In addition to the accusations the ex-lovers have made about each other, Depp’s former talent agent, Tracey Jacobs, has testified that the actor had to use an earpiece during scenes, per CNN. The alleged use of the earpiece was further brought into question during testimony by psychologist Dr. David Spiegel.
As per New York Post, Spiegel testified that Depp was fed his lines while on set, suggesting that the actor’s cognitive abilities were diminishing. “If I was giving a lecture and I was fed my lines, I would think there’s a cognitive deficit,” Spiegel told the court. He then admitted: “I don’t know what the standard for Hollywood is.”
During cross-examination, Depp’s attorney, Wayne Dennison, fired back at Spiegel’s claims. “Do you know whether Marlon Brando used an earpiece?” Dennison asked the psychologist. Spiegel then questioned, “Isn’t he dead?” In response to the bizarre moment, Depp simply put his head down. “So the answer’s no, he does not use one now,” Dennison asserted.
Depp has previously explained his reasoning for wearing an earpiece. He claims that he had sounds including “a baby crying and bombs going off” piped in through the earpiece, and this helps his performance on set. “It creates a truth. Some of my biggest heroes were in silent films,” Depp said, per Vanity Fair. “It had to be behind the eyes. And my feeling is, that if there’s no truth behind the eyes, doesn’t matter what the f***ing words are.”
