- Johnny Depp's ex-best friend, Bruce Witkin, testified in the actor's defamation trial on Thursday.
- Witkin said Depp had a "jealous streak" in his relationships, including with Amber Heard.
- Witkin testified about once seeing bruises on Heard's arm that looked like she had been grabbed.
Johnny Depp's ex-best friend testified on Thursday about once seeing bruises on Amber Heard's arm, and said he knew Depp to have a "jealous streak" in his relationships with women.
Depp has taken Heard to trial for defamation, alleging she ruined his career when she insinuated she had been the victim of domestic violence in a 2018 Washington Post op-ed. Heard is fighting the lawsuit, and spent several days on the stand describing multiple incidents when she said Depp physically and sexually abused her during their relationship.
Bruce Witkin met Depp before the actor became famous, when they were bandmates in Florida. He said he remained friends with Depp until around four years ago, when the actor suddenly cut him off. Witkin suggested that members of Depp's inner circle may have poisoned Depp against him.
"I think there's some people behind the scenes talking shit about me … I think there were some lies and bullshit said about me, which he actually believed, which surprised me," Witkin said.
While Witkin said he never personally witnessed Depp physically abuse Heard, he said he was once called to the couple's apartment about some sort of argument, and on another occasion witnessed bruising on Heard's arm.
"It just looked like she was grabbed," Witkin said, adding that the bruising looked like "finger marks."
Witkin described Depp as a jealous man
In the years that Witkin knew Depp, he said his friend had a tendency to be jealous about his romantic partners.
Depp's first wife was Witkin's sister-in-law, Lori Anne Allison, and Witkin said Depp was suspicious of her friendships with Nicholas Cage and Adam Ant.
Witkin said Depp also had jealousy issues in his 14-year relationship with Vanessa Paradis, the mother of Depp's two children, which Witkin called "ridiculous."
"A lot of it was in his head and not in reality," Witkin said.
When it came to Heard, Witkin said Depp's jealousy seemed to focus on her co-stars.
"If she was on a film or doing something that he couldn't be around it to see what was going on, I think he'd work himself up," Witkin said.
Witkin also spoke about Depp's substance abuse issues, saying that the actor was rarely sober and that he worried for his health over the years.
Witkin said Depp on occasion would admit he had a problem, but didn't seem to want to get sober.
"It wasn't his cup of tea," Witkin said.