Bettany Says He Had No Recent Contact With Depp

Paul Bettany says he had not spoken to Johnny Depp for years when their text messages surfaced in court during Depp’s 2020 libel case against The Sun, and that the actors have not spoken since. Bettany said he felt he was being portrayed as Depp’s close friend despite the lack of recent contact, and chose not to respond publicly at the time. In an interview published this week, Bettany described the situation as an odd part of the dispute between Depp and his former wife, Amber Heard. He said he stayed silent because he believed people knew him and his generally quiet life. His comments describe his own recollection of their relationship; the reports of the interview do not independently establish how often the actors had been in contact. The exchange, sent in 2013, was read during proceedings in Depp’s libel case against the British newspaper. The messages included violent language about Heard. Bettany’s response in the exchange also included a remark that Heard was pleasant company and questioned whether she was a witch. The messages’ courtroom use brought scrutiny to Bettany, although he was not a party to Depp’s case against the newspaper. In 2020, a judge ruled against...