Johnny Depp on Tuesday took the stand in his defamation lawsuit against his ex-wife Amber Heard and explained why he pursued the case.

In his nearly three-hour testimony, Depp told jurors in Fairfax, Virginia court that he felt compelled to sue his ex-wife out of an obsession for the truth after the actress accused him of domestic violence.

"My goal is the truth because it killed me that all these people I had met over the years... that these people would think that I was a fraud," the actor said.

Depp noted that he never reached the point of striking Heard in any way or struck any woman in his life, People reported.

Depp called the physical and sexual assault allegations against him disturbing, heinous, and "not based in any species of truth," and "nothing of the kind ever happened," Associated Press reported.

Depp noted that since he knew there was no truth to it, he felt it was his responsibility to stand up not only for himself but also for his children, "who at the time were 14 and 16."

The "Pirates of the Caribbean" star is dad to son Jack, now 20, and daughter Lily-Rose, now 22.

"They were in high school and I thought it was diabolical that my children would have to go to school and have their friends or people in school approach them with the infamous People magazine cover with Miss Heard with a dark bruise on her face," Depp said as reported by E! News.

The actor said he and his children did not deserve that, nor "the people who believed in me for all these years." Johnny Depp noted that he did not want anybody to believe that he had done them wrong or lied to them, or he was a fraud.

"It's been six years of trying times. It's very strange when one day you're Cinderella, so to speak, and then in 0.6 seconds you're Quasimodo," the actor said of how his career turned after the domestic abuse allegations against him.

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Johnny Depp Reflects on Early Years of His Relationship With Amber Heard

In Tuesday's hearing, Johnny Depp also talked about the beginning of his relationship with Amber Heard, saying that "from what I recall, what I remember, she was too good to be true."

According to the actor, the woman he married in 2015 was attentive, loving, funny, kind, smart, and understanding. He said they have many similarities, including the choice of music and literature.

However, Depp claimed that he saw red flags in the middle of their relationship, saying that Heard became angry when he broke an established routine, like when she took off his boots for him when he came home and would not go to bed until the actress was ready.

"I didn't understand why, as a 50-some-year-old man, I couldn't go to sleep when I wanted to," the 58-year-old actor said. 

Depp admitted that he was aware of the age difference between him and the 35-year-old actress. But within a year and a half of their marriage, the actor said it was as if Heard had become another person.

Johnny Depp added that the characterization of his "substance abuse" delivered by Amber Heard "is grossly embellished." The actor said he detoxed from the pain medication and has experienced long periods of sobriety over the years.

"I'm sorry to say, but a lot of it is just plainly false... I'm not some maniac who needs to be high or loaded all the time," Depp noted.

Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard Defamation Trial

Johnny Depp is expected to remain on the stand for cross-examination on Wednesday before Amber Heard takes the stand.

Depp and Heard are battling over a 2018 op-ed the actress wrote for the Washington Post, calling herself a domestic violence survivor.

The piece did not mention Depp by name, but the actor claimed he was booted from the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise due to the "clear implication" that he was the abuser in his ex-wife's op-ed.

Johnny Depp further alleged that Heard was the actual "perpetrator" of the violent encounters that damaged their relationship. He is asking for $50 million in damages.

On the other hand, Amber Heard has filed a $100 million counterclaim against the actor, who she divorced in 2017, for nuisance. The defamation trial is expected to last six weeks.

READ MORE: Johnny Depp Kicked Amber Heard and Then Penetrated Her With a Liquor Bottle During 2015 Drug-Fueled Bender, Actress' Attorney Says

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Joshua Summers

WATCH: Johnny Depp Testifies On Why He's Suing Amber Heard For Defamation - From Law&Crime Network