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Paul Bettany says he and Depp hadn't spoken in years when texts…

Bettany told The Times the texts were sent in twenty thirteen and twenty fourteen and surfaced in Depp's twenty twenty libel case; Depp's representative hasn't replied.

On air: Chip Darnell and Kenji Moonfield on The Weekend Shift
Published 5:36 PM ET, Saturday, October 17, 2026

Photo: PhilipRomano · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Paul Bettany — Photo: PhilipRomano · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0

At a glance

First reported by Variety: “Paul Bettany Says He and Johnny Depp ‘Hadn’t Spoken’ in Years When Their Texts Were Read During Libel Trial: ‘I Was Being Painted As This Close Friend’”.
Covered on BBN on Saturday, October 17, 2026, at 5:36 PM ET on The Weekend Shift, by Chip Darnell and Kenji Moonfield.
Topics: Johnny Depp, Aaron Paul.
BBN covered this story before: Paul Bettany Addresses Johnny Depp Texts in Friendship Update (October 17).

The real story

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

VarietyPaul Bettany Says He and Johnny Depp ‘Hadn’t Spoken’ in Years When Their Texts Were Read During Libel Trial: ‘I Was Being Painted As This Close Friend’

What BBN said about it

Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorPaul Bettany told The Times he hadn't spoken to Johnny Depp in years when their old texts were read in court, and he calls being painted as a close friend the oddest part.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentThe text that got read out was Depp saying let's burn Amber, and Bettany replied he wasn't sure she was a witch.
Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorNot sure.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentHe hedged on the witch part. That's the one line in this saga that held up.