Cape Town - Actor Johnny Depp - in stark contrast to Elon Musk who is house-less - likes his homes big and ostentatious.

Depp's defamation trial against his ex-wife, actress Amber Heard is currently being heard, and among those who may take the stand for Heard is Tesla chief executive Elon Musk.

It is alleged that it was in one of Depp’s extravagant former homes - a downtown LA penthouse - that Musk and Heard had a threesome with actress-model Cara Delevingne. Musk has vehemently denied this, and is reported to be taking the stand to say just this.

Depp’s former penthouse - made up of five stylish apartments - is at the centre of the trial. This is the place where he and Heard allege abuse, where affairs were allegedly carried out, a line or two of cocaine said to have been snorted, even an allegation that someone defecated on their bed and also the spot where Heard’s friends allegedly had easy access to long-term accommodation.

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The actor has accused his ex-wife of defaming him in a Washington Post op-ed article in which she described herself as a victim of domestic violence. He alleges she in fact abused him. Heard has counter-sued.

Depp, in evidence, told how he let one of Heard’s friends live in one of the apartments - free of charge - when they told him they could not afford their own.

Depp began purchasing his Eastern Columbia units in 2007, eventually buying up an entire wing of the stunning Art Deco building. When he and Heard split in 2016 he began selling off each apartment, the final one reportedly sold for $1.425 million (over R24m) in 2017.

The penthouses were initially listed together, but ended up selling separately

The film star has always had a penchant for eccentric homes. He has owned and owns, among others, an entire French village, a luxury paradise island and the LA penthouses.

Then there is also his house in Hollywood Hills - where he spends most of his time - which is also OTT - a joining of five mansions, some with Gothic themes, with reports saying he has even considered building tunnels underground to join all five.

The penthouses at the centre of the court case are situated in an Art Deco Eastern Colombia building in Los Angeles. Collectively the five apartments have nine bedrooms, 14 bathrooms and five kitchens.

The penthouses also include an art studio. One of the apartments had a definite maximalist vibe to it - with lilac couches, turquoise walls, a bright orange desk with a typewriter on it, a green staircase and faux fur seats for their dining room table.

While evidence in the court case is specifically centred on the penthouses, Depp also owned a Little Halls Pond Cay Island in the Bahamas. Yes, you read right, not a house, an island.

He spotted the island while shooting for Pirates of the Caribbean and also reportedly owns another neighbouring island in this location - Osprey Bird Rock Island.

Depp, who spent his childhood moving from home to home because “my mother had fire under her feet”, sold the penthouses when he and Heard split.

He also attempted to sell the French village he bought for him and his then-partner Vanessa Paradiso, when they split in 2015. The 37-acre property has a “complete Provencal village of stone-built houses dating back more than 200 years”.

He reportedly tried to re-list it last year after putting it on the market in 2015 and 2016 at various prices without making a sale.

The village is in Plan-de-la-Tour, in the south eastern region of France, close to St Tropez. It includes a main house and several stone cottages plus a pirate-themed wine cellar, two swimming pools, a skate park, and an original church which was turned into a guest house with an area for wine tasting.

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