Ever since his public defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard, Johnny Depp has only been seen in one film, which was the French period drama Jeanne du Barry. The actor played the role of King Louis XV in the period drama that starred and was directed by noted French actress Maïwenn.
Ahead of its premiere at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, many headlines reported clashes between the director and the actor on set, with the media scrutiny heavy on Johnny Depp. However, the actress and director mentioned that she did not bother about Depp’s legal troubles on set.
Clashes Between Johnny Depp And Maïwenn On The Sets Of Jeanne du Barry
Due to the allegation of domestic abuse brought about by Amber Hear in 2018, Johnny Depp lost several high-profile roles. He was fired from his role as Gillert Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts franchise, with Mads Mikkelsen replacing him. His biggest franchise, the Pirates of the Caribbean films also reportedly distanced themselves from him.
Depp made his return to the screen in 2023 in the French film Jeanne du Barry. The film was his first in French and was a period drama in which he portrayed the role of real-life King Louis XV. He starred opposite French actress Maïwenn, who also wrote and directed the film.
The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and was the first film of Johnny Depp that saw the screens ever since his public defamation trial against Heard. Hence, media scrutiny of Depp and the film was intense, and many reported the clash between the American actor and the French director.
Talking about the clashes, Maïwenn said to French Premiere (via World of Reel),
“Johnny is a star, a king… and an American! I was told not to let him know that we were waiting for him to shoot a scene…One day, I did it anyway. And there, he made me understand that I had committed an unacceptable intrusion…”
However, the noted French actress chalked up his behavior to a culture clash. She also mentioned that despite his French not being up to the mark, it worked in her favor as she wanted more silences in her film.
Also read: “It was painful”: Amber Heard Found One Thing About Her First Movie With Johnny Depp Torturous
Maïwenn Was Not Bothered By Johnny Depp’s Legal Troubles
French actress and director Maïwenn decided to cast Johnny Depp after her dream cast of a noted French actor did not materialize. She reportedly also approached yet another American actor before she fixed on Depp, as she was rejected by the former.
The actress reportedly did not bother about Depp’s legal troubles after he lost the first his first libel trial in 2020. Maïwenn maintained that she was never bothered about the legal issues that the actor was facing at the time of filming and all that mattered to her was if he gave him what she desired from the character.
Hence, Maïwenn even disregarded the clashes they had on set. Speaking to El Pais, Maïwenn said,
“I insist that there are tensions on all shoots…what mattered is what I desired for the film. And if the desire fades, I disconnect creatively. That’s why you have to keep that flame alive. You can’t worry about the rest, about controversy or outside comments. I wanted Johnny Depp; he fills the character with his presence.”
The actress also decided to play the leading role in the film, which she later claimed was a stressful experience.
