Los Angeles, CA – For Hollywood veteran Johnny Depp, amid the buzz of his latest cinematic venture, his thoughts are firmly focused on his most cherished role: father. At the red carpet premiere of his new directorial effort, Modi: Three Days on the Wing of Madness , in Los Angeles on November 4, the actor and filmmaker shared a touching glimpse into his holiday priorities, confirming that his first love remains his children, Lily-Rose Depp , 26, and Jack Depp (John Christopher Depp III), 23, whom he shares with ex Vanessa Paradis .
“Family traditions?” the 62-year-old told E! News exclusive. “Seeing my family.” This simple statement underscores a constant in the life of the Pirates of the Caribbean star, whose long-term relationship with Paradis spanned from 1998 to 2012.
Behind the Camera: Depp’s Second Directorial Effort
Depp’s current focus on the family tradition comes as he steps back into the director’s chair after a nearly three-decade hiatus. Modi: Three Days on the Wing of Madness , which is set for a limited North American release on November 7, is only his second feature film as a director, following his debut, The Brave , released in 1997.
The new biographical drama centers on the life of Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani (played by Riccardo Scamarcio) over a chaotic 48-hour period in 1916 Paris. Depp praised the collaborative nature of filmmaking, emphasizing the unity required on set. “The relationships that you have on the set between the actors, the director, the camera operator, the focus puller,” he noted, “everything sort of locks in and everyone has the same objective. Whether I’m in front of the camera or behind the camera, I’m still learning things just by being around and watching.” The film, based on the play Modigliani by Dennis McIntyre, also notably features screen legend Al Pacino.
‘Papa’ to ‘Dad’: A Wistful Look Back at Parenthood
While looking forward to quality time with his children following the film’s release, Depp recently shared his “empty-nest syndrome,” revealing a wistfulness for his earlier, more secluded days of parenthood.
In a June interview with The Sunday Times , he confessed to loving the moniker his children used when the family resided in the South of France: “I was Papa. I cannot tell you how much I being Papa.” Following his and Paradis’ 2012 split and the family’s subsequent move to Los Angeles, the familiar term changed. “Papa was out the window. I was Dad.” Depp highlights their former estate in the South of France as the true anchor of his family life: “Truly, the first time I felt I had a home was the place in the south of France where Vanessa and I raised the kiddies. That’s the only place that ever felt like home.”
Lily-Rose Depp’s Fond Memories and Rising Career
His children clearly share the appreciation for that unique education. Daughter Lily-Rose Depp , now 26 and a successful actress and model, recently reflected on her childhood, telling fellow actress Natalie Portman in a December 2024 Interview magazine feature that she often joined her parents on sets.
Lily-Rose, known for her roles as Isadora Duncan in the film The Dancer (2016) and as Catherine of Valois in the Netflix drama The King (2019), expressed profound gratitude for her parents’ conscious efforts: “Not only that I have traveled so much, thanks to my parents having to bring me around, but also for what I now see as the work that they put into making sure that my brother and I had a life in these places that were not ours.”
As the holiday season draws near, Depp’s focus on his children—a theme that resonates through his personal reflections and his daughter’s career insights—reinforces a deep-seated commitment to family, even as his professional life continues to take him in new and challenging directions.