Was Johnny Depp's family's 'hatred' of Amber Heard behind their shock divorce? Tension between actress, 30, and star's relatives is blamed for split as the battle over his $400million fortune begins 

Amber Heard has filed for divorce from Johnny Depp after just 15 months of marriage amid claims his family hated her.

The actress, 30, submitted court documents on Monday citing irreconcilable differences and seeking spousal support, triggering a battle over the star's $400million fortune. 

Depp, 52, who owns a private island in The Bahamas, has hit back by filing his own legal documents asking the judge to reject Heard's claim.

A source says the couple do not have a pre-nuptial agreement in place, according to TMZ. 

The website revealed the actor was also mourning the loss of his beloved mother Betty Sue Palmer who died aged 81 following a long illness just three days before Heard lodged her divorce petition. 

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It's over! Amber Heard (left in LA) has filed for divorce from Johnny Depp, pictured arriving at Jimmy Kimmel Live! in Hollywood on Monday

Troubled? On February 16, Amber was backstage at the Grammys in LA to cheer on her husband as his band The Hollywood Vampires made their live TV debut to honor the late Motorhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister

Johnny and Amber exchanged vows (above) under a flower-adorned marquee on the beach of the Black Mass star's private island Little Hall's Pond Cay in the Bahamas in February last year. Just 24 guests attended

The actor was especially close with his mother and had her name tattooed inside a heart on his left arm.

TMZ also reported that Depp and Heard had an 'extremely bitter' relationship because of a feud between the actor's family and his wife.

Sources alleged that Depp's two teenage children, two sisters and his mother 'hated' Heard and would openly discuss it.

His late mother also believed the actress 'treated him like c**p' and was using her son for his money and to further her own career, it was reported.

They claimed relations deteriorated after Depp moved Betty Sue in the Los Angeles compound he shared with Heard.

TMZ reports: 'The tension was palpable. We're also told that, before Betty Sue moved in, she only saw her son once from the time he married Amber.

'And both Betty Sue and Johnny blame her for keeping them apart so she'd have full control.' 

Insiders claim Heard had two 'closed door, sit-down' meetings with Betty Sue who allegedly branded the actress a 'terrible person'. 

Heard, who listed the separation date as Sunday, has hired lawyer Samantha Spector who last year represented Homeland actress Morena Baccarin in her high-profile divorce and child custody battle, it was reported by People.

Depp is understood to have enlisted the services Laura Wasser who recently worked for Kim Kardashian, Kris Jenner and Maria Shriver. 

DailyMail.com sought confirmation from the couple's spokesperson regarding the divorce proceedings, but did not receive an immediate response. 

Californian divorce law dictates that Heard should be due a minimum of $15million of Depp's fortune.

Sign of things to come? Amber Heard ditched her engagement ring (above) three weeks ago when he appeared at Met Gala in New York without husband Johnny Depp. She did still wear her marriage band

In black and white: The summons issued by the Los Angeles Superior Court giving Johnny Depp 30 days to respond to Amber Heard's divorce petition. It states bluntly 'you have been sued' advises that he contact a lawyer 'immediately' while warning that a letter, phone call or court appearance 'will not protect you'  

 

The actress submitted court papers on Monday citing irreconcilable differences and seeking spousal support

FOREVER LOVE: JOHNNY DEPP MOURNS THE LOSS OF HIS BELOVED MOTHER BETTY SUE WHOSE NAME HE HAS TATTOOED INSIDE A HEART ON HIS ARM

Johnny Depp's divorce battle couldn't have come at a worst time for the actor who lost his beloved mother just six days ago.

Betty Sue Palmer passed away on Friday at the age of 81 after a long illness.

Depp had an especially close relationship with his mother and even had her name tattooed inside a heart on his left arm.

Personal loss: It's revealed that Amber filed for divorce two days after the Hollywood star's beloved mom Betty Sue Palmer, pictured with her son in 1999, passed away on May 20. An ailing Betty Sue, right, had celebrated last New Year's Eve with her son and his wife

He would also often give her the red carpet treatment by taking her to premieres and awards shows. 

In recent years, she had been very unwell and, in 2012, was admitted to the ICU at Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre in Los Angeles. 

