Johnny Depp Waves to Cheering Fans Outside Courtroom and Jokes He Made Waffles for 'All of Them'

Johnny Depp joked about bringing breakfast to his fans outside the Fairfax, Virginia, courtroom where he's suing ex-wife Amber Heard for defamation over her domestic violence allegations.

In a video captured by the Associated Press Thursday, the Pirates of the Caribbean actor, 58, waved to his cheering fans who were crowding outside the courthouse as he went in for a day of legal proceedings. Depp joked to the reporters recording him, "I've just made breakfast for all of them this morning. Waffles."

Avid Depp fans have flocked to the controversial trial — in which Heard has testified that he abused and sexually assaulted her during their relationship, which he denies. Since the start of the trial on April 11, they've been spotted holding signs that feature messages like "Justice for Johnny" and "We Stand with You JD," and some Depp supporters can be seen in videos booing Heard as she leaves court.

Heard, 36, has testified about being "bombarded" with online hate as people took sides in her breakup with Depp. They met while making 2011's The Rum Diary and later wed in February 2015 before she filed for divorce and a domestic violence restraining order in May 2016.

For more on the Johnny Depp-Amber Heard trial, listen below to our daily podcast PEOPLE Every Day.

"It was hard for me to work. I was harassed. I am harassed on a daily basis, death threats," said Heard, also referring to experiencing "vitriol from Johnny Depp supporters."

RELATED: Johnny Depp v. Amber Heard: Biggest Bombshells and Revelations from the Defamation Trial (So Far)

Cliff Owen/Consolidated News Pictures/Getty

Some Depp fans arrive early in the mornings on trial days, lining up for a seat inside the courtroom to observe the proceedings. Those outside cheer for Depp as he is dropped off. The star has rolled down his windows to greet the onlookers — even accepting gifts and letters from them from inside the vehicle.

Ahead of the trial, Judge Penney Azcarate ordered that neither Depp nor Heard could "pose for pictures or sign autographs in the Courthouse or on Courthouse grounds" or be found in contempt of court and "punished accordingly."

Cliff Owen/Consolidated News Pictures/Getty

Entertainment litigator and defamation expert Daniel Gutenplan, a partner at Enenstein Pham & Glass, said on the PEOPLE Every Day podcast that the prevalent pro-Depp posts on social media "frankly means nothing for the case."

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

"But it gives you an idea of how the public is signing on this," he said, adding that he believes Depp's "reputation and his career has been irreparably tarnished because of this, these allegations, these incidents that have come to light."

The expert explained, "I think it's a case and a war on public opinion. ... As much as he'd like to go get money in that pot of gold at the end of the lawsuit, I think he also has been taking this case all the way because he's trying to regain his image in the court of public opinion."

"What you're seeing day to day in the trial in terms of the dirty laundry that's being aired ... I think it doesn't necessarily bear on the defamation case so much, but it bears on the public's opinion of [Depp]," said Gutenplan.

RELATED: Meet the Fans Who Line Up to Watch Johnny Depp Trial in Person, Including One Who Spent $30K

Chris Kleponis/Consolidated News Pictures/Getty

Back in November 2020, Depp lost his highly publicized U.K. libel lawsuit case against British tabloid The Sun for calling him a "wife-beater." The court upheld the outlet's claims as being "substantially true" and Heard testified to back up the claims. In March 2021, his attempt to overturn the decision was overruled.

In this current case, Heard — who is countersuing Depp for $100 million — said all she wanted from the divorce was for her ex to "leave me alone." She also wanted him to state publicly that she was not a liar. (They issued a joint statement in 2016 saying, in part, "Neither party has made false accusations for financial gain.")

"I was begging Johnny to not make me prove what I've had to sit on this stand in front of all of you and prove and talk about. I was begging not to have to do this, and sit where I am sitting. I didn't want this. I don't wanna be here. ... I was trying to get him to not call me a liar, because everything that I had said to date and everything I've said to date now is the truth," Heard said on the stand.