Johnny Depp Receives a 7-Minute Standing Ovation at Cannes

Hollywood star Johnny Depp received a seven-minute standing ovation at this year’s Cannes Film Festival despite backlash over his appearance.

Following the premiere of the French biographical drama “Jeanne Du Barry” during the event’s opening night on Tuesday, the acclaimed star got emotional as those in attendance broke out into prolonged cheers over his performance as King Louis XV.

According to Variety, Depp held back tears as he waved to the applauding audience from a balcony inside the Grand Théâtre Lumière.

The movie’s director and actress, Maïwenn — who plays the king’s lover — reportedly cried as she said into the mic, “I want to share this moment with my lover, with my producer, with Le Pacte. It was a production that was difficult to finance … and I want to share this moment with all my team across the theater,”.

Hundreds of fans showed up to the South of France’s annual film festival with supportive signs and autograph requests to Depp, 59.

The outing marks the Oscar nominee's first public appearance since his highly publicized defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard, who accused him of abuse. 

It is Depp's first movie since his trial last year with ex-wife Amber Heard. After the former couple accused each other of physical and verbal abuse, a civil jury awarded Depp $10 million in damages and $2 million to Heard. 

Cannes director Thierry Fremaux previously defended his decision to include Depp in the festival and open with his movie, saying Depp is extraordinary in the film and he paid no attention to the trial.

“To tell you the truth, in my life, I only have one rule, it’s the freedom of thinking, the freedom of speech and the freedom to act within a legal framework,” said Fremaux. “If Johnny Depp had been banned from acting in a film, or the film was banned we wouldn’t be here talking about it.”