ABC/Randy Holmes(LONDON) — Johnny Depp’s ex-fiancée Winona Ryder and ex-wife Vanessa Paradis have come to the actor’s defense in his U.K. libel suit against The Sun newspaper.
Depp is suing the paper for calling him a “wife beater” during his rocky marriage to actress Amber Heard, as the pair continue to level abuse charges against each other.
According to People, Ryder’s statement to the court said in part that she was aware of the accusation against Depps, but insisted, “We were together as a couple for four years [and while]… I obviously was not there during his marriage to Amber…from my experience, which was so wildly different, I was absolutely shocked, confused and upset when I heard the accusations against him.”
She continued, “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.”
For her part, Paradis’ statement read, “I have known Johnny for more than 25 years. We’ve been partners for 14 years and we raised our two children together. Through all these years I’ve known Johnny to be a kind, attentive, generous and non-violent person and father.”
Paradis said of Heard’s accusations, “This is nothing like the true Johnny I have known, and from my personal experience of many years, I can say he was never violent or abusive to me.”
By Stephen Iervolino
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