Johnny Depp made a triumphant return to the Cannes Film Festival, captivating the audience as he walked the red carpet for the premiere of his film “Jeanne du Barry.”
The opening of the 76th annual event was marked by Depp’s presence, accompanied by his co-star and the film’s director, Maïwenn, as well as other members of the production team. Amidst a crowd of enthusiastic fans, the “Pirates of the Caribbean” star graciously signed autographs and posed for selfies.
In “Jeanne du Barry,” a biographical drama set in the 18th century, Depp takes on the role of King Louis XV, while Maïwenn portrays Jeanne Bécu, a seamstress’s daughter who ascends through the Court of Louis XV to become his final official mistress. Following the film’s premiere, Depp was honored with a remarkable standing ovation from the Cannes audience, lasting for seven minutes.
Depp’s appearance at the festival comes after a highly publicized defamation trial involving his ex-wife, Amber Heard. The trial, which concluded in 2022, resulted in a victory for Depp after a jury sided with him in his $50 million lawsuit against Heard. The couple, who were married for two years, divorced in 2017.
Thierry Fremaux, the head of the Cannes Film Festival, addressed the controversy surrounding Depp’s film opening the event in light of the trial. He emphasized the festival’s commitment to freedom of thought, speech, and artistic expression within the boundaries of the law. Fremaux praised Depp’s exceptional performance in the film and clarified that he was interested in the actor solely from an artistic perspective.
During a press conference, Brie Larson, a Cannes jury member known for her advocacy for Time’s Up, was asked about her opinion on Depp’s film opening the festival. Larson expressed confusion regarding the correlation between her and the question, stating that she did not understand why she was specifically being asked. When asked if she planned to watch “Jeanne du Barry,” she responded that she would see it when the time came and admitted uncertainty about her feelings regarding the film.
Adding further intrigue to Depp’s Cannes appearance, actor Mads Mikkelsen, who replaced Depp in the role of Gellert Grindelwald in the “Fantastic Beasts” franchise, was also present at the festival. Mikkelsen assumed the character’s mantle in the subsequent film, “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore,” released in 2022.
Johnny Depp receives seven-minute standing ovation at #Cannes2023 following the premiere of ‘Jeanne du Barry.’ pic.twitter.com/XXdJ6YdaYz
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) May 16, 2023
