The Depp-Heard trial revealed many heartbreaking moments which happened before the former couple met.
It is no secret that Johnny Depp has been a fan favorite since the 80s. He rarely appears in public and was never keen on talking about his life. We saw glimpses of him in children's hospitals, where he went as Captain Jack Sparrow, hoping to bring a smile to a face of a sick child.
Like many celebrities, Depp's childhood was full of trauma and abuse. Though his mother brought him pain, Depp continues to praise her.
Johnny Depp's Childhood
Depp is the youngest of four children.
We saw Depp with his mom, Betty Sue Palmer, throughout his career, though only a handful of times. Betty Sue died in 2016.
Depp's dad was civil engineer John Depp. His mother was a homemaker and a waitress.
The family struggled and lived in a motel, as his father was unable to find a job.
At 12, Johnny Depp had already started abusing alcohol and drugs.
Talking to Rolling Stone, Depp said his parents would go into "a quadruple bankruptcy every Christmas."
It was not only poverty that was an issue for the family of 6. Betty Sue, who grew up in Kentucky, in the Appalachians, grew up with even less. She suffered from seizures and got on medication, phenobarbital when she was only 12.
The family moved to Florida when Johnny Depp's father found a job. It was just the begging of their troubles since the family moved around 40 times after Florida.
This was scary for young Johnny, whose dream was to become a musician. Instead, acting found him.
Speaking to Rolling Stone, Depp revealed that he had his bags unpacked after filming hit movies, Edward Scissorhands and Cry-baby.
Both movies were out in 1990, and by that time, he was an idol to millions.
Many years later, in 2022, Depp and his sister testified about their heart-wrenching upbringing, though Depp always worshiped Betty Sue.
Relatively Violent Upbringing
Even before the trial in Virginia, Johnny revealed that his childhood was not great. He said:
"It was a relatively violent upbringing. If you did something wrong, you got hit. If you didn't do something wrong, you got hit."
Depp explained that his mom liked throwing things at her children. Despite Betty Sue's shortcomings, Johnny found sympathy and grew up, promising never to land a hand on his children.
Once Johnny started earning money as an actor, the first thing he bought was a farmhouse for his mom.
According to Johnny Depp's older sister, their mother had "softened" as she grew older.
Despite her mean nature, Depp's mother was protective of her children, as the actor told Rolling Stone:
"I come from nothing but hillbillies, and my mom said to me, 'All right here's the deal, next time anybody puts their hands on you, pick up a brick and lay them out.'"
The Pirates of the Caribbean star testified his mom knew to be "cruel" and "abusive." Yet, the actor admired and adored, perhaps knowing that she did not know better, as Depp himself explained:
"She used to say she did the same things that her mom did -- and her mom certainly didn't know any better. With my kids, they're told 75 times a day that they're loved."
