Hollywood star Johnny Depp spotted in Saudi Arabia’s AlUla days after RSIFF backs his upcoming film 

Johnny Depp plays King Louis XV in ‘Jeanne Du Barry.’ (AFP)
Short Url
Updated 19 January 2023
Follow

Hollywood star Johnny Depp spotted in Saudi Arabia’s AlUla days after RSIFF backs his upcoming film 

DUBAI: A recent photo posted by Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Culture and Governor of the Royal Commission for AlUla Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al-Saud places Hollywood star Johnny Depp in the historical area. 

The selfie, posted on Instagram on Sunday night, was simply captioned “Good times,” also tagging #AlUla. 

This picture comes days after it was announced that the Red Seal International Film Festival will back upcoming period drama “Jeanne Du Barry,” in which Depp plays King Louis XV opposite French director and actress Maiwenn, who will star as the titular 18th Century courtesan Madame du Barry.

RSIFF will provide post-production support for the period drama, marking the first time the foundation is co-producing a French movie. 

The financial terms of the investment have not been disclosed. 

Since its creation in 2019, the Red Sea Film Foundation has supported the development, production, and post-production of 170 films from the Arab world and Africa. 

In a statement, the festival said backing “Jeanne du Barry” was part of its “ongoing mission to support distinctive filmmaking and champion visionary female talent both on and behind the camera from around the world.


Repossi taps May Calamawy for latest campaign

Updated 08 February 2026
Follow

Repossi taps May Calamawy for latest campaign

DUBAI: Italian jewelry label Repossi has tapped Egyptian-Palestinian Hollywood star May Calamawy to star in its Ramadan 2026 campaign.

The campaign, which was shot in Sharjah in the UAE, features Calamawy showing off pieces by the Paris-headquartered label that is known for taking inspiration from architecture and modern art.

Shot inside Zaha Hadid Architects’ BEEAH Headquarters in Sharjah, Calamawy can be seen wearing signature pieces from the Blast and Serti Sur Vide collection, as well as other classic collections by the brand.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by May Calamawy (@calamawy)

“Celebrating Repossi Savoir-Faire, Heritage and Architectural Poetry (sic),” the actress captioned the campaign video, which she shared with her 354,000 followers on Instagram.

Calamawy is known for her roles in the US Netflix series “Ramy” and “Moon Knight” (2022), where she plays dual characters Layla El-Faouly and the Scarlet Scarab.

She made headlines in late 2024 when almost all her scenes were cut from Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator II,” with fans taking to social media to complain.

Her casting in the film was first announced in May 2023.

At the time, Deadline reported that Scott had cast Calamawy after a lengthy search, writing: “While many of the leading roles were straight offers, Scott wanted to do a similar search he did for the (Paul) Mescal part for the role that Calamawy ultimately landed.”

In January, the star took to Instagram to promote her latest project, which hits theaters in April.

“The Mummy,” a new feature from award-winning Irish writer and director Lee Cronin, will be released on April 17 and features Calamawy alongside Mexican actress Veronica Falcon, Jack Reynor, and Laia Costa. 

The film is produced by Blumhouse, Atomic Monster, and New Line Cinema.

“The young daughter of a journalist disappears into the desert without a trace. Eight years later, the broken family is shocked when she is returned to them, as what should be a joyful reunion turns into a living nightmare,” the film’s official logline reads.

Calamawy is also known for her activism and regularly takes to social media to support charity initiatives raising money and awareness for Gaza.

In December, she promoted the song “Lullaby,” which the Together for Palestine charity is trying to propel to the Christmas No. 1 spot in the UK chart to raise money for the people of Palestine.