EXCLUSIVE: 'I doubt she's lying': Amber Heard's ex-boyfriend leaps to her defense over her allegations of domestic violence at hands of Johnny Depp 

Amber Heard's ex-boyfriend has leaped to her defense saying that he believes she is telling the truth about Johnny Depp.

Mexican film director Alejandro Gomez Monteverde told Daily Mail Online he did not believe Heard was lying about being allegedly attacked by Depp.

The couple had a relationship while Heard was living in Austin, Texas, and before his marriage to Ali Landry, the former Miss USA

His comments come as Depp’s bodyguard, Jerry Judge, claims that the Hollywood star's estranged wife is 'making up' the domestic abuse claims to boost her divorce settlement.

Gomez Monteverde spoke as members of Heard's inner circle told how they were concerned about the actress's welfare in the months before she was allegedly attacked by Depp.

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Amber Heard's ex-boyfriend, Mexican film director Alejandro Gomez Monteverde, told Daily Mail Online he did not believe Heard was lying about alleged abuse she claims she suffered at the hands of Johnny Depp

At a court appearance on May 27, Heard claimed that Depp threw an iPhone at her eye, causing bruising on her face

As Gomez Monteverde made his claims in support of Heard, however, Depp's bodyguard Jerry Judge (pictured leaving hotel Royal in Arhus with Depp) claims that Heard is 'making up' the domestic abuse claims to boost her divorce settlement

A source close to Heard's friends said they had been worried about the 'volatile' marriage - and that Raquel Pennington, a key witness in Heard's claims, had made her special 'prayer beads' as a result of the fears for her well-being.

Monteverde told Daily Mail Online: 'I doubt she's lying.

'I mean that's a big lie, that's a big thing to say, if you're not telling the truth I don't think you would say something like that.

'That's a serious accusation, you can really damage somebody's reputation. I'm really sad for her, I want the best for her, so it saddens me that she's going through this, I don't wish this on anybody.

'From what I know of her she's a good human being.'

Monteverde added: 'I hope that they both treat each other well. I hope that this just becomes something like a bad memory in the past and she can move on.

'She's young and beautiful so she'll move on.'

Depp’s bodyguard, however, was overheard making comments on the messy divorce at the hotel lobby where Depp's band is staying ahead of their gig in Denmark on Wednesday night.

Judge, who has been Depp's security for 15 years, was heard saying: 'The things she is saying are not true... She is making things up to hurt Johnny’s reputation and make her look like the victim.

'She is exaggerating what she says he did to her to get a bigger divorce payout... that’s the only reason. To say Johnny assaulted her is a lie. She is making it up.

'I don’t believe her... Johnny wouldn’t hurt her.'

Neither superstar Depp or his estranged wife's representatives responded to MailOnline requests for comment, though his lawyers have denied her claims of domestic abuse.

As for Gomez Monteverde, he and Heard were a couple when he lived in Austin, Texas, where Heard lived and grew up before moving to Los Angeles.

They went on to have a brief relationship in which he helped her move to Los Angeles and meet people in the industry. 

Heard has shared pictures of bruising on her face in the last several days, claiming it's the result of abuse she allegedly suffered at the hands of Depp

Amber Heard has been supported at every step of her divorce proceedings from actor Johnny Depp by her next door neighbour and friend of 13 years, Raquel Pennington

Heard and Pennington were most recently pictured together with their arms around each other as they left a four-hour meeting with Heard's lawyer in Los Angeles on Saturday evening

He said: 'We were friends before she became famous, when she became famous that's when I got married and we took different directions.

'We dated literally for a week, we were more friends. I started in Austin, so we met in Austin at a coffee shop with friends and then I moved to LA and she moved in here.

'She didn't know anybody so I was there for her. I helped her find a place and introduced her to some friends.

'We both moved to LA chasing our careers, I did my first feature film and then her career just took off, she went like a skyrocket.'

Heard's bitter split with Depp has seen her level accusations of domestic violence against him - and demand $50,000 monthly spousal support.

As well as the allegation of an attack last weekend two days before she filed for divorce she claims that after another argument earlier this month, she was left with a bruised face after the actor threw an iPhone at her head.

Meanwhile a friend of Heard also claimed Depp tried to suffocate his estranged wife with a pillow and punched a wall so hard, it forced him to take a month off from filming Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest as he required surgery.

Heard's lawyers said that she had suffered years of physical and psychological abuse at the hands of Depp.

Those close to the couple's marriage were worried before its very public collapse, Daily Mail Online has learned.

A source told Daily Mail Online: 'People have been concerned about the goings-on in Amber and Johnny's condo for a while.

'Johnny can be volatile, especially after a few drinks so no one was surprised when Amber went to court to ask for a restraining order and divorce.

'They knew Johnny and Amber were having these kind of problems for some time. 

A source said Pennington made the Heard some 'protective' prayer beads from gem stones in early April because of her fears for her friend. Above Heard is wearing what appear to be the beads, alongside friends Amanda de Cadenet (center) and Amber Valletta (right)

Heard claims that she suffered multiple domestic incidents during her 15-month marriage to actor Depp, pictured together here in happier times

'They have definitely been concerned for Amber and the other guys living in the condo.'

Those include Heard's best friend Raquel Rose Pennington, who witnessed the alleged incident and gave a full statement to court to support her request for a restraining order.

A source said that she made the 30-year-old some 'protective' prayer beads from gem stones in early April because of her fears for Heard.

Pennington and her fiance Josh Drew had been living with the actress and Depp at their joint home in one of the three connected apartment units that make up the downtown LA residence.

