"Isn't he dead?": Johnny Depp's viral reaction on hearing Dr David Spiegel's Marlon Brando comment takes over internet 

American actor Johnny Depp could be seen holding his hands over his face after a witness from his ex-wife Amber Heard's side asked if actor Marlon Brando was dead while being cross-examined by the actor's lawyers.

On May 23, during the ongoing high-profile defamation case against Heard, Dr David Spiegel, who is a psychiatrist and physician by profession, was called on the stand from the actress' side to give testimony against the Pirates of the Caribbean actor.

The expert testified that Depp's alleged usage of earphones during filming might be an indication of deterioration or impairment from drug and alcohol use, citing an occurrence in his own area as an example. He told the court:

"If I was giving a lecture and I was fed my lines, I would think there's a cognitive deficit. I don't know what the standard for Hollywood is."

When Depp's lawyer Wayne Dennison inquired if Spiegel had made a "mistake," Spiegel responded:

“I don’t believe that actors are routinely given their entire script through earpieces. I find that hard to believe.”

Dennison claimed that there was no evidence to support this claim, asking:

“Do you know whether Marlon Brando used an earpiece?"

Spiegel then responded:

“Whether... Isn’t he dead?”

Spiegel's question caused snickers from those in attendance in the courtroom as Depp buried his face in his palm. Spiegel continued:

“So the answer’s no, he does not use one now.”

To this Depp’s lawyer clarified that he used the "past tense." Dr Spiegel then apologized and said:

"Again, I know nothing – I will concede to you I know nothing about acting. I will concede to you 100 percent. If that is the standard, and people have done that thing, then I apologise and that was wrong on my part.”

Johnny Depp has already stated why he wears an earpiece. He claimed that sounds like "a baby crying and bombs going off" were pumped into his earphones, which improved his performance on stage.

As per Vanity Fair, he said:

"It creates a truth. Some of my biggest heroes were in silent films."

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Twitter reacts on Johnny Depp's reaction on hearing Dr Spiegel's Marlon Brando comment

Moments after Dr David Spiegel asked if Marlon Brando was dead or not, Johnny Depp's followers on Twitter started roasting the doctor for his comment. Some also pointed out that Depp's use of an earpiece during filming was not unethical since the late actor used them as well for his later films.

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Dr David Spiegel also expressed his thoughts on Johnny Depp's behavior with Amber Heard

Earlier in the hearing, Heard's attorney Elaine Bredehoft questioned Spiegel, asking him to remark on the psychological profile of individuals who experienced and perpetrated 'intimate partner violence' (IPV) and whether or not it was compatible with Johnny Depp's behavior.

Spiegel stated that he had treated thousands of patients, with 75% of them having drug addiction issues.

He has also investigated the impact of drugs and alcohol on the brain, as well as the origins and effects of IPV, which he describes as a pattern of behavior that involves physical, emotional, psychological, and s*xual abuse over time.

During the trial, Spiegel stated:

"In my opinion – based on my review of the evidence, based on my clinical experience, based on my publishing experience, based on my teaching experience – that Mr. Depp has behaviours that are consistent with both someone who has a substance use disorder as well as behaviours of someone who is a perpetrator of intimate partner violence."

Spiegel went on to say in his testimony:

"We all get angry as people, we all think things about people. The difference is when our brains are intact and acting well, most of us do not act them out."

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Internet trolls David Spiegel's testimony during Johnny Depp and Amber Heard trial

Twitterati were not impressed by David Spiegel's testimony where he made his statements about Johnny Depp without any proper diagnosis of the actor. Many also slammed the doctor for being unethical.

Johnny Depp is suing Heard for $50 million for defamation after she reportedly falsely accused him of domestic abuse in a 2018 Washington Post op-ed piece. Although the actress did not name Depp directly, his lawyers claim that her allegations harmed his career. Heard is suing Depp for $100 million in retaliation for slander.