Three years after “DNA”, filmmaker Maïwenn will open Cannes with “Jeanne du Barry,” her first period film, this one with Johnny Depp as King Louis XV.
The film is unlike any project she’s done before. Maïwenn had to stay close to the script this time around. She also experimented with shooting on film, which meant committing to fewer takes.
However, it seems that directing a Hollywood star of Johnny Depp’s calibre was another unique challenge. If you remember, a few months ago, rumors were swirling about Maïwenn and Depp’s on-set tension.
Surprisingly, she did not even deny the rumors earlier this month in a French Premiere interview. Now, it turns out to be far worse than we could have imagined.
I had already heard and reported that Depp only has 15 minutes of screentime in ‘Jeanne’ and that he barely has any lines of dialogue. Apparently the “Jeanne du Barry” set was so chaotic that Maïwenn cut down Depp’s screentime. And, it’s only actually 10 minutes of screentime.
During production of ‘Jeanne’ we had already been hearing about the on set friction between Maiwenn and Depp, with French showbiz commentator Bernard Montield spilling:
“Johnny Depp is an excellent actor when he comes on the set… Except that sometimes the team is ready at 6 am and no one comes. So, afterward, Maïwenn gets angry and the next day, it is she who does not come and there is Johnny Depp… It’s madness.”
The trailer for “Jeanne du Barry” hinted at more than 10 minutes of runtime for Depp. He barely speaks in it. His French is said to not be too bad, especially since he was partners with Vanessa Paradis for many years, and she’s the mother of his children.
However, given that he plays a French king and he still maintains an English accent, it was a bit odd to cast him in this role. The lines of dialogue that he does have in the trailer are far and few. Probably a wise decision.
Meanwhile, blacklisted in Hollywood these last five years, Depp’s comeback film, post-Heard trial, started shooting last fall in Versailles and Paris. The actor doesn’t have anything else lined up after this, but this 10-minute role is indeed being dubbed as his “comeback” vehicle.
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