Maiwenn’s “Jeanne du Barry” was selected to open the 76th Cannes Film Festival. This was a peculiar decision given that some in the U.S. hold a major grudge against Depp (despite his being found not guilty by a jury last year).
The trailer for “Jeanne du Barry” was released yesterday. Depp barely appears 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.
I’m hearing that Depp only has 15 minutes of screentime in ‘Jeanne’ and that he barely has lines of dialogue. It’s a mostly dialogue-free performance, I’m told. Maiwenn is the actual lead through and through as King Louis XV’s “chief royal mistress.”
There is no word yet on whether this film will be in competition. Maiwenn has been in competition twice already for 2011’s “Polisse” and 2015’s “Mon Roi.” As far as I’m concerned, and given the dubious quality of Maiwenn’s previous films, it would be a wasted slot.
Since this is the opening night film, “Jeanne Du Barry” will be released in France the same day as its Cannes world premiere. No word yet on a U.S. release date.
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 it is indeed being dubbed as his “comeback” vehicle.