"Is that acting or bad acting?"- Body language expert analyses Amber Heard's 'no tears' testimony 

Amber Heard finally had the chance to take the stand in her ongoing defamation trial with Johnny Depp this week.

The actress turned emotional while testifying in court, detailing the alleged incidents of domestic violence perpetrated by Johnny Depp during their relationship.

Shortly after the testimony, body language expert Judi James studied Heard's movements in court and shared her analysis with The Daily Mail.

The Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard defamation trial began on April 11 in Fairfax County Circuit Court. The former's team rested their case on May 3 after nearly 13 days of deliberations, and Heard began testifying as the court resumed this week.

Amber Heard's testimony in her defamation trial against ex-husband Johnny Depp began earlier this week. As she took the stand, the actress was asked about herself, her age, profession and the reason behind her being in court.

Body language expert Judi James analyzed Heard's movements and said that Heard immediately turned towards the jury to answer her introductory questions, while Depp's posture was comparatively hunched.

James told The Daily Mail that Heard attempted to develop a personal connection with the jury right after taking the stand:

"Amber's direction of gaze and speech when she first takes the stand is important. It is quite common for people to address their answers to the jury in the US but Amber seems to create personal connections and tie-signs quickly here."

James noted that Amber Heard began speaking by "smiling in the direction of the judge" before "turning her head" towards the jury to offer her answers. The expert also pointed out the importance of the actress' appearance in court:

"Her hair is also draped to her left, meaning that the jury have a clear view of her face, both in silhouette and as she turns to address them directly."

James said that the effect would "humanize" Heard to the jury rather than isolate her as a public figure who the authorities "presumably have been hearing negative comments about":

"It shows them a certain amount of respect to them to want to address them directly as it shows a consideration of them as being in ultimate control in terms of the verdict. It helps to build some early connections."

The expert mentioned that Heard's posture would also allow the jury "to get to see her eyes." She also noted that gestures are important as eyes are often considered "one of the most revealing body parts in terms of inner feelings and emotions":

"We tend to trust people more when we can see their eye expression so this gesture could suggest she has nothing to hide. It is of course in visual contrast to her ex husband at the same time, who sits hunched with his eyes hidden by tinted glasses, gazing down and writing or just communicating with his team."

As Amber Heard's testimony progressed, she often attempted to display her emotions while making a sob-like expression by scrunching her nose without shedding actual tears.

James said Heard's hand movements were "congruous" with her words and she often used expressions before words, which are often considered "a sign of authenticity."

Heard appeared visibly emotional while recalling the first time Depp hit her when she enquired with him about his tattoo. She also looked emotional while alleging that Depp once performed a "cavity search" on her during their 2013 vacation in California.

However, several people criticized Heard for "pretending to cry" while offering her testimony about the alleged violence she faced in the past.

The Aquaman star did not shed any visible tears during the testimony, only crumpled her face and sobbed tearlessly. Judy James even mentioned that the analysis of Heard's expression was "complicated" in nature:

"The cameras made it hard to pick out if they had formed in her eyes or if her eyes had reddened. This, like everything, is a complicated point."

She further added:

"When guilty people perform tears they often try to hide their dry eyes, poking them with fingers, squeezing them shut tight or prodding them with a hankie. When they do cry for real the streaming tears are often prompted by self-pity."

James then mentioned that Heard's expression was "truncated" and admitted that it left her confused:

"Amber's seemed to be truncated, but is that acting or bad acting or the innocent complex response of someone with mixed emotions?"

The body language expert also noted that Heard's facial expressions became "more animated" when she spoke about the alleged abuse:

"She spoke in detail and her expressions seemed to range from shock and bewilderment to disgust and anger. She kept her head held up and any suggestion of tears came from a change in her vocal tone and a chin-crumple."

James also said that Heard "self-diminished" the first questions and "hunched forward" as she began to speak. She also noted that the actress used her right hand to detail her side of the story:

"She used whole volleys of illustrative or mime gestures as she related moments and events in detail, which would again suggest she was seeing them in her mind."

James even saw that while Johnny Depp avoided Amber Heard's gaze during his testimony, the latter "faced him down" from the stand. She even provided two different analyzes from the observation:

"This, too, can be analysed in two different ways: was it a signal of dominance and power or was it a sign of openness and honesty?"

Judy James also opined that it was "difficult to read the emotions" from the high-profile case as both Depp and Heard are actors who know how to present themselves in front of an audience.

She assumed that the defendants were likely trained by their legal teams prior to their testimonies but said that even subtle movements or expressions can reveal their true feelings without exposing their guilt or innocence.

---

Twitter reacts to Amber Heard crying during Johnny Depp trial

Netizens took to Twitter to react Amber Heard crying during testimony (Image via Getty Images)

Amber Heard's display of emotions during her testimony in the ongoing defamation trial became a major topic of discussion after the actress took the stand this week.

Following her testimony and the analysis of her body language by expert Judy James, several people took to Twitter to share their contradictory opinions about Heard's emotions and expressions:

As reactions continue to pour in online, the Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard trial adjourned for the day and went into a weeklong hiatus. The trial will resume on May 16, with Heard expected to take the stand again to continue her testimony.