Johnny Depp’s first directorial effort in 27 years, Modì – Three Days on the Wing of Madness, makes its world premiere today at the 72nd San Sebastián International Film Festival in Spain, and ahead of its release, Depp took time to reflect on recent events that he says turned his life into a “soap opera.” Per Variety, the 61-year-old star didn’t specifically mention Amber Heard by name, but it’s clear that the highly-publicized trial that took place between the two was weighing heavily on his mind when he was asked at a press conference to compare his own experiences with those of Modi’s protagonist, Amedeo Modigliani.
Sure, we can say that I’ve been through a number of things here and there, but I’m alright.
Depp elaborated further, and it was then that he made mention of the “soap opera” that his life had become thanks to his legal battles with his ex-wife, which have since been the subject of books, a Tubi original movie, and a Netflix docuseries. To say that the trial brought unwanted attention to Depp would be an understatement, and it’s easy to see why he would make the comparison between his real-life struggles and a daytime drama.
“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.”
Will Johnny Depp Direct More Movies After Modi?
Following his disastrous experience shooting The Brave in 1997, Depp had no aspirations to direct another movie ever again. It wasn’t until a conversation with Al Pacino convinced him to step behind the camera for Modi, which Depp had a much better time with compared to his previous outing.
“[Modi] 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.”
The film traces seventy-two hours in the life of Bohemian Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani, known to his friends as “Modì,” through the streets of war-torn Paris in 1916. It’s the kind of project that Depp seems tailor-made for, as he’s always been a bit of a Bohemian himself, dabbling in film, music, writing, and art. That being said, as much fun as he had shooting the biographical movie, he’s in no hurry to repeat the process anytime soon. “I’ll never do it again. Never again,” he told the room full of press ahead of Modi’s premiere, then quickly added, “I might. Sorry. I apologize. I might.”
You can never say never when it comes to Johnny Depp, who will be returning to his comfort zone in front of the camera to take on the role of Satan in Terry Gilliam’s upcoming movie The Carnival at the End of Days. We’ll have more news on Modi, including a trailer and a U.S. release date, as it becomes available.