Johnny Depp Explains Why He Feels 'Perversely Lucky' at U.K. Premiere of His Film Jeanne Du Barry

Johnny Depp is back on the red carpet to roll out his French film Jeanne Du Barry.

The actor, 60, posed for photos and signed fan autographs at the film's U.K. premiere held at the Curzon Mayfair theater on Monday, April 15. Depp also posed with Maïwenn, his costar and director of the film.

Speaking onstage prior to the screening, Depp said he felt "strangely, oddly, perversely lucky" to have been offered the role of King Louis XV in the film, according to a report from Variety.

"When Maïwenn 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," joked Depp. "So you realize that you’ve come from the bellybutton of nowhere and suddenly you end up playing the King of France."

Depp added, "It made no sense to me; I tried to talk her out of it. But she wasn’t hearing it and she had great courage to take me into her cast."

Jeanne Du Barry, Depp's first movie role after his contentious Virginia trial with ex-wife Amber Heard, had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2023. It also stars Benjamin Lavernhe, Pierre Richard, Melvil Poupaud and Pascal Greggory.

In a Cannes press conference at the time, Depp joked, "So I thought it was very brave of [Maïwenn] to choose some hillbilly from Kentucky to play Louis XV. Very brave."

He added, "I was instantly up for it, wanted to do it. Just wanted to make sure that I wasn't, I don't know, stepping out of my box and into someone else's. Getting into other people's things, culture, thoughts, weirdness. But I'm glad she persisted and I'm glad I persisted."

The film is about Jeanne Vaubernier, a "working-class woman determined to climb the social ladder, using her charms to escape her impoverished life." Soon, she has a "love at first sight" moment with King Louis XV.

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"Through this ravishing courtesan, the king rediscovers his appetite for life and feels he can no longer live without her. Making Jeanne his last official mistress, scandal erupts as no one at Court will accept a girl from the streets into their rarified world," the synopsis adds.

Jeanne Du Barry will be released in the U.S. in over 500 theaters nationwide beginning May 2 from Fathom Events.