Brie Larson was taken aback when asked if she’ll see Jeanne du Barry starring Johnny Depp at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.
The actor, who is a juror at this year’s festival, was asked during a press conference whether she’ll see the film which opens the festival today (May 16). While she’s a juror, Larson doesn’t have to see Jeanne du Barry, directed by Maïwenn, because it’s playing out of competition.
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In response to the question (via Variety), Larson replied: “You’re asking me that? I’m sorry, I don’t understand the correlation or why me specifically.”
When her position as a “vocal advocate for Time’s Up and MeToo” is raised, Larson replied: “You’ll see, I guess, if I will see it. And I don’t know how I’ll feel about it if I do.”
Brie Larson was surprised to be asked about Johnny Depp’s opening film: “You’re asking me that? I’m sorry, I don’t understand the correlation or why me specifically.” https://t.co/5Ec2S23051 #Cannes pic.twitter.com/QPfO1Yb4qS
— Variety (@Variety) May 16, 2023
In Jeanne du Barry, Depp plays King Louis XV. It marks the actor’s first feature performance in three years, and comes after the actor won his defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard last year.
Larson previously sat on the now-dissolved advisory board of Time’s Up, an anti-harassment group which was founded at the height of the MeToo movement.
Thierry Fremaux, director of the Cannes Film Festival, previously defended the decision to open this year’s event with Jeanne du Barry.
Speaking to Variety, Fremaux said: “I don’t see Maïwenn’s film as a controversial choice at all, because if Johnny Depp had been banned from working it would have been different, but that’s not the case.
“We only know one thing, it’s the justice system and I think he won the legal case. But the movie isn’t about Johnny Depp.”
Films competing for the festival’s main Palme d’Or prize include Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City, Jonathan Glazer’s The Zone Of Interest and Jessica Hausner’s Club Zero.
Outside of the competition, Martin Scorsese’s next film Killers Of The Flower Moon and Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny will also premiere at the festival.