Actress-director Maïwenn, whose film Jeanne du Barry starring Johnny Depp is set to open the Cannes Film Festival next month, has been accused of assaulting a journalist in a bizarre encounter at a Paris restaurant in February, according to multiple local French news outlets Friday.
Edwy Plenel, co-founder of the online newspaper Mediapart, filed a complaint in March that, according to Le Figaro, “a woman, previously seated, alone, at another table…arose and in a very short time grabbed [Plenel] violently by the hair, throwing his head back and sketching a spit on his face.” The woman then “hastily left the restaurant without anyone being able to intervene given the speed of the action.” Restaurant staff reportedly identified her as the director, whose full name is Maïwenn le Besco but who goes by her first name.
No words were spoken during the alleged assault, according to the reports, but the complaint contends that Plenel was “very traumatized by the hatred” it conveyed and was “completely detrimental on the moral and psychological level.”
“The act is unique but is no less violent, and in a certain way traumatic even in the absence of physical damage,” Plenel’s lawyer, Pierre-Emmanuel Blard, reportedly told AFP. “Even for this kind of act, there can be no impunity.”
The journalist reportedly says he “personally never had any trouble” with Maïwenn, but his outlet did publish articles regarding the accusations of rape aimed at Luc Besson. Besson is Maïwenn’s former husband and the father of one of her children.
Cannes officials announced on Wednesday that Jeanne du Barry’s world premiere will take place on May 16, and the film will be released in cinemas the same day in France. Maïwenn plays the eponymous main character alongside Depp, Benjamin Lavernhe, Melvil Poupaud, Pierre Richard, Pascal Greggory and India Hair. The film will recount the life, rise and fall of French King Louis XV‘s court favorite, Jeanne Vaubernier. Depp plays King Louis XV.
The production marks Depp’s first feature film role in three years. He shot it around the time of his U.S. victory in the turbulent defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard.
You can watch the trailer for the film below.