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Will it actually happen?
By Nia Tipton — Written on May 09, 2022
Fans are convinced that Kate Moss will be called to the stand to testify against Amber Heard in the Johnny Depp defamation trial.
Recently, Heard brought up claims that Depp had shoved Moss down the stairs while the two had been in a relationship, though Moss herself has never publicly made such a claim.
On Thursday, Heard took the stand to deliver her testimony and detailed instances of the alleged violence she suffered from Depp, she described one situation involving her younger sister while also bringing up Kate Moss.
While telling the court about the alleged fight between Depp and her sister, Whitney Henriquez, Heard referenced a previous fight between Depp and Moss, who dated from 1994 to 1997.
“She threw herself in the line of fire,” Heard said of the alleged 2015 incident between Depp and her sister. “She was trying to get Johnny to stop. Her back was to the staircase, and Johnny swings at her… I don’t hesitate and wait. I instantly think of Kate Moss and stairs.”
After recalling the incident and bringing up the rumor that Depp once pushed Moss down a stairs, Depp's lawyers appeared to celebrate.
In the footage, which has now gone viral, a second after Heard mentions Moss's name, Depp's attorney, Ben Chew, can be seen doing a fist pump at his colleagues and whisper excitedly in Depp's ear, while the actor smiles to himself and shakes his head.
After Heard's testimony, many fans considered that Depp's attorneys might call Moss to the stand to testify against Heard's claims.
Will Kate Moss testify in Johnny Depp's trial against Amber Heard?
Shannon Hill, a pop culture journalist, posted a video to her TikTok account in which she spoke about why it might be possible.
"So, remember when Johnny Depp's team fist-pumped when Amber Heard mentioned the Kate Moss and the push down the stairs," Hill began in her video. "I think that Johnny's team was hoping that Amber would bring up Kate Moss, because it's considered inadmissible evidence."
"This Kate Moss push down the stairs is not first hand evidence, Amber wasn't there. I think Johnny's team will bring Kate Moss in during the rebuttal." Hill then explained that "a rebuttal witness is a witness that is called to rebute testimony already presented."
Depp's legal team are also set to cross-examine Heard next week, which many think will likely be the time when they question Heard about the Moss claims.
It had intially been thought that Moss's name was on a banned subject list and Heard had broken a key rule, but now it's believed that Depp's legal team have evidence that disproves the incident between Depp and Moss.
"When a lawyer gets excited about something you said and they have to cross-examine you you should be scared," a viewer commented on the clip of Depp's lawyer fist-pumping.
By Heard bringing up Moss's name, Depp's legal team are now able to potentially bring her forth as a rebuttal witness, which they wouldn't have been able to do otherwise.
Nia Tipton is a writer living in Brooklyn. She covers pop culture, social justice issues, and trending topics. Follow her on Instagram.