Johnny Depp breaks silence: 'I was shunned, dumped, cancelled' – now he’s back with a film

Johnny Depp is making a defiant return to the world of filmmaking. Speaking candidly from his post-production base in London, the 62-year-old star reflects on a tumultuous few years marked by lawsuits, headlines, and exile from Hollywood. "I was shunned, dumped, booted, deep-sixed, cancelled – however you want to define it," he says, describing the professional fallout following abuse allegations from his ex-wife Amber Heard.

Depp's new project, Modigliani: Three Days on the Wing of Madness, marks his first time directing since 1997. The film, centred on the life of Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani, is set in WWI-era Paris and features Riccardo Scamarcio in the lead and Al Pacino in a supporting role. Depp says directing was a reluctant venture, encouraged by Pacino, but one he grew passionate about.

Despite his reputation for avoiding convention, Depp is visibly moved by the connection he feels to Modigliani – another misunderstood artist. "Hunter [S. Thompson] used to quote Dr Johnson: ‘He who makes a beast of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man.’ That’s Modigliani too,” he reflects.

Depp doesn’t shy away from discussing the damage of his very public legal war. He notes he could’ve retired quietly but chose not to. “I fought it because had I not, then I wouldn’t have been me.”

Though his past is pockmarked with personal demons, including childhood abuse and substance struggles, Depp is more determined than bitter. “Would I rather not have gone through that? Of course,” he says. “But I learned more than I ever dreamed I could.”

Modigliani releases in cinemas on July 11, with special preview screenings and a recorded discussion featuring Depp and Scamarcio airing nationwide on July 10.