Elon Musk and Amber Heard’s relationship is finally brought up in Johnny Depp’s defamation trial. (Photo: Getty Images)
Amber Heard’s former agent testified that the actress wanted to get back together with Johnny Depp after she publicly accused him of molesting him. The Aquaman star was dating Elon Musk at the time, or “filling the room” with the Tesla founder, as she reportedly told her then-girlfriend.
CAA agent Christian Carino, who happens to be Lady Gaga’s ex-fiancé, testified in recorded video testimony on Wednesday. He was the former agent of Depp and Heard. Carino opened up about how he had a close personal relationship with the actors throughout their relationship, even putting them together with a couples counselor in 2015. He said he never witnessed any abuse and Heard never told him she was physically assaulted by Depp. Carino is no longer friends with Depp or Heard.
Carino was asked if he could facilitate a meeting between Heard and Depp in July 2016, at the actress’ request.
“[Amber] wanted me to arrange a face-to-face meeting,” Carino explained. “I spoke to Johnny about it … he was reluctant at first and then agreed.”
Heard, who filed for divorce and received a restraining order in May 2016, apparently assured Carino that she would “never accuse” Depp of violating the TRO as a result of the meeting. Carino “organized the meeting” and believes there was legal transparency on both sides as the two were finalizing their divorce at the time.
Carino “borrowed” a friend’s house in San Francisco, where Heard and Depp first met. “They sat outside,” he recalled, “a few inches apart” for “several hours.” When the homeowner was due to return, they rented a hotel room to continue the conversation. Things didn’t go so smoothly.
“They started fighting,” Carino testified. This appears to be the same meeting where an audio recording was made. In the clip, which was played in court last week, Depp has a knife and tells Heard to “take my blood” while pleading with him not to cut himself. (“I thought that was the only thing she didn’t have at the time,” Depp testified of the captured exchange.)
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Carino was asked if Heard “ever had a relationship” with Musk. He confirmed they did. Carino was then shown the August 2017 correspondence between himself and Heard.
“Dealing with the breakup. I hate when things get public… I’m so sad,” Heard Carino wrote. (This matches media reports at the time of Musk and Heard’s split.)
“You weren’t in love with him and told me a thousand times you’re just filling the space,” Carino replied via text message. He confirms several times during his testimony that he and Heard were confidants at the time.
“I know, but I wanted time to grieve and heal on my own time,” Heard texted Carino.
Carino told Heard she could “avoid” press attention if she “stop dating overly famous people.”
“If you don’t like being in the press about your private life, then don’t date famous people,” Carino explained the advice he offered in the piece.
Carino was asked by Depp’s attorney if Heard was dating Musk at the time of the July 2016 meeting.
“I don’t know if they dated, but they definitely had been hanging out,” Carino replied. He said he learned about Musk and Heard’s relationship “not long after” the San Francisco meeting. Carino testified that it was his understanding that Heard “still” loved Depp and that he believed she wanted to “reconcile” with the actor.
Depp’s attorneys read out loud the following text message from Heard to Carino: “I wrote so many notes, can you give him one? I don’t know how or where to start many. After all, I’m single, clear in my heart and mind. I just want him to know that I love him and I’m sorry.
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Carino testified that Heard was referring to “Johnny” in the lyrics and that she wanted him to deliver a letter to the Pirates star. When asked if it was his understanding that Heard was trying to “reconcile” with Depp, he replied, “I think so.”
In another September 2017 text, Heard wrote to Carino, “God I miss him.” Carino confirmed that Heard was referring to Depp.
Another text from Heard to Carino on June 9, 2018 was read by Depp’s attorney, in which Heard wrote, “I wrote him a happy birthday.” (Depp’s birthday is June 9.)
Five months later, the actress referred to herself as a “public figure who depicts domestic violence.” Depp is suing Heard for $50 million over her comment she wrote in the Washington Post in December 2018. The actor says he suffered damage to his career and reputation over false abuse allegations that were floated in the article. Carino appeared to support Depp’s claim.
“In my opinion, Amber’s allegations would have had the most dramatic impact on his off-screen reputation,” Carino said, confirming he was informed that Depp was removed from Pirates 6 following the comment’s release.
Heard is yet to testify, claiming she was a victim of domestic violence, not the other way around as Depp claims.
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