"I tried to talk her out of it": Johnny Depp reveals he was reluctant to star in Jeanne du Barry

American actor Johnny Depp recently revealed that he initially tried to talk his co-star and director Maïwenn out of casting him for French King Louis XV in the new film Jeanne Du Barry.

The 60-year-old made a public appearance on April 15, 2024, on the red carpet in London for the UK premiere of the romance drama. He told the audience on stage during a rare public appearance that he came from Kentucky, "the bellybutton of nowhere" and could not understand suddenly playing the role of a king. The actor said:

"It made no sense to me, I tried to talk her (Maïwenn) out of it. But she wasn’t hearing it and she had great courage to take me into her cast. Whatever we did, whatever we experienced I think and I hope you’ll find it was well worth the agony of this kid trying to make a film for that length of time."

Depp's current project would be the first movie he will star in since the conclusion of his high-profile defamation case against former wife Amber Heard in the US in 2022.

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Johnny Depp's Jeanne Du Barry will hit theaters this week

Johnny Depp made an appearance at the UK premiere of the period drama Jeanne du Barry, on Monday night. The actor plays the role of King Louis XV in the film, directed by French film luminary Maïwenn. She has also starred in the project as the titular character who becomes one of the favorites of the king and falls in love with him.

The pair attended the red carpet, and while briefly introducing the film to the audience, Depp spoke about how he was approached by Maïwenn to play the historical royal.

Johnny Depp also expressed that he wondered immediately if he was even qualified to play the role. He added:

"Because when Maïwenn and I first actually met and talked about the notion of me doing the film and playing Louis XV, the King of France, see that’s when instantly what happens in your brain is you instantly go back to Kentucky, where, like, everything is fried. So you realize that you’ve come from the bellybutton of nowhere and suddenly you end up playing the King of France."

Johnny Depp then explained to the audience that he tried talking Maïwenn out of casting him but she insisted.

The actor was born on June 9, 1963, in Owensboro, Kentucky, United States. He began his career as a musician performing in several amateur rock bands. Depp soon transitioned into film and debuted in the horror film A Nightmare on Elm Street in 1984.

Back in May 2023, Jeanne du Barry earned a seven-minute standing ovation during its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. The director also gave a speech on Monday where she revealed she had wanted to make the film since 2016. Maïwenn told the audience that she was "obsessed with Jeanne for many years because she was a feminist before everybody else."

Jeanne du Barry will open in theaters overseas on April 19, 2024, before premiering in the U.S. on May 1. The movie marks Johnny Depp’s first feature film role since the 2020 indie drama Minamata.