Johnny Depp's plane was delayed arriving in Rome, so he missed the Rome Film Festival press conference scheduled for Saturday to talk about the new film he directed. Modi: Three days on the wing of madness. Depp was supposed to present the film that evening, collect an award and then fly out Sunday morning.
The actor is considered a controversial figure in Hollywood after years of legal battles and a messy divorce from his ex-wife Amber Heard, which included allegations of domestic violence and his and Heard's heavily publicized defamation trial. But Depp is in the midst of something of a relaunch of his career in Europe, which began last year at the Cannes Film Festival with the French director's film Maïwenn Jeanne du Barryin which he played King Louis XV.
Ways, premiered at the San Sebastian Film Festival last month, it is the story of three turbulent days in the life of Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani. It is set in the war-torn Paris of 1916, in the Montmartre neighborhood which was home to many bohemians and artists at the time. Depp sat with The Hollywood Reporter Rome to talk about how he identifies with Modigliani, moving past the past and jokingly comparing his reputation to that of OJ Simpson.
Al Pacino first suggested this film about Modigliani to you way back in 1997. Why did it take so many years to make it?
Al would be directing it at the time and was talking to me as we worked together Donnie Brascoand he wanted me to play Modigliani. Then he basically disappeared and then more than 20 years later, Al calls me and says [imitating Pacino]“Hey John, I think you should direct the Modigliani thing,” and I said, “Why?”
How do you feel about directing? This is your second attempt at directing a film; the first, The bravein 1997, it didn't do so well.
The brave it didn't go so well. I remember very well the criticism's downturn on The braveand it did nothing but make me understand. What are you doing? You learn from that.
[Riccardo Scarmacio, who plays Modigliani in Modi, interjects to say: “By the way, (Italian auteur Michelangelo) Antonioni said ‘Bravo, bravo!’”]
Yes, he did, bless his heart. This really happened.
Did you identify with Modigliani? He was a wild boy: he liked sex, drugs and rock and roll. And he couldn't stand rejection.
And he is the exact opposite of me. I love rejection. [Laughs.]
But are there ways in which you identify with him as a character?
Obviously. My education wasn't the same as Modigliani's, but you understand the levels you have to climb, up a ladder or up a wall to get to a point where you earn your stripes. I understand him in the sense that he remained true to his principles with his particular style, which was far too brutal for those of the time.
He has been in the desert for a while, like you, due to your personal problems. Is this a good description?
It was a vast wilderness, and in the end, that vast wilderness taught me a lot
What lessons have you learned?
Oh, let's see. Should it be funny or should it be true? [Laughs.]
Just tell me. Last month in San Sebastian you said that your life had turned into a soap opera. Do you still feel this way?
Honestly, I can sit here right this second and think about all the big pieces, and how everyone was against me, and yes yes yes it's off the map…endless things. I can remember everything. I've been through it all. Some of it wasn't the greatest moment, some of it was fun. Some of it was crazy. The fact is, it's just right eraand that's just right AND. So, for me, it happened. I learned, man. Everything we experience, whether you're handed a snow cone or walking your dog, you learn something somewhere along the way. So I don't have any negative feelings towards anyone. I don't have this great reserve of hate, because hate requires attention. Why carry that baggage?
You've also said that you don't think you need Hollywood anymore.
I've had some run-ins with Hollywood over their particular simplicity, fluid three-act structure, and all things predictable. And I'm sorry, but I had to go in there and shake things up a little…
Despite all the challenges you've faced in your personal life and career, you still deliver unforgettable performances. Do you have an instinct, an intuition or some method that allows you to focus on the authenticity of your roles?
Oh yes, of course, it's my responsibility. But it is also useful in certain cases, especially when everything around is falling apart. It's weird to be able to escape, not into a character, but it's nice to be able to inhabit a character, and because everything is in your toolbox, some of those things can be used as available stimulus. Which is great. So yes. Everything was… it really is, it just is. And at some level, something like that will happen. It's like orange juice or something. But hey, it just happened. That's all.