Johnny Depp has reflected on life turning “into a soap opera” for him in recent years during a press conference for his latest directorial outing.
Depp has helmed Modì, a dramatisation of the life of Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani, which stars Riccardo Scamarcio and Stephen Graham. Its world premiere takes place tonight (September 24) at the Sam Sebastian International Film Festival and will be released theatrically on December 5.
According to producer Stephen Deuters, Depp has always expressed his gratitude for being invited onto the project, especially in the aftermath of his legal battles with Amber Heard.
In the press conference, Depp was asked about how his own experiences compare to that of the protagonist’s, to which he said they have both had to earn their keep.
“Sure, we can say that I’ve been through a number of things here and there, but I’m alright,” he said before seemingly alluding to his legal troubles. “I think we’ve all been through a number of things, ultimately… Maybe yours didn’t turn into a soap opera, televised in fact, but we all experience and go through what we go through.”
He also said that the experience “allowed me to be able to really see and experience that sort of… to basically be a giant toddler, as I am, and to understand that when you’re making a film at the very least, it’s gotta be fun.”
He was then asked if he would ever direct again. “I’ll never do it again. Never again,” he declared confidently before backpedalling – “I might. Sorry. I apologise. I might.”
His last appearance was in the French historical drama Jeanne Du Barry, playing King Louis XV. The film’s director Maïwenn later described working with Depp as “difficult” and said that the crew were “afraid of him”.
In other Depp news, fans recently speculated that it appeared Depp had fixed his teeth, based on a video of him mixing drinks behind a bar in the Bahamas.