Actress Winona Ryder has spoken out about the domestic-abuse allegations against her ex-fiancé, Johnny Depp. Asked in an interview with Time, Ryder was hesitant, but thorough, in her answer.
Depp and Ryder started dating in 1989, having met at the Great Balls of Fire! premiere, and got engaged the following year. (Remember his infamous “Winona Forever” tattoo?) They were a couple for approximately four years in total, and she was in her late teens when first engaged to the actor.
Depp’s soon-to-be-ex-wife, Amber Heard, filed for divorce on May 22, citing irreconcilable differences. The two have been married for about 15 months. Heard was later granted a domestic violence restraining order against the actor after she submitted multiple photos as evidence of assault, one of which purportedly shows the actress with what appears to be a bruise on her right eye.
READ MORE: Johnny Depp, Amber Heard restraining order hearing postponed
When asked directly about potential abuse in her relationship with Depp, Ryder responded saying “it’s just hard to picture” him as an abuser.
“I can only speak from my own experience, which was wildly different than what is being said,” she said. “I mean, he was never, never that way towards me. Never abusive at all towards me. I only know him as a really good, loving, caring guy who is very, very protective of the people that he loves.”
Ryder emphasized that she was not implying Heard was lying, and even talking about that couple made her uncomfortable.
“It’s like anybody who says anything about it is a victim-blamer,” she went on. “I wasn’t there. I don’t know what happened. I’m not calling anyone a liar. I’m just saying, it’s difficult and upsetting for me to wrap my head around it. It was a long time ago, but we were together for four years. I just never heard anything like that about him. It’s just shocking. I have never seen him be violent toward a person before.
It’s just hard to picture. The only word I can come up with is unimaginable. You know with certain people you hear something and go, ‘I can see that.’ But this isn’t that. It’s almost as if your brother or someone you just never — so, you know, there’s a part of me that is thinking, ‘Is it even appropriate for me to say anything?'”
READ MORE: Vanessa Paradis, Johnny Depp’s ex, says he is not physically abusive
Depp’s camp has accused Heard of fabricating the abuse in order to make money. The divorcing couple didn’t sign a prenuptial agreement, and Depp is estimated to be worth upwards of US$400 million.
A Los Angeles Superior Court spokeswoman says the temporary restraining order Heard obtained against Depp will remain in effect until Aug. 15, when a new hearing is scheduled.
Depp’s ex of 14 years, Vanessa Paradis, says the domestic abuse charges are “outrageous.”
“In all these years I have known Johnny he has never been physically abusive with me and this looks nothing like the man I lived with for 14 wonderful years,” she said.
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