It is not clear what illness she was suffering from.

Betty Sue later moved into the LA compound that Depp shared with Amber Heard.

But, according to reports by TMZ, relations between the actor's mother and wife were fraught and bitter. 

Johnny is so close to his mother that he tattooed her name (Betty Sue) on his left arm

Meanwhile, Johnny is in the throes of promoting his new film Alice Through The Looking Glass, which opens in the U.S. on Friday.

He went solo at the movie's premiere in LA on Monday and again as he arrived later that day for an appearance on ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live!

The couple have not been photographed together in public since mid-April.

Heard, who had a role in Magic Mike XXL, recently landed her biggest part to date as Mera, the queen of Atlantis, in The Justice League: Part One. Production is currently underway in the UK.  

Rumours of rift in their relationship have, in truth, surrounded the pair ever since they went public in late 2012, it was reported by The Daily Beast.

Heard, who came out as bisexual two years earlier, is said to have dumped Depp for French model Marie de Villepin, the daughter of former French Prime Minister, Dominique.

But by April of the following year they had reunited and became engaged on Christmas Eve 2013, although the actress apparently took some convincing. 

The pair exchanged vows under a flower-adorned marquee on the beach of Depp's private island Little Hall's Pond Cay in the Bahamas in February last year with just 24 guests were in attendance.

However, it is understood they got married legally in Los Angeles first so his ailing mother was able to attend. 

Final photo: The last time Johnny and Amber were pictured together was during their brief trip to Australia last month where the actress pleaded guilty on April 18 to one count of falsifying border protection documents

But rumours that their relationship had hit choppy waters re-surfaced just months after they had tied the knot, with some reports suggesting they 'were on the verge of a split'.   

At the time, In Touch reported: 'They're barely talking. Amber is constantly worried about him. 

'He'll go days without calling or texting her... he parties and it's caused huge fights.'  

Speaking for the first time about their relationship last June, Heard described herself as a 'fiercely independent spirit' and told how she feared losing her freedom because of her celebrity.

'I never want for my life to lose the ability to transverse the world, with freedom and ease. The freedom and ease I have worked so hard to acquire for myself,' she told Elle.

Reports of turmoil continued to swirl around them, with Heard telling Marie Claire in December that she tries 'not to react to the horrible misrepresentation of our lives, but it is strange and hard.' 

The couple's romance was also overshadowed by a run-in with Australian authorities after Heard snuck her dogs Pistol and Boo into the country while Depp was filming the latest installment of Pirates of the Caribbean last year. 

The last time they were pictured together in public was when they made a brief trip Down Under for Amber's court appearance in the Gold Coast town of Southport in April. 

She received a $1,000 fine and a one-month good behaviour bond after pleading guilty to one count of falsifying border protection documents when entering the country in 2015. 

As part of a plea deal, Johnny and Amber then made a cringe-worthy confession video which spawned countless memes and parodies. 

Amber celebrated her 30th birthday on April 22 and People reported she partied with a group of gal pals at a Palm Springs resort.

Conspicuously absent from the celebration was Johnny.  

Prior to that, the couple walked the red carpet together at The Art Of Elysium premiere in LA in January.

Then on February 15, Amber was backstage at the Grammys to cheer on Johnny as his band Hollywood Vampires featuring Alice Cooper and Joe Perry made their live television debut. 

Chemistry: The actress and the movie star first met when they made the film The Rum Diary together in 2009. The film was released in 2011 and in 2012 they went public with their romance

The band was at the awards show to pay tribute to the late and legendary Motorhead rocker Lemmy Kilmister.

The Donnie Brasco and Sleepy Hollow star first met Amber in 2009 while making the film The Rum Diary. 

However it wasn't until after work on the movie had been completed that he realized he had fallen for the 29-year-old.

'She was in my head, so I tracked her down,' Johnny said on stage at the 31st annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival in February. 

In January, whilst receiving an award at the Palm Springs International Film Festival, he thanked Amber in his speech 'for putting up with me, for living with all these characters, which can't be easy.'

'It's hard for me. It's got to be hard for her,' he quipped. 

