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| Maïwenn as Jeanne du Barry, with Johnny Depp as King Louis XV of France in “Jeanne du Barry.”Stéphanie Branchu/Why Not Productions |
Johnny Depp’s return to the film industry has been highly
anticipated since his defamation trial, and now it’s official: his latest film,
“Jeanne du Barry,” will premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May. The
costume drama, directed by and starring French actress and filmmaker Maïwenn,
sees Depp in the role of King Louis XV of France.
“Jeanne du Barry” was filmed shortly after Depp’s
highly-publicized trial, in which he was found to have been defamed by ex-wife
Amber Heard. The verdict came after six weeks of testimony, during which the
former couple’s allegations of physical and sexual abuse were made public.
Despite Heard’s initial appeal, the case was settled out of court.
Since then, Depp has gradually made his way back into the public spotlight by participating in a fashion show, attending the MTV Video Music Awards, and starting his own TikTok account. The thespian will, however, receive the film industry's first formal embrace since the conviction at the Cannes opening.
The film’s director, Maïwenn, is no stranger to the
festival, having previously won the Jury Prize in 2011 for her film “Polisse.”
“Jeanne du Barry” will premiere on May 16, following the festival’s opening
ceremony. It will also be released in French cinemas on the same day, before
being made available for streaming on Netflix in France.
While Depp’s victory in the trial surprised many legal observers, given a previous ruling in a UK libel case that suggested he had assaulted Heard, his return to the big screen is highly anticipated. With Maïwenn’s directing and the drama’s all-star cast, which includes Emmanuelle Seigner and Mathieu Amalric, “Jeanne du Barry” is sure to be a hit.
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