Amber Heard’s role in the upcoming Aquaman sequel was reduced amid her legal battle with ex-husband Johnny Depp, the actress has testified.

In the defamation trial involving Heard and Depp, whom she has accused of domestic abuse, the actress said her part in the DC sequel is smaller than she originally expected. She had a major role in the 2018 film as Mera, Aquaman’s love interest, and she returns for 2023’s Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.

But Heard said on the stand she had to fight “really hard to stay in the movie” because “they didn’t want to include me in the film.” She also testified her role is a “very pared down version” of what was in the initial script, and she accused Depp of orchestrating a “smear campaign” against her. 

“I was given a script and then given new versions of the script that had taken away scenes that had action in it that depicted my character and another character,” she said. “…They basically took a bunch out of my role.” 

Depp is suing Heard over an op-ed she published in 2018 about being the victim of domestic abuse. He has denied her allegations, and more than four million Depp supporters have signed a petition calling for her to be removed from the Aquaman sequel. 

Producer Peter Safran previously said the production would not react to “pure fan pressure.” But unconfirmed rumors last month suggested Heard has less than 10 minutes of screen time in the film.