The actor — or, in this case, director — spoke at a press conference for his new film, ‘Modi — Three Days on the Wings of Madness,’ starring Riccardo Scamarcio, Al Pacino and Stephen Graham.

Johnny Depp has landed in San Sebastian with his Modi cast and made a thinly veiled reference to the legal frenzy surrounding his public split from Amber Heard, which he described as “a soap opera.”

The star, widely considered a controversial figure in Hollywood after his and Heard’s heavily publicized defamation trial, will premiere his second directorial feature on the Spanish coast. The film Modi — Three Days on the Wing of Madness follows a few days in the life of Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani.

Depp said at the presser, likening his bumpy life to that of Modigliani’s, “Each [character] has their story because I’m sure we can say that I’ve been through number of things here and there. … Maybe yours didn’t turn into a soap opera. I mean, literally, televised,” he said, prompting laughs from the packed room of reporters.

“But we all go through what we go through. So to see these people on the verge of earning their stripes. … There’s something beautiful to me about those days living in a tiny studio apartment just off Hollywood Boulevard in a dangerous neighborhood. (Laughs.) They were tough. They were rough, ugly; they were weird, all kinds of stuff, but they were beautiful.”

Italian actor Riccardo Scamarcio stars in the titular role alongside Antonia Desplat, Al Pacino and Stephen Graham. Backdropped by Paris in the middle of World War II, the film focuses on the painter and sculptor as he grapples with his artistic freedom, pride and class snobbery while searching for recognition.

Depp said that the film came about through none other than Pacino, who suggested the Pirates of the Caribbean star direct a movie on Modigliani. Depp did a gravelly impression of Pacino: “Hey, you remember that Modi thing I was on about a few years ago, I think you should direct it.” Depp added, “For some reason, they saw me driving this strange machine. I mean, when Pacino speaks, you must listen.”

The cast for Modi did nothing but sing Depp’s praises ahead of the premiere. They spoke often of his kindness and creativity on set, and Scamarcio and Desplat told The Hollywood Reporter in San Sebastian that the industry must celebrate him.

Depp, who made his directorial debut with The Brave in 1997, received the prestigious Donostia Award at the 2021 San Sebastian Film Festival for his achievements in the industry. Cate Blanchett and Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar are 2024’s award recipients.