Body language expert says Johnny Depp's flirty interactions with his lawyer are 'deliberate'

A body language expert has given their verdict on the ‘flirty’ interactions between Johnny Depp and his lawyer, saying it is a ‘deliberate’ ploy.

It comes after lawyer Camille Vasquez laughed off speculation she's dating the star, as the $50m (£38.4 million) defamation trial against Amber Heard, 36, approaches its final days.

Depp, 58, is suing Heard, 36, for $50 million (£40 million) for insinuating he had abused her in a 2018 Washington Post article. Despite not explicitly naming the actor, he claims her allegations impacted his ability to work.

Vasquez has been the focus of many social media users’ attention over recent days after her cross-examination of Heard, with cult-following fan accounts springing up and plenty of speculation surrounding her role in the trial.

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Body-image expert Judi James has now spoken about the exchanges between Depp and Vasquez, claiming that their tender nature is designed to make Depp look more likeable and present him as a “romantic hero”.

The pair's behaviour has attracted plenty of attentionShaw Thew / AFP via Getty

“It looks flirtatious but that’s probably the point,” James told theDaily Mail. “If a picture paints a thousand words, these ‘words’ look straight out of the pages of Mills & Boon.

“Her behaviour in court places Depp back in role as the romantic hero. For Depp’s loyal fans these dramatic rituals will seem like validation. ‘If this smart, beautiful woman thinks he is OK then maybe he is’ will be the implied message.”

James also spoke about a picture of Vasquez embracing Depp and claimed it was a performance for the cameras and called it a “moving piece of body language theatre.”

James claimed it was "a moving piece of body language theatre."Brendan Smialowski / AFP via Getty

Vasquez graduated from the University of Southern California in 2006 before attending the Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles between 2007 and 2010.

Her bio on the Brown Rudnick website reads: “Camille is adept at formulating offensive and defensive litigation strategies for private clients. She has extensive experience handling parallel reputation management and crisis communications issues arising from these engagements.

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