Johnny Depp signs $15k portrait at steakhouse by Ritz-Carlton where he stayed during Amber Heard trial

Actor lived in suite at the Ritz-Carlton during trial, dining on chicken parm at local eatery The Palm

In bringing the defamation case against his ex-wife Amber Heard in Virginia, Johnny Depp had to decamp from his life in Hollywood to Fairfax County for the duration of the trial.

Fox News Digital reports the actor nevertheless found a comfortable temporary home at the Ritz-Carlton Tyson’s Corner in the suburb of McLean, a short distance from the District of Columbia.

Only a 15-minute drive from the Fairfax County Courthouse where the trial unfolded, the five-star hotel is connected to the Tyson’s Corner luxury mall with its branches of Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue.

The outlet also reports that Mr Depp took a number of his meals at The Palm, a nearby fine-dining chain with locations across the country, which is located a short walk from the hotel.

Reportedly choosing to dine later in the evening, when the restaurant is less busy, Mr Depp and his bodyguards and lawyers would eat in a private room.

The group would rack up bills in excess of $1,000 with red wine and chicken parmigiana menu favourites, Fox News reports.

A week ago, the eatery decided to honour Mr Depp by adding his likeness to a wall of caricatures of famous patrons, including movie star Nicolas Cage and boxer Mike Tyson.

The positioning of Mr Depp’s portrait beside Mr Cage is appropriate given when Mr Depp testified in court he recalled his fellow actor as being the person to encourage him to get into acting.

Patrons must spend in excess of $15,000 to have their portrait added to the wall and Mr Depp’s signature appears underneath marking his apparent approval.

While Mr Depp may have been itching to get away from the trial once testimony wrapped up, it was to some surprise that he turned up in London and performed alongside Jeff Beck at the Royal Albert Hall over the weekend.

At an earlier week-long break in legal proceedings, Mr Depp is thought to have spent time on vacation in Europe.

Mr Depp is suing Ms Heard for $50m claiming she defamed him in an op-ed for The Washington Post where she described herself as a victim of domestic abuse under the title: “I spoke up against sexual violence – and faced our culture’s wrath. That has to change.”

Ms Heard countersued her former husband for $100m claiming he launched a “smear campaign” against her.

The jury began deliberating on Friday before breaking for the Memorial Day holiday weekend. They resumed weighing up the merits of each case on Tuesday morning.

Judge Penney Azcarate ruled that neither Ms Heard nor Mr Depp need to be present when the verdict is delivered.