She even had her own key to get into the apartment the stars shared, according to the court papers filed last Friday.

'Amber's best friend Raquel even made her some special protective prayer beads to try help her out,' the source said.

Pennington, who has a business making mala beads - jewelry used by Buddhists, Hindus and Sikhs for meditation and prayer - posted on her Facebook page that she had made a custom piece for the actress.

She said the black and white aplite stone she used had 'protective, grounding and centering' powers and also helped with maintaining focus.

She wrote on April 4: 'This is a #custom piece I made for my best friend #AmberHeard with #garnet guru beads and #copper #hematite accent beads. #Aplite aka #dalmationstone is protective, grounding, and centering.

'This stone helps you get out of your head and assists in coming joyfully into incarnation.'

Heard was spotted wearing similar beads in a picture taken at television host Amanda de Cadenet's birthday party along with model Amber Valletta - the day after Depp allegedly attacked her at their apartment.

The picture - which shows Heard smiling with hair covering her face - was posted on de Cadenet's Instagram but later deleted. 

Heard's current situation is a far cry from what she had aspired for as a young girl growing up in Austin, Texas

Heard was a 'quiet' child who had large aspirations of moving from Texas to Los Angeles and becoming an actress

Pennington, who has known Heard for 13 years, also gave evidence to support the actress's claims that Depp physically and emotionally abused her.

She claimed that she saw Depp 'screaming loudly' at Heard and wielding a wine bottle 'like a baseball bat'.

In her account, Pennington, who lived next door to Amber and had a key for her apartment, says that she received a text message from the star asking her to come over.

Upon arrival, she found Heard 'by the couch, covering her head with her arms and hands, as Johnny was loudly screaming at her'.

The shocking statement continued: 'I ran over and stood in between Johnny and Amber, begging Johnny to stop yelling at her.

'I put my hands out in a defensive manner motioning him to stop. Johnny slapped my hands away and screamed foul obscenities at me.'

The situation Heard now faces is a far cry from what she had aspired for as a young girl from Austin, Texas.

It's certainly not something Heard's father had hoped for her. David Heard had begged his daughter not to leave Texas for Hollywood.

But the 'quiet' teenager and aspiring actress had always dreamed of a future in Tinseltown, so little could stop her leaving for Los Angeles when she turned 18.

Now Heard's worst fears have come true as his daughter is embroiled in a show-business scandal and bitter court battle.

These photos show Heard before the trials and tribulations of Hollywood - at her eighth grade school dance, at a sleepover with friends and dressed up as an Egyptian for Halloween.

Heard's father, David, said of his daughter in 2012: 'I'm proud of her. She's hard working, steadfast to her job and doesn't do anything but go to auditions and going to meetings.

'She hardly does anything else, she wanted this for her career since she was 12 years old, from the time she was a little girl.'

David Heard also opened up about how hard it was for him when his daughter upped and left town to find stardom in Los Angeles at just 18. 

When Heard was just 18 years old, she left her home in Texas behind to become an actress in Los Angeles

Photos shared by Heard's father show Heard before the trials and tribulations of Hollywood - at her eighth grade school dance, at a sleepover with friends and dressed up as an Egyptian for Halloween (left)

Heard, pictured above in yearbook photos, first moved to New York as a teenager to try out modeling before she moved to Los Angeles

Heard's father, David Heard, 69, who lives with his wife Paige on the outskirts of Austin, is proud of his daughter’s Texan roots although admits she rarely returns now

David Heard also opened up about how hard it was for him when his daughter upped and left their suburban Austin home (pictured) as a teenager to pursue her dreams

'She did modeling first and went to New York. She came home because I begged her. But I couldn't stop her when she was 18. I begged her not to go. But she knew what she was doing, and she was right. She's a very talented actress', he said.

David Heard, 69, who lives with his wife Paige on the outskirts of Austin, is proud of his daughter’s Texan roots although admits she rarely returns now.

'She was born in Austin and raised in Austin. Now she only comes back when she has to. She was raised here but she loves traveling the country and the world,' he said.

When approached by Daily Mail Online in recent days Amber's parents refused to comment on their daughter's allegations against Depp.

Heard, who has been married to Depp for 15 months, filed for divorce citing 'irreconcilable differences on Monday last week, just days after the Depp's mother, Betty Sue, passed away.

The actress then accused the Pirates of the Caribbean star of domestic abuse and requested a restraining order.

In court documents filed at Los Angeles Superior Court with the request last Friday, Heard said she 'lived in fear' of her husband and worried that he could return to the condominium they shared to 'terrorize me physically and emotionally.'

Depp, who is currently touring Europe with his band the Hollywood Vampires, has not publicly commented on the allegations yet.

Depp has denied the allegations made against him and his lawyer claims Heard is alleging abuse to 'secure a premature financial resolution'.

His ex-partner Vanessa Paradis and their teenage daughter have also leapt to his defense.

In a note obtained by TMZ, Paradis, the mother of Depp's two children Lily-Rose, 17, and Jack, 14, called her ex 'sensitive and loving' and the allegations against him were 'outrageous'.

Chanel model Lily-Rose wrote on Instagram: 'My dad is the sweetest most loving person I know, he's been nothing but a wonderful father to my little brother and I, and everyone who knows him would say the same.'

Backlash: In response to Heard's claims, Depp's 17-year-old daughter Lily-Rose shared this image on Instagram of herself as a baby with her father, with a caption describing him as 'the sweetest and most loving person I know'