Johnny Depp Says He Felt ‘Oddly Lucky’ to Be Offered Role of King Louis XV in ‘Jeanne du Barry’
At the film’s U.K. premiere, Johnny Depp talked about his experience working on “Jeanne du Barry” and expressed how “strangely, oddly, perversely lucky” he felt to be offered the role of French King Louis XV.
Maiwenn wrote, directed and produced the historical drama movie “Jeanne du Barry,” which stars herself and Johnny Depp in the key roles. India Hair, Melvil Poupaud, Pascal Greggory, Noemie Lvovsky, Pierre Richard and Benjamin Lavernhe are also featured.
Depp gave a quick introduction to the movie on stage at the Curzon theatre in Mayfair, with the film’s director and co-star Maiwenn.
In a rare public appearance, he stated on stage in London, “I feel very lucky to have been [offered the role] – strangely, oddly, perversely lucky.” He added, “Because when Maiwenn 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 realise that you’ve come from the bellybutton of nowhere and suddenly you end up playing the King of France.”
“It made no sense to me, I tried to talk her out of it,” he also added. “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.”
At the Cannes Film Festival last year, Depp and the director received a standing ovation for seven minutes after the film’s screening, according to reports. This was one of his first roles following his long court battle with ex-wife Amber Heard.
