Winona Ryder comments on Johnny Depp abuse allegations: 'It's upsetting for me to wrap my head around it'

The actress was engaged to Depp when she was 19

(Getty Images)

Winona Ryder has addressed the allegation of abuse levelled at Johnny Depp by his wife Amber Heard, claiming her experience with the actor was “wildly different” to what is being claimed.

The actress was in a relationship with Depp, 53, during the 1990s and engaged to him for three years.

“I can only speak from my own experience, which was wildly different than what is being said,“ she told Time Magazine. ”He was never, never that way towards me. Never abusive at all towards me. I only know him as a really good, loving, caring guy who is very, very protective of the people that he loves.”

Ryder, 44, said she found the allegations “shocking” and she had “never seen him be violent toward a person before”.

“I'm not calling anyone a liar,” she said. “I'm just saying, it's difficult and upsetting for me to wrap my head around it. Look, it was a long time ago, but we were together for four years, and it was a big relationship for me.

“Imagine if someone you dated when you were - I was 17 when I met him - was accused of that. It's just shocking.”

Heard, 30, filed for divorce from Depp in May. She alleged Depp abused her physically and emotionally throughout their 15-month marriage and was granted a temporary restraining order by a Los Angeles judge. Depp has denied Heard’s allegation of abuse.

Depp and Heard are due to appear in a Los Angeles court on 15 August.