La Plata, my hometown, had an unusual visit last Wednesday. Johnny Depp (who, strangely enough, most Argentines insist on calling Johnny “Deep”), came to promote the movie he’s just directed and produced: “Modì, Three Days on the Wing of Madness” (“Modigliani, tres días en Montparnasse”). He was welcomed by thousands of thrilled fans who crowded “Plaza Moreno,” after being honoured with the key to the city by Mayor Julio Alak, and later filled the Teatro Municipal Coliseo Podestá, where he and Riccardo Scarmacio – the leading actor in the film – were interviewed by Verónica Lozano. Both revealed some juicy anecdotes about the shoot and stressed the importance of trusting each other and keeping their passion alive. After this informal talk (not really a master class), “Modigliani, tres días en Montparnasse” was shown to a smaller audience, since the main interest of most people was just to see and listen to their idol “live” and in person. There were also some local impersonators of some of Depp’s characters, like Jack Sparrow and The Mad Hatter, who entertained and grabbed the attention of the endless waiting line. This event reminded me of Brad Pitt’s visit to La Plata, way back in January 1997, to film scenes for the movie «Seven Years in Tibet» at the city’s train station. I’d also like to praise the interpreter Catalina Saraceno, whose fine work was essential for the Spanish-speaking audience.
Buenos Aires Times, Nov 15, 2025