Celebrity actor Johnny Depp is returning to the screen, both small and big, after winning his defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard. He will appear in “La Favorite”, his first film since 2020, when Hollywood ostracized him after Heard accused him of domestic assault. The ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ star will play King Louis XV in La Favorite, which has been licensed by Netflix in France. This will be Depp’s first major acting job since he portrayed W. Eugene Smith the war photographer in the 2020 drama, Minamata.
A British court found in 2020 that 12 of 14 violence instances claimed by Heard were ‘substantially accurate,’ and Depp was forced to withdraw from the ‘Fantastic Beasts’ franchise at Warner Bros’ request. However, following his own defamation suit against Heard, in which he was awarded $15 million, the actor appears to be gaining new attention.
In a lurid defamation suit against Heard in June, the “Pirates of the Caribbean” star won $10 million in compensatory damages. The same jury awarded Heard $2 million for similar claims. The “Aquaman” star has stated that she will file an appeal.
On Thursday, citing anonymous sources, Bloomberg reported that Netflix will finance the French period picture “La Favorite,” in which Depp will play King Louis XV. The streaming platform has reportedly acquired the rights to stream Johnny Depp’s next film in France, a deal that will help fund the actor’s first feature role following his defamation lawsuit against ex-wife Amber Heard and what he claims is a Hollywood studio boycott, the outlet said. According to people familiar with the case who asked not to be identified, the entertainment giant has licensed the rights to stream the picture in the country 15 months after its theatrical premiere. Outside of France, the corporation does not own the film’s rights.
The celebrity actor will play the role alongside Maiwenn Le Besco, who is the director of the film and also plays King Louis’ mistress, Jeanne du Barry. Le Besco has previously directed critically acclaimed films such as ‘Polisse’ and ‘Mon Roi.’ The picture, Depp’s first in French, is slated for release in 2023. While the film’s budget is unknown, Depp is said to have a starting fee of $20 million for any part.
Following a $301 million offer from Disney, Depp is allegedly in talks to reprise his role as Captain Jack Sparrow in another Pirates of the Caribbean film.
Johnny Depp and Amber Heard defamation trial: Deposition of witnesses begin
