Disney had made decision to drop Johnny Depp from 'Pirates' before Amber Heard's 2018 article?

Johnny Depp appeared to testifying for a third day in a Fairfax, Virginia court in his defamation case against his ex-wife Amber Heard. 

"I would be a real simpleton to not think that there was an effect on my career based on Ms. Heard's words, whether they mentioned my name or not," Depp has told the court.

Under cross-examination by Heard's lawyer Ben Rottenborn late in Wednesday's session, evidence was introduced to suggest Disney had made the decision to drop Depp from "Pirates" before Heard's 2018 article.

Johnny Depp is suing Heard for $50 million over a 2018 Washington Post op-ed in which she wrote about her experience with domestic abuse.

She did not name Depp in the piece, but he claims it cost him lucrative film work in Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise.

In 2016, Heard alleged Depp bruised her face after throwing a phone at her. Depp denied the allegation and was not charged with any crime.

Depp acknowledged in his testimony this week that he and Heard had arguments during their relationship but said, "Never did I myself reach the point of striking Ms. Heard in any way nor have I ever struck any woman in my life."

The actor testified  that his finger was severed by shattered glass after Heard allegedly threw a bottle of vodka at him during one argument in 2015.