In defamation testimony against his former wife Amber Heard on Wednesday, actor Johnny Depp stated that she was the one who initiated violence in their relationship and that her false claims cost him "nothing less than everything."

On his second day on the witness stand in a Virginia courtroom, Depp testified that the pair frequently quarreled, with Heard engaging in "demeaning name-calling" and "bullying."

"It seemed like pure hatred for me," Depp explained. "If I stayed to argue, eventually, I was sure it was going to escalate into violence, and oftentimes it did."

The 58-year-old star of "The Pirates of the Caribbean" issued Heard, 35, $50 million after she accused him of sexual abuse.

According to Depp, Heard was the one who would "strike out" with a slap or shove. Heard allegedly threw a vodka bottle at Depp's hand during one confrontation, severing the top of his right middle finger and exposing bone.

The actor felt as if he were having a nervous breakdown and began writing on the wall with blood from the injuries. He said he jotted down notes of "lies" Heard told him.

"She is driven by a desire for violence. It materializes out of nowhere "Depp stated.

Heard denied throwing a bottle and severing Depp's finger in a comparable judicial case in the United Kingdom. She claimed she flung objects to get away from him as he beat her and once attacked him out of concern that he would shove her sister down a flight of stairs.

Depp detailed an incident on Wednesday in which he claimed Heard repeatedly hit him. According to the actor, he wrapped his arms around her to reassure her, and their foreheads touched.

According to Depp, Heard accused him of "head butting" her and fracturing her nose, then returned moments later with a blood-stained tissue. Depp stated that he eventually recovered the tissue and discovered that nail paint caused the crimson mark.

The actor stated that he would withdraw from intense disputes, perhaps locking himself in his bedroom or bathroom, and never struck Heard. "My main goal was to retreat," he explained.

Depp has accused Heard, an actor, of defaming him in a December 2018 Washington Post opinion piece about her experience as a survivor of domestic abuse.

Although the piece did not refer to Depp by name, Depp's attorney Benjamin Chew told jurors it was obvious Heard was referring to the Hollywood leading man.

Depp stated that Heard's allegations cost him "nothing less than everything." The production of a new "Pirates" picture has been halted, and Depp has been withdrawn from the "Fantastic Beasts" film franchise, a "Harry Potter" spinoff.

"When the allegations were made, were rapidly circling the globe, telling people I was a drunken, cocaine-fueled menace who beat women - suddenly in my 50s - it's over," he explained.

"I lost then," he added. "No matter the outcome of this trial, I will carry this for the rest of my days."

Heard's attorneys, who began cross-examining Depp late Wednesday, have maintained that she told the truth and protected her opinion as free speech under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. Heard's attorneys contended during opening statements that Depp abused her physically and sexually while abusing narcotics and alcohol.

The trial, which is in its second week and is anticipated to run six weeks, is being presided over by a state court judge in Fairfax County, Virginia.

Less than two years ago, Depp lost a libel action against The Sun, a British tabloid, for labeling him a "wife beater." A London High Court judge concluded that he assaulted Heard on multiple occasions.

Depp's attorneys have stated that they filed the case in the United States in Fairfax County, Virginia, outside the nation's capital, because the Washington Post is printed there. The Washington Post is not a party to the litigation.

Depp and Heard were married for around two years. She is best recognized for her work in "Aquaman" and "Justice League," In 2017, their divorce was finalized.

Heard has filed her libel suit against Depp, alleging that he slandered her by referring to her as a liar. Heard's counterclaim for $100 million will be resolved throughout the trial.