Brie Larson was stunned after being picked on by a member of the press to share her thoughts on Johnny Depp’s controversial Cannes Film Festival opener.
During a Tuesday, May 16 press conference with the festival jury, juror Larson was asked what she thought of Depp’s film (Jeanne du Barry) at the opening of the festival” and if she intended to see it.
Caught off guard, the Marvel actor replied, “You ask Me This? I’m sorry, I don’t understand the correlation or why me specifically.
Clarifying his intent to connect, the reporter referred to Larson’s vocal advocacy for the Time’s Up movement, a non-profit organization created to support victims of sexual harassment and amplify female voices in the film and television industry. .
“Understood,” Larson acknowledged. “Well, you’ll see, I guess, if I see it, and I don’t know how I’ll feel if I do.”
Several fans praised Larson’s “excellent” response, with some suggesting the reporter’s question was “unprofessional” and meant to “set her up to twist her words.”
“That was a trick question. Brie Larson is not responsible for Johnny Depp’s sins,” one tweeted.
Depp’s movie, Jeanne du Barry, is directed by French filmmaker Maïwenn and tells the story of Jeanne Vaubernier, the mistress of King Louis XV.
This is Depp’s first starring role since his high-profile libel lawsuit against his ex-wife Amber Heard last year.
Depp sued Heard for defamation, claiming she falsely implied he was violent towards her in a 2018 Washington Post column entitled: “I spoke out against sexual violence – and I faced the wrath of our culture. This must change”.
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THE Pirates of the Caribbean The star eventually won the trial in Virginia after a jury found Heard defamed him and awarded him $10m (£8.2m) in compensatory damages.
Nonetheless, the festival’s decision to open with Depp’s latest film was met with backlash. Festival director Thierry Frémaux has repeatedly defended the “controversial choice”.
“I don’t know the image of Johnny Depp in the United States. To tell the truth, in my life, I have only one rule, it is the freedom to think, and the freedom of speech and action within a legal framework”, declared recently Frémaux.
The Cannes Film Festival runs from May 16 to May 27.