Johnny Depp “humbled” by offer to direct new biopic after legal issues

'Modì' is a dramatisation of the life of artist Amedeo Modigliani

Johnny Depp was “humbled” to be asked to direct the upcoming biopic Modì, according to the film’s producers.

Modì is a dramatisation of the life of Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani, and stars Riccardo Scamarcio and Stephen Graham. It is set to receive its world premiere on Tuesday (September 24) at the Sam Sebastian International Film Festival and will be released theatrically on December 5.

The film has been written by Jerzy and Mary Kromolowski and was brought to Depp by Al Pacino as far back as 1997, when the two actors were working together on Donnie Brasco. After 27 years, the film is finally complete, but according to producer Stephen Deuters, Depp has always expressed his gratitude for being invited onto the project, especially in the aftermath of his legal battles with Amber Heard.

“Johnny was quite surprised, humbled and a bit blown away that Al [Pacino] was asking him to direct this,” Deuters told Variety. “He wasn’t expecting anyone to ask him to direct a film at that particular moment. We had a lot going on at the time, this was even before COVID, and we just thought it would be a really positive thing for us to do, a slightly unexpected change of direction and something that he could really throw himself into.”

Fellow director Barry Navidi added: “I think John is a very sensitive artist. He’s a painter, a musician, an actor, and an active director, which I got to witness up and close. I was quite impressed and just loved the way he worked all the time on set. We were, of course, thinking of several other directors before Johnny, as the project has been around for so long, but Al recognized that he was the right director because he has the sensibility and sensitivity of an artist. In the end, Johnny totally owned it.“

In other Depp news, earlier this month, fans speculated that it appeared Depp had fixed his teeth, based on a video of him mixing drinks behind a bar in Bahamas.

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Rumours were also circulating last year that he had been dating Wednesday and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice star Jenna Ortega, which both parties strongly denied.

In July, Depp also paid tribute to Tamayo Perry, his co-star from Pirates Of The Caribbean, who was killed in a shark attack in Hawaii. “Even though it was some years ago now, I remember Tamayo well,” Depp wrote. “A lovely man, with a huge heart and zest for life… Emilia, I send you all my love and strength. You are in my thoughts. With love, Johnny.”

Depp has also been seen sharing a pint with Ed Sheeran and Russell Crowe at an Andrea Bocelli live show in Italy, a show that also saw Depp take to the stage with the opera star for a performance of ‘En Aranjuez Con Tu Amor’, in tribute to Jeff Beck.

The actor is set to portray Satan in Terry Gilliam’s upcoming film The Carnival at the End of Days, alongside Jeff Bridges, who will play God, as well as Adam Driver and Jason Momoa.

His last appearance was in the French historical drama Jeanne Du Barry, playing King Louis XV. The film’s director Maïwenn later described working with Depp as “difficult” and said that the crew were “afraid of him”.