Global Courant 2023-05-17 21:12:39
On Tuesday, Johnny Depp was the protagonist at the opening of the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. The actor sealed his triumphant return to the screens by receiving a 7-minute standing ovation when presenting Jeanne du Barry, the film in which he plays Louis XV.
Maïwenn’s film opened the “World Cup of Cinema” that will be held on the French coast until Saturday, May 27. The focus, however, was not on the direction or the story: it was focused, as expected, on Depp.
As can be seen in several videos that appeared on networks and on French TV, the actor cried with emotion when he heard the applause that was given to him.
In addition, he waved from a balcony and spent several minutes among dozens of fans who came to the red carpet.
Maïwenn, director and protagonist of the film, added her tears. “It was a difficult production to finance and I want to share this moment with my entire team,” she said excitedly.
Jeanne du Barry is the first film Depp worked on after experiencing a convulsed 2022. Let’s remember that last year, the actor and his ex-wife Amber Heard starred in a fierce trial that exceeded the limits of the media.
Johnny Depp and Maïwenn in the opening of the Cannes Film Festival. Photo: CHRISTOPHE SIMON / AFP
According to specialized media such as Variety, the French filmmaker summoned Depp when the trial was over.
Depp plays Louis XV in “Jeanne du Barry.” Photo: Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP
Despite the fact that she trusted the actor after a dispute ended in which he was better off than his opponent, the director was criticized for her decision.
On the other hand, Thierry Fremaux, the director of the festival, was completely in favor of Depp’s presence at the most important event in cinema.
Fans of the actor supported him in France. Photo: Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP
“If there is one person in this world who found no interest in that highly publicized trial, it is me. I don’t know what it’s about. I only care about Johnny Depp as an actor,” Fremaux said at a press conference.
“To tell the truth, in my life, I only have one rule: it is the freedom to think, and the freedom of expression and action within a legal framework. If Johnny Depp had been banned from acting in a movie, or if the movie had been banned, we wouldn’t be here talking about it,” he continued.
In Jeanne du Barry, Depp plays Louis XV, a French king who ruled for 59 years, leading the second-longest monarchy in history.
The protagonist of the film is Jeanne, a young working-class woman who uses her intelligence and charm to climb the social hierarchy and when she comes into the king’s eyes she becomes his lover.
“Jeanne du Barry” is the first film Depp worked on after the Amber Heard trial. Photo: REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes
The trial between Depp and Heard
Depp and Heard faced off in a media duel with little or no precedent in April of last year. Both talked about strong episodes related to their private life and showed shocking materials from the time they lived together.
The two actors, it is worth remembering, began their relationship in 2012, married in 2015 and a year later they reached a divorce agreement, which ended in 2017.
Amber Heard was, if you will, the big loser of the trial. Photo: EFE/EPA/EVELYN HOCKSTEIN / POOL
In the midst of the procedures related to their breakup, she denounced her ex for physical and verbal abuse. Heard reaffirmed that she suffered these crimes – without mentioning her assailant – her in The Washington Post article that gave rise to the trial conflict.
After several days of witness statements and sample evidence, the jury determined that the actress should pay her ex 10.35 million dollars and that he should pay 2 for the counterclaim that Heard made.
The lawsuit, initially, had been for 50 million dollars in compensation for economic losses, while the countersuit, which had to do, among other things, with an alleged smear campaign that Johnny would have faced against Amber, for 100.
Depp was favored by the end result. He said that he would donate the million received. Photo: Steve Helber/POOL/AFP
Finally, in December it was revealed that Depp and Heard arranged for her to pay him $1 million instead of the original $10.35.
