The 76th Cannes Film Festival opens tomorrow with “Jeanne du Barry,” starring Johnny Depp in a wig and a French accent under the orders of a French director, Maïwenn.
A woman of humble origins, Jeanne du Barry became Louis XV’s favorite courtesan, after having contracted a marriage of convenience with a nobleman. She lost the favor of the monarch after a bloody struggle with the royal family, and she had to leave Versailles after the death of her protector, which did not prevent her from ending up guillotined years later, in 1793.
Maïwenn is the co-producer, director and lead actress of this classic film, which marks the return of Depp after his famous defamation trial (which he won) against his ex-wife Amber Heard.
“The movie was shot last summer, Johnny was coming out of his second trial. I was very worried, I wondered ‘what will happen to his image? … ”, said the director. Maïwenn, a temperamental actress and director, also has her own problems with French justice.
A well-known journalist, Edwy Plenel, accuses the director of having assaulted him in a restaurant and filed a complaint against him. Maïwenn refuses to talk about that case, nor does she regret having chosen Depp.
“It was obvious, it was imposed” the choice of the actor, 59, says Maïwenn, who proposed the role to other French actors, who declined the offer. “I am someone multiple, unpredictable; the fact that my previous films have been shot as improvisations does not mean that I do not love classical cinema, classical music, the classical French language”, he explains.
Depp speaks little throughout the film, but his fascination with this intelligent and beautiful woman who led minor revolutions at the Versailles court, including imposing her own black servant, Zamor, shines through on his face.
Source: Ambito
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
