Who Is Bruce Witkin, Johnny Depp's Ex-Friend? What We Know

Bruce Witkin, Johnny Depp's former bandmate and ex-friend, testified at his defamation trial not too long ago. What we know about Bruce and what he said.

Article continues below commercial

One of the witnesses who testified not too long ago is Bruce Witkin, an ex-friend of Johnny Depp's who knew him for Forty years. Who is Bruce, and what did he testify? Here's what we know.

Article continues under commercial

Bruce Witkin was Johnny Depp's friend and bandmate for Forty years.

On May 19, 2022, three other folks who had been just about Johnny Depp have been called to testify at the request of Amber Heard's legal professionals. Those three people integrated his former trade manager, a longtime agent, and Bruce Witkin, his ex-friend of just about 4 a long time.

According to NPR, Witkin, who testified in a pre-recorded deposition, is a song manufacturer and musician himself. During his friendship with Johnny, the pair were in a band in combination referred to as the Hollywood Vampires and labored on a number of music trade tasks, together with a documentary about Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards. Bruce testified the jealousy he witnessed from Johnny regarding Amber.

Article continues under commercial

Bruce stated that when Amber would be off filming a film or "doing something that [Johnny] couldn't be around to see what was going in, I think he would work himself up." Bruce testified seeing bruises on Amber's arm in March of 2013, announcing, "it just looked like she was grabbed." He also saw Johnny with a "fat lip" on a separate occasion. Bruce notes he by no means personally saw Johnny or Amber bodily abuse one some other.

Article continues underneath advertisement

Additionally, Bruce says he tried to assist Johnny together with his substance abuse problems via discovering him a therapist. "He'd say, 'I'll be all right. I'll be all right.' Well, you're not all right." Bruce also alleges that Johnny's substance problems have been an open secret, and many of us sought after to help him but were petrified of rebuke.

"Everybody, I think, deep down inside was, but ... the people on the payroll won't really say much. They'll try but they don't want to lose their job," Bruce defined. "I'm not saying they all fall into the category. But it's a strange thing around people like him. Everybody wants something."

Article continues beneath commercial

According to the New York Post, Bruce also said Johnny did in the end attend therapy for a while and attempted to surrender his drug habit a number of occasions. However, Johnny in the end stopped attending treatment as a result of, "[I]n my experience, it’s deep-rooted issues that he’s dealt with that has nothing to do with Amber. That’s my opinion."

Article continues below advertisement

Finally, Bruce explained his lengthy friendship with Johnny began to end in 2017 when Johnny began to tug away. "He wrote me this weird text saying I stabbed him in the back and badmouthed him," Bruce stated. "And I'm like, 'What are you talking about?' And he wouldn't explain it. And I pretty much haven't seen him since 2018."

Johnny Depp and Bruce Witkin were caught in a legal fight in 2017.

Per Variety, in January 2017, Johnny sued the Management Group (TMG), his former industry managers, for $25 million. He alleged the company made an estimated $10 million in unauthorized loans and misused his price range. In September 2017, TMG filed a cross-complaint alleging that the loans have been authorized and went to Johnny's closest pals. They also added a few of Johnny's friends and family, together with Bruce Witkin and Johnny's sister Christi Dembrowski, as cross-defendants.

Article continues beneath commercial

Variety noted that the cross-complaint filed by TMG additionally alleged that "Depp invested more than $4 million in a music label run by Witkin, which did not generate revenues, until TMG finally persuaded him to stop." Johnny, alternatively, alleged he by no means approved the investment. TMG was once in quest of a $4.2 million compensation of the mortgage plus an additional hundred thousand greenbacks in unpaid charges.

The lawsuit was eventually settled in 2018.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7pbXSramam6Ses7p6wqikaKhfl7%2B2r8RmrqKsm567brHXZp2roZWjsW62zqGlp7FdmbKxvA%3D%3D