Johnny Depp laughs and covers face during heated cross-examination of psychiatrist testifying for Amber Heard

Doctor was asked to clarfiy earlier testimony about Depp’s alleged use of an earpiece on set

Johnny Depp appeared unable to contain his emotions during a heated cross-examination of a psychiatrist called by Amber Heard’s defence team.

Dr David Spiegel took the stand on Monday (23 May) to testify on behalf of Heard in the multi-million-dollar defamation lawsuit, brought against her by her ex-husband.

Depp’s lawyer questioned Spiegel’s earlier testimony, in which he claimed that the Pirates of the Carribean actor’s use of an earpiece on set might indicate impairment or deterioration as a result of drug and alcohol abuse.

Depp has admitted that an earpiece was sometimes worn on set to listen to music, while Heard’s legal team have suggested he had been fed lines of dialogue through the device during filming.

To which Spiegel responded: “I don’t believe that actors are routinely given their entire script through earpieces. I find that hard to believe.”

“What you found hard to find sir, was that every line of the script was pumped through an earpiece,” the lawyer replied. “Where did you ever get the idea that that occurred?”

Spiegel retorted that he had gotten his information “in the court evidence”, which he “read in the court review”.

The lawyer then went on to ask whether or not the psychiatrist knew if Marlon Brando used an earpiece.

Dr David Spiegel testifies in the courtroom at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Fairfax, Virginia, USA, 23 May 2022 (EPA)

“Isn’t he dead? So the answer is no, he does not use one now,” Spiegel said, seemingly confused by the question.

Depp could be seen covering his face with his hand and laughing in response to the answer.

Elsewhere in the cross-examination, Spiegel was asked about his initial deposition and the “circumstances on which [he] decided to call Mr Depp an idiot”.

The doctor attempted to clarify that he hadn’t labelled Depp an “idiot,” but rather an “idiot in planning”, relating to the actor’s decision to take an overnight flight from Europe for a previous deposition.

“If you’re going to do a major thing for a trial that you’re involved with, I’d think you’d be an idiot to come in the night before,” Spiegel said.

Depp is suing Heard for $50m (£39.7m) for allegedly implying he abused her in a 2018 op-ed for The Washington Post, and allegedly stopping him from landing the same types of prominent Hollywood roles he was used to.

Heard is countersuing Depp for $100m (£79.4m) accusing him of orchestrating a “smear campaign” against her and describing his lawsuit as a continuation of “abuse and harassment”.

You can follow live updates of the Depp-Heard trial here, as it moves towards final arguments and a verdict.