Former loves: Johnny was previously in a relationship with French actress and singer Vanessa Paradis, pictured left in 2006, while Amber had a long-term romance with photographer Taysa van Ree, pictured in 2010

Back in June 2015, in her first interview since her high-profile marriage, the actress told Elle: 'Nothing is a dramatic change. 

'We've been together for a long time now, so it's been a fairly organic process,' and adding: 'I have a fiercely independent spirit.'

When pressed further, she said of her husband: 'I fall in love again and again.'

In November, she told the December issue of Marie Claire magazine that everything was fine in her marriage, despite persistent rumours to the contrary.  

Johnny split from French actress Vanessa Paradis in 2012 after 14 years together.

They have two children together: Lily-Rose, 16, and Jack, 13.

He was previously married to Lori Anne Allison for two years until 1985. He also had a long-term relationship with Kate Moss.

Amber, who has openly stated she is bi-sexual, was preciously in a long-term romance with photographer Tasya van Ree. 

Two marriages, three failed engagements and a regrettable tattoo: As Amber Heard files for divorce, a look back at serial fiance Johnny Depp's celebrity relationships 

By Shyam Dodge For Dailymail.com  

He's a true Hollywood Lothario.

But while Johnny Depp's dating history is a who's who gallery of 'it girls' over the last four decades, he is also, famously, a romantic at heart.

Depp, now 52, has been married twice, suffered three failed engagements, and even got the name of Winona Ryder tattooed on his arm in a grand romantic gesture after starring with her in 1990's Edward Scissorhands.

Amid news of the star's second wife Amber Heard filing for divorce earlier this week, Daily Mail Online offers a unique look back at the film icon's history of celebrity relationships. 

Serial fiance: Johnny Depp, now 52, has been married twice and suffered three failed engagements. On Monday his second wife Amber Heard (above) filed for divorce

Johnny tied the knot for the first time when he was just 20 years old in 1983.

The budding actor and musician married Lori Anne Allison, a makeup artist, who he met through a fellow band member of Rock City Angels.

Lori introduced Depp to Nicholas Cage, who set the then guitar player on the road to becoming an actor. 

First marriage: Johnny tied the knot for the first time when he was just 20 years old in 1983; The budding actor and musician married Lori Anne Allison, a makeup artist, who he met through a fellow band member of Rock City Angels

Fiancee number two and three: Depp was later engaged to Sherilyn Fenn (pictured on L) and Jennifer Grey (R)

Romance on set: The future Jack Sparrow went on to propose to his Edward Scissorhands co-star Winona Ryder in 1990

He got 'Winona Forever' tattooed on his right shoulder in a grand romantic gesture; But following their split had it changed to 'Wino Forever', which he has since claimed was more accurate

The couple divorced in 1985. The future star had yet to get a break in Hollywood and would only later, in 1987, make a splash on television in 21 Jump Street.

However, he did initially gain a role in Thrashin' before being dumped by the producer. 

Auditioning for the same film was his next fiancee Sherilyn Fenn, who herself went on to create a successful career in television. Fenn also famously dated Prince.  

Depp was also briefly engaged to Jennifer Grey, who enjoyed a thriving acting career in the 1980s with films like Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Dirty Dancing.

But the future Jack Sparrow went on to propose to his Edward Scissorhands co-star Winona Ryder in 1990. 

He got 'Winona Forever' tattooed on his right shoulder in a grand romantic gesture. 

But following their split had it changed to 'Wino Forever', which he has since claimed was more accurate. 

He dated supermodel Kate Moss for four years before moving onto another famous catwalker. 

He's got a type! He dated supermodel Kate Moss for four years before moving onto another famous catwalker

In 1998 he began dating Vanessa Paradis, who he met on set of The Ninth Gate; Johnny split from Paradis in 2012 after 14 years together; They have two children together: Lily-Rose, 16, and Jack, 13

In 1998 he began dating his most long-term partner Vanessa Paradis, who he met on set of The Ninth Gate. 

Johnny split from Vanessa in 2012 after 14 years together.

They have two children together: Lily-Rose, 16, and Jack, 13.

Then in 2012 Johnny met and began dating Amber Heard on set of The Rum Diary. 

The years have been kind: Depp, who will turn 53 in June, looks remarkably similar to his youthful days