Johnny Depp and Amber Heard are presently residing in a courtroom in Fairfax, Virginia.

Depp is suing his ex-wife for $50 million over a 2018 Washington Post op-ed she penned, and he testified for three days this week.

The narrative of how they ended up there, 13 years after first meeting, is one of an on-set spark that developed into a brief marriage gone awry.

2009

In 2009, Depp and Heard met on the production of the film “The Rum Diary.”

The film stars Depp as Paul Kemp, a journalist who takes a position in Puerto Rico, and is based on Hunter S. Thompson’s book of the same name. Chenault, who Kemp falls for at first sight, was played by Heard.

Depp revealed the bond he had with Heard during a scene in which their characters kissed in the shower when testifying as a witness in the defamation trial this week.

“That moment, was, it was, it felt like something, it felt like something I should not be feeling,” Depp said, explaining they were each in other relationships at the time. “I think there was something in the kiss in the shower that was real.”

Depp testified that the two next met one other on a promotional tour for the film two years later.

2012

Depp and Vanessa Paradis, with whom he shares two daughters, Lily-Rose and John Christopher, divorced in 2012.

According to a People magazine report from the time, Heard and Depp began dating in 2014 and later got engaged.

2015

Depp and Heard tied the knot in a private ceremony in Los Angeles in 2015.

2016

After 15 months of marriage, Heard filed for divorce. She secured a temporary restraining order against Depp, alleging that he abused her while on drugs and alcohol.

Depp rejected the allegations, and in August 2016, an out-of-court settlement of $7 million was struck. Heard gave the money to a good cause.

At the time, the performers issued a joint statement noting, “Our relationship was passionate and tumultuous at times, but it was always based on love. For the sake of financial benefit, neither party has manufactured false claims. There was never any intention of harming somebody physically or emotionally.”

2018
In December of 2018, Heard wrote an op-ed for The Washington Post about the treatment of women in domestic abuse cases. She didn’t call Depp by his first name

2019
Depp sued Heard for defamation over her Washington Post article, alleging it cost him lucrative acting opportunities.

2020
Depp sued The Sun’s publisher for libel in the UK in 2020, claiming he was violent against Heard in a 2018 piece.

All allegations of abuse against Depp were refuted by Depp.

In that instance, Heard testified, stating that Depp threatened her “several times.”

The paper’s claims were determined to be “basically true” by a UK court, and Depp’s appeal was dismissed.

2022
On April 12, Depp’s defamation action against Heard went to trial in Virginia.

In their opening statement, Heard’s lawyer stated that Depp is “going to try to turn this case into a soap opera.”

Depp takes the stand for the first time on Tuesday. He has testified about his upbringing with an abusive mother, his battles with substance misuse, and his rocky relationship with Heard.

“Never did I reach the point of striking Ms. Heard in any way, nor have I ever struck any woman in my life,” Depp claimed in his evidence.

The trial, which is anticipated to run six weeks, has yet to see Heard take the stand.

On Monday, Depp is likely to return to the stand for more cross-examination.