Who is iO Tillett Wright? Amber Heard's pal allegedly called 911 after Johnny Depp threw phone at her
Amber Heard continued her testimony against Johnny Depp on Monday, May 16, when the defamation trial resumed following a ten-day break. Heard denied pooping on Depp's bed in the latter's Eastern Columbia building penthouse during her testimony. Heard also mentioned an alleged encounter between her friend iO Tillett Wright and Johnny Depp.
Heard remembered a telephone conversation between Wright and herself, in which, her friend had urged her to leave the apartment as she was concerned for the actress' safety. The 36-year-old Texas native also claimed that while on the phone with Wright, the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' actor verbally attacked her. Amber Heard had claimed in court files for a temporary restraining order against Depp in 2016 that her ex-husband had also assaulted iO Tillett Wright. Heard alleged that Depp "began screaming profanities and insults at iO", according to legal documents acquired by PEOPLE at the time. According to Heard, the event occurred after Depp's mother Betty Sue died. iO Tillett Wright, like Heard's pal Raquel Rocky Pennington, had allegedly shared an apartment with Amber Heard and Johnny Depp in Los Angeles. According to Wright's admission to The Sunday Times magazine of The Times of London, he lived near the former couple for a year before their marriage in 2015.
RELATED STORIES
DOG DID IT! Amber Heard claims pet defecated on Johnny Depp's bed
'I'm NOT lying': Amber Heard begs Johnny Depp to stop smear campaign in emotional court audio
Heard also recounted the incident when Depp allegedly threw a phone in her face. 'The Aquaman' star made the same claims against him during his libel trial against The Sun in 2020. During her testimony, Heard recalled her altercation with Depp, after which the actor reportedly had another argument with her. She said, "I heard iO yell at me to get out of the house. Johnny then grabbed the cellphone, wound up his arm like a baseball pitcher, and threw the cellphone at me striking my cheek and eye with great force." Heard alleged in a 2016 court declaration that after the couple's altercation, she screamed at Wright to call the cops. It has been reported that Wright contacted 911 in response to Heard's request at the time. "I called 911 because she never would. Because every time it happened, her first thought was about protecting him," Wright had said in an essay for Refinery29.
Who is iO Tillett Wright?
iO Tillett Wright is a photographer who specializes in expressing LGBTQ+ themes through his photographs, as well as the author of 'Darling Days: A Memoir'. In his memoir, the 36-year-old New Yorker chronicled his life as a transgender and gender-neutral person. However, he is most known for co-hosting MTV's 'Suspect with Nev Schulman'. Since 2016, the actor, podcaster, and activist has presented the show. Wright has over 11 acting credits in TV and feature films, including an episode of 'Sex and the City'. He is also the author of the popular TED lecture '50 Shades of Gay', according to his website. In addition, he developed the 'Self Evident Truths' project, where he photographs thousands of LGBTQ+ persons. According to PEOPLE, Wright had also included Johnny Depp's daughter Lily-Rose Depp as the project's 9,958th member.