James Franco and Amber Heard have worked in two movies 'Pineapple Express' and 'The Addreall Diaries'. Image Source: News Sky 

After breaking the Internet with his interview with Jesse Cagle, James Franco has found himself in the crosshairs of lawyers as he has been served in the long-running legal battle between actress Amber Heard and actor Johnny Depp.

According to reports published by Page Six, James Franco is going to be questioned over whether he had an affair with actress Amber Heard while she was still married to Johnny Depp or not. The lawyers for the Pirates of the Caribbean actor also want to inquire if James Franco has ever seen Amber Heard’s alleged face bruises.

Johnny Depp is suing Amber Heard in Virginia over a 2018 Washington Post op-ed she wrote in which she described being a victim of domestic abuse and violence without mentioning her ex’s name. Johnny Depp states that Amber Heard is referring to him as the abuser in the post and he denies all the allegations and abuse. In the post, she wrote, "I became a public figure representing domestic abuse, and I felt the full force of our culture's wrath for women who speak out."

In the lawsuit, Johnny Depp said, "I have denied Ms. Heard’s allegations vehemently since she first made them in May 2016... when she walked into court to obtain a temporary restraining order with painted-on bruises that witnesses and surveillance footage show she did not possess each day of the preceding week. I will continue to deny them for the rest of my life. I never abused Ms. Heard or any other woman. "

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard got married in 2015 and were divorced in 2016. Image Source: Showbiz Cheat Sheet 

Johnny Depp's lawsuit has previously claimed that he’s the victim of an "elaborate hoax" instigated by Amber Heard to generate positive publicity and advance her career, while the false allegations have cost him a lot of roles as he's dropped from a lot of projects. After Johnny Depp lost his UK libel case against a British Tabloid who accused him, Warner Bros. requested the actor to resign from his role from Fantastic Beasts and the actor resigned in November 2020. He said, “I have been asked to resign by Warner Bros. from my role as Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts and I have respected and agreed to that request. My life and career will not be defined by this moment.” 

The lawsuit by Johnny Depp said, "Ms. Heard is not a victim of domestic abuse; she is a perpetrator. She hit, punched, and kicked me. She also repeatedly and frequently threw objects into my body and head, including heavy bottles, soda cans, burning candles, television remote controls, and paint thinner cans, which severely injured me."

The actor also mentioned that he has filed the lawsuit over the 2018 Washington Post op-ed she wrote to "not only clear my name and restore my reputation, but to attempt to bring clarity to the women and men whose lives have been harmed by abuse and who have been repeatedly lied to by Ms. Heard, purporting to be their spokesperson."

Johnny Depp had sent the subpoena to James Franco after May 2016 surveillance video came forward that showcased James Franco getting into an elevator with actress Amber Heard 24 hours after Johnny Depp and Amber Heard had a full-blown fight and Amber Heard alleged that the actor gave her a black eye. The actress was seen leaving the elevator with James Franco on the penthouse floor where Johnny and Amber had shared an apartment.

The elevator capture in which James Franco and Amber Heard can be seen. Image Source: Yahoo 

Amber Heard’s attorney mentioned that James Franco and Amber Heard just happened to live in the same building around that time, and they just took an elevator together, but Johnny Depp’s attorney said that this explanation by Amber’s attorney is a lie. Hence, Johnny Depp’s attorneys want to question James Franco if he saw any injuries to Amber Heard’s face.

It is to be noted that Johnny Depp has previously accused Amber Heard of sleeping with her co-star, James Franco, during the filming of their movie, "The Adderall Diaries," in 2015. James Franco’s deposition will probably take place next year in the $50 million defamation lawsuit filed by Johnny Depp against Amber Heard.

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard married in February 2015 but decided to end their marriage less than two years later when Amber Heard had a restraining order against Johnny Depp, claiming that he threw a cell phone in her face at their downtown Los Angeles loft. The couple agreed to a $7 million divorce settlement in August 2016, which Amber Heard says she has donated to charity, but their legal battles had just taken a step up.

Recently Amber Heard was back in the news after she named her dog Barnaby Joyce and the name is in the reference to her dog smuggling scandal from 2015 when she and then-husband Johnny Depp brought their two dogs to Australia during a vacation and broke the country’s rules about animal importation. Barnaby Joyce who was Minister of Agriculture at that time quoted, “bugger off back to the United States”, for the couple.

Addressing the news Barnaby Joyce told The Australian said, “I get a real sense of accomplishment that I’m still in her head long after I’ve forgotten about them. Obviously, I now rate above Johnny Depp.”

On the other hand, James Franco is dealing with his lawsuit where five women have come forward with sexual abuse allegations against the actor. The lawsuit was finally settled for $2.2 million in July with the two women who sued him. The actor recently spoke to Jess Cagle in a podcast interview where he addressed the allegations.