Winona Ryder defends Johnny Depp in Amber Heard lawsuit: 'He was never, never violent towards me'
Johnny Depp has a famous ally in is defamation lawsuit against Amber Heard.
Winona Ryder went on the record, filing a declaration in Virginia saying she doesn't believe her 56-year-old ex-fiancé is a violent person. In the document obtained by Yahoo Entertainment, Ryder states she felt "very safe" with Depp, and that she finds Heard’s domestic violence allegations "impossible to believe."
"I am aware of the violence allegations that have been made publicly for the last few years by Johnny Depp’s ex-wife Amber Heard," the Stranger Things star, 48, begins.
"I knew Johnny very well years ago. We were together as a couple for four years, and I counted him as my best friend, and as close to me as family. I count our relationship as one of the more significant relationships of my life," she states.
The Edward Scissorhands co-stars were engaged in 1990, five months after their first date.
"I understand that it is very important that I speak from my own experience as I obviously was not there during his marriage to Amber, but, from my experience, which was so wildly different, I was absolutely shocked, confused and upset when I heard the accusations against him," Ryder declares.
"The idea that he is an incredibly violent person is the farthest thing from the Johnny I knew and loved. I cannot wrap my head around these accusations," she continues. "He was never, never violent towards me. He was never, never abusive at all towards me. He has never been violent or abusive towards anybody I have seen. I truly and honestly only know him as a really good man — an incredibly loving, extremely caring guy who was so very protective of me and the people that he loves, and I felt so very, very safe with him."
Ryder concludes, "I do not want to call anyone a liar but from my experience of Johnny, it is impossible to believe that such horrific allegations are true. I find it extremely upsetting knowing him as I do."
The Blast was first to report the news.
An attorney for Depp tells Yahoo that Ryder's declaration is in response to information requested by Heard.
"To support her abuse hoax against Johnny Depp, Amber Heard filed court documents seeking information about Winona Ryder," Depp's lawyer says. "Now she has her answer. More answers are coming."
Heard's lawyers did not immediately return Yahoo's request for comment.
After meeting Ryder, the actor told People magazine, "There’s been nothing in my 27 years that’s comparable to the feeling I have with Winona."
Ryder and Depp called off their engagement in 1993. The actor infamously got a "Winona Forever" tattoo on his arm that he changed to "Wino Forever" after they split. Ryder — who was only 18 when she was engaged to Depp, then 27 — has called Depp her "first heartbreak."
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