Virginia — Actor Johnny Depp is suing his ex-wife, actress Amber Heard, in a $50 million defamation lawsuit, citing a piece she wrote for in a US newspaper about domestic abuse.

The complaint, filed Friday in the Circuit Court of Fairfax, Virginia, said that, while Depp was not named in the article, it was clear Heard was talking about him. The lawsuit called her ongoing allegations of domestic abuse “categorically and demonstrably false.”

“They were part of an elaborate hoax to generate positive publicity for Ms. Heard and advance her career,” the lawsuit said, claiming that “she is the perpetrator.”

According to Depp, 55, the suit has suffered financial losses because of the accusations, including being dropped from his role as Captain Jack Sparrow in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” films.

In her article, published in the Post in December, Heard also said she lost an acting role and contract with a major fashion brand because she went public with her claims of abuse.

Depp’s attorney, Adam Waldman, responded to People that he and his client looked forward to presenting “overwhelming video, photographic and eyewitness evidence” that would clear Depp’s name. — Agencies