The series of messages shared between the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' star and Christian Carino are reportedly dated back to weeks after his split from ex-wife Amber Heard.

• Mar 10, 2020

AceShowbiz - Johnny Depp protested his 'wife beater' label in explosive text messages with Lady GaGa's talent agent ex.

In a series of exchanges between the "Pirates of the Caribbean" star and Christian Carino, the actor called his former wife Amber Heard's claims he abused her a "flat out lie" and detailed the unsettling nature of their rocky marriage, which ended in 2016.

According to The Blast, the messages date back to weeks after the pair split, and suggests Depp and Heard set up a secret meeting in San Francisco, California - through Christian - to discuss the relationship in person, not long after the "Aquaman" actress accused Johnny of hurling a phone at her face before filing for a restraining order against him.

Depp alleges that after their encounter, Heard accused him of violating the order.

"apparently, she filed papers to say that i have broken the restraining order by texting, speaking to her, seeing her in San Francisco...," he raged in one text message. "send me to county (jail) for breaking the restraining order... some of which, as you can guess, that she was more than complicit with!!! i couldn't give a f**kin' fat rat's a**!!"

In another message, Depp expressed his outrage over Heard's alleged refusal to work with him to reach an agreement regarding their divorce, denying he abused her throughout their 15-month marriage.

"I want this done with as much as her!!!" he added. "What can I do??? Admit something that never happened!??? And just swallow a f**king 'flat out lie' to save her a**??? Again, I've said nothing!!! She needs to be reasonable... I ain't carrying an underserved (sic) 'wife beater' charge on my back for her."

"The Lone Ranger" actor is currently suing bosses at British tabloid The Sun over claims he was guilty of domestic violence, leading to the protection order. He maintains the allegations damaged his ability to work and impacted on his divorce settlement. The full case is due to be heard on March 23.

Depp is also suing Heard for defamation in Virginia for an op-ed she penned for The Washington Post after their divorce, when she referred to herself as "a public figure representing domestic abuse."

He is demanding damages in excess of $50 million (£38.7 million) in that case.