The Cannes Film Festival red carpet sprang to life with the premiere of the Louis XV period drama “Jeanne du Barry”, casting Johnny Depp, as the French Riviera movie pageant launched a star-studded and potentially controversy-rife 76th edition.
A large audience couldn’t help themselves and were shouting his name “Johnny!” while he was there signing autographs and getting back into the spotlight following his infamous trial last year with ex-wife Amber Heard where both of them accused each other of physical abuse. Depp made a rare public appearance to face questions from the press following the opening-night premiere.
“Jeanne du Barry”, which was simultaneously opened in french theatres, directed and co-starring Maiwenn, has been billed as Depp’s comeback.
In depp’s praise, Cannes director Thierry Fremaux remarked to the press and defended the choice, appreciated Depp as an actor and said he paid no attention to the trial.
“To tell you the truth, in my life, I only have one rule, it’s the freedom of thinking, the freedom of speech and the freedom to act within a legal framework,” said Fremaux. “If Johnny Depp had been banned from acting in a film, or the film was banned we wouldn’t be here talking about it.”
Appearing at the Festival the day after premiering the film, Johnny Depp said that he has “no further need” for Hollywood.
“Did I feel boycotted by Hollywood? You’d have to not have a pulse to feel like, ’No. None of this is happening. It’s a weird joke’,” Depp told reporters. “When you’re asked to resign from a film you’re doing because of something that is merely a function of vowels and consonants floating in the air, yes, you feel boycotted.”
Depp was most notably asked to step down from the “Harry Potter” spin-off franchise “Fantastic Beasts.” Now, though, he says he’s not interested in returning to studio projects.
“I don’t feel boycotted by Hollywood, because I don’t think about Hollywood. I don’t have much further need for Hollywood, myself,” Depp said. “It’s a strange, funny time where everybody would love to be able to be themselves, but they can’t. They must fall in line with the person in front of them. If you want to live that life, I wish you the best.”
The “Jeanne du Barry” press conference was among the most circus-like in recent years at Cannes. The press conference began unusually late and started with Maiwann and other cast members there, but no Depp. He arrived about 20 minutes into the press conference and quickly took the spotlight.