Stories on me ‘horrifically written fiction’: Johnny Depp

CANNES – American actor Johnny Depp dismissed years of negative press over his tumultuous marriage to American actress Amber Heard, telling the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday that most of the stories about him were “fantastically, horrifically written fiction”.

Speaking to reporters a day after the premiere of his new film Jeanne Du Barry on the festival’s opening night, he insisted he did not care about being boycotted by Hollywood.

“Do I feel boycotted now? No, because I don’t think about Hollywood, I don’t have much need for Hollywood,” said the actor.

Depp lost his role in Fantastic Beasts (2016 to 2022), the Harry Potter spin-off films, after his former wife Heard accused him of domestic abuse.

“It’s a very strange, funny time, when everyone must fall in line,” he added. “If you want to live that kind of life, I wish you the best. I’ll be on the other side.”

Jeanne Du Barry, in which Depp plays French King Louis XV, who fell in love with a prostitute, received a seven-minute standing ovation, as is customary for opening-night films.

Depp received a warm welcome from fans on the red carpet, taking wefies and signing autographs, and teared up during the ovation at the end.

But there was also widespread vitriol online from supporters of Heard. Journalist Eve Barlow, a friend of the actress, accused Cannes of having a “history (of) supporting rapists and abusers”.

Mixed reviews

Depp, 59, won a defamation trial against Heard, 37, in 2022,

but lost a previous libel case in London and remains a toxic figure for many.

The actor dismissed the years of newspaper coverage as the “stuff you stuff in your shoes or line your parrot cage with”.

Reviews of the film were mixed, with The Guardian saying Depp gave a “purring and peculiar” performance.

Depp speaks French throughout and said he was stunned when director Maiwenn, who also plays the lead role, asked him to join the film.

“I thought it was very brave of her to choose a hillbilly from Kentucky as Louis XV,” said Depp, who lives much of the year in France.

He avoided long lines in the film, and worked with a French-speaking coach to perfect his accent.

“She made me stretch my mouth into weird places, but I still like her,” he said.

Maiwenn, who may face criminal proceedings after grabbing the hair of a French journalist and spitting in his face, said she had no doubts about choosing Depp for the role.

“It was someone I had to kiss, so I preferred to have an actor who is sexy,” she told reporters. “And he knew an enormous amount about French history. He knew a lot more than me about Louis XV.” AFP