The French-language film “Jeanne du Barry” stars director Maïwenn Le Besco, known as Maïwenn, as Jeanne Bécu, a woman who rose from poverty to the circles of King Louis XV.
Depp plays the king in the film, which will have its world premiere in Cannes on May 16.
The “Pirates of the Caribbean” actor has made few appearances on film and television since his trial concluded in June 2022. He made surprise cameos at the MTV Video Music Awards and Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty fashion show.
Depp also voiced a puffin in the animated film “Johnny Puff: Secret Mission” (“Johnny Puff: Secret Mission”), released this year.
The actor is trying to rebuild his career after winning a near victory in his legal battle in the United States against Heard, also an actress, who had accused him of mistreatment. Depp denied hitting her or any other woman.
Two years earlier, Depp lost a UK libel suit against the Sun newspaper, which called him a “wife-beater”. A London High Court judge ruled that Depp had repeatedly assaulted Heard.
Soon after, he was cut from “Fantastic Beasts,” the spin-off franchise of the “Harry Potter” movies, and largely shunned by Hollywood production companies.