Depp, 56, was never violent towards her in their four year relationship.

In the documents, Ryder says: ‘I knew Johnny very well years ago. We were together as a couple for four years, and I counted him as my best friend, and as close to me as family. I count our relationship as one of the more significant relationships of my life. I understand that it is very important that I speak from my own experience.

‘I obviously was not there during his marriage to Amber, but, from my experience, which was so wildly different, I was absolutely shocked, confused and upset when I heard the accusations against him. The idea that he is an incredibly violent person is the farthest thing from the Johnny I knew and loved. I cannot wrap my head around these accusations.

‘He was never, never violent towards me. He was never, never abusive at all towards me. He has never been violent or abusive towards anybody I have seen. I truly and honestly only know him as a really good man- an incredibly loving, extremely caring guy who was so very protective of me and the people that he loves, and I felt so very, very safe with him.’

The Heathers star continued: ‘I do not want to call anyone a liar but from my experience of Johnny, it is impossible to believe that such horrific allegations are true. I find it extremely upsetting knowing him as I do.’

Winona and Johnny met in 1989 at the premiere of Great Balls of Fire! premiere, and got engaged in July 1990, also going on to star together in Edward Scissorhands.

Depp famously got a tattoo reading ‘Winona Forever’, but after their split in 1993, he had it changed to ‘Wino Forever’.

The Pirates of the Caribbean actor is suing his ex-wife Amber for $50 million (£40m) for defamation, after the Aquaman actress claimed she was a victim of domestic abuse in an op-ed for The Washington Post in 2018.

While Heard did not name her alleged abuser, Depp filed a defamation suit, claiming that her ‘fabricated domestic violence allegations are categorically and demonstrably false’.

In filings, Depp has accused Heard of abuse, including allegations she severed his finger with a glass bottle and stubbed out a cigarette on his face.

Amber’s lawyer said: ‘This allegation is absurd, offensive and categorically untrue.

This photograph proves nothing – apart from the fact that Johnny Depp is desperate to throw out any outlandish allegation to deflect attention from his physical and ongoing psychological abuse of Amber Heard.’

After filing for divorce, the actress filed for a restraining order in 2016 against Depp, alleging abuse.

Depp denies the claims, and the exes settled their divorce.

Heard’s repsdeclined to comment when contacted by Metro.co.uk.

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