Johnny Depp says he felt like 'giant toddler' while directing 'Modi'

Johnny Depp was received by ecstatic fans at Spain’s San Sebastian Film Festival today before his directorial work Modi – Three Days On The Wing Of Madness’ screening.

Depp was approached to direct the movie after his public legal battle with ex-wife Amber Heard, which severely damaged his career, which is why he felt “humbled” when offered the director’s job by Al Pacino and Barry Navidi.

Recalling the offer, he said, “I got a very strange phone call from Al Pacino who said ‘Do you remember this Modigliani project?’ and he said I should direct it.”

“For some reason, Al saw me driving this strange machine. And when Pacino speaks, you listen, so I ran with it. But I had no idea what it would be until the pieces of the puzzle came together,” he continued.

Modi isn’t Depp’s first time directing a movie. The Pirates of the Caribbean star has once before taken the director’s chair for The Brave in 1997.

His experience directing The Brave left the actor wary of directing, and he noted that directing Modi was an “infinitely more positive experience.”

“When I was making The Brave 27 years ago the last thing I wanted to do was attempt to make a film again,” he shared. “There was too much math. The mathematics was too much. You find yourself in this sort of structured hole.”

The Tourist star said he felt like a “giant toddler” while directing Modi, where his artistic genius was allowed to flourish.

“I was very lucky. It was a singular experience for me. Very organic which does happen. This was a very organic grouping and things happened without having to go to anyone for anything,” he said of making the movie, which features three turbulent days in the life of Italian artist Amadeo Modigliani.

Johnny Depp’s Modi – Three Days On The Wing Of Madness will bow in theaters on December 5, 2024, per IMDB.