What is Ellen Barkin and Johnny Depp’s relationship?

If you’re just joining the celebrity leer-a-thon that is the Johnny Depp-Amber Heard defamation trial, here are the basics: Amber Heard divorced Johnny Depp in 2017, in addition to getting a restraining order against him. In 2018, she wrote an op-ed in The Washington Post where she alluded to having experienced domestic abuse. She didn’t name Depp, but a lot of people assumed that’s who she was talking about. Depp is now suing Heard for defamation to the tune of $50 million. She’s countersuing for $100 million, accusing Depp’s team of defaming her by calling her allegations false.

The trial is on a break this week while the judge attends a conference, but it will start up soon enough. Depp’s team is done putting on their case; now it’s Heard’s turn. One of the more noteworthy witnesses she’s calling is actor Ellen Barkin, who’s had a robust movie and TV career for years. She’ll be testifying against Depp.

Why would she do that? Read on.

Ellen Barkin and Johnny Depp relationship

Barkin and Depp had a brief relationship after meeting while working on the 1998 film Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Barkin also testified against Depp in his libel suit against British tabloid The Sun, which he lost. (Depp sued after The Sun called him a “wife beater” in print.)

In that suit, Barkin testified that while Depp was never physically abusive with her, he was verbally abusive and was given to bouts of violence, like when he threw a wine bottle across a hotel room during an argument with friends. Depp, for his part, accused Barkin of having a “grudge” against him:

"A sexual element began with Ms. Barkin which lasted for months on and off really because she was making the film I was making at the time, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. She wanted a proper relationship with me and I did not want that. I didn’t feel the same about her as she did me and I suppose from that moment on she became very, very angry and since then I have not spoken to Ms. Barkin."

I imagine we’ll see another version of this same sort of back-and-forth during this new trial.

The defamation trail will continue next week.

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h/t Entertainment Weekly