ime flies—it’s something we’re told as children… and it’s true.”
Remind us: how old is Lily-Rose Depp now? 26. The first time ELLE France met her, she was 16, making her film debut in Planetarium, directed by Rebecca
Zlotowski, and posing for Karl Lagerfeld, then the emperor of CHANEL. Ten years have passed, Matthieu Blazy now captivates the house of the double C, and Depp has barely changed.
On set, she is just as charming, polite, and attentive as ever; she remembers everyone’s name, is thoughtful in small ways. “Very American,” the French like to say, by which they mean “professional” as though French actors are rough around the edges and American ones perfectly polished. But let’s move past clichés.
Over the past decade, Depp has both fulfilled and defied the expectations tied to her pedigree. Recently, she starred in the much-talked-about series The Idol, directed by Sam Levinson (Euphoria), where she was remarkable as an ultra-sexualised pop star caught in a toxic romance. Then came the stunning Nosferatu by Robert Eggers, a reimagining of the myth in which the vampire becomes enslaved by his heroine, where Depp delivered a striking, almost feral performance. In both roles, there’s a fascinating tension of power and control.
“I tend to choose roles that demand a lot from me—that’s what excites me,” she explains. “I like asking myself if I can do it. I like being a little scared, even if that’s not everything. And it also depends on the director—Sam or Robert could ask me anything, there’s that level of trust. Shooting The Idol was one of the best times of my life. It was such an incredible experience that no criticism, positive or negative, could ever change that.”
At certain moments, you might hear echoes of her mother in her voice. It’s something we don’t point out. Everyone knows what it’s like to suddenly realise you say “hello” like your mother, or that your hands are becoming hers. But Depp embraces that resemblance. She cherishes it, even cultivates it, through subtle nods and a signature flick of eyeliner.
“I discovered CHANEL by digging through my mum’s wardrobe. I think I was trying on her high heels when I was still practically in nappies!”
At 14—“when you’re figuring out your style”—this self-confessed makeup obsessive, who spent her early teens watching beauty tutorials, came across a photo of Vanessa Paradis, then a CHANEL muse, from the 1990s.
“She was wearing lip liner—that was the big trend back then!” says Depp. “I thought, ‘that’s my thing,’ and I’ve never stopped.”
And today?
“I still steal her jeans—we’re the same size. Honestly, we’re very similar. I might have been a bit difficult at 15 or 16—everyone has their rebellious phase—but we’ve always been close,” she says. “I’ve always admired her, not just for her beauty and her glamour, but above all because she’s an exceptional person. Sometimes I catch myself speaking or reacting like her and think, ‘I’m becoming my mother’—and I’m quite happy about that.”
Of course, that legacy hasn’t always been easy to carry.
“I did feel a kind of pressure at the beginning. When you’re the daughter of two great artists, comparisons are inevitable,” she continues. “This world can be intimidating when you have big dreams, but not enough to stop me. Over time, you learn not to take things too personally. You realise you can’t please everyone—and that’s okay. It’s not my ambition anyway. You have to carve your own path.” She’s about to sneeze—watch out. After the customary “bless you,” she asks whether you also say “to your loves.” Only after a second sneeze, we explain that you can add “may they last forever.” A pause. We promise to come back to that.
Depp speaks French like a native, sprinkled with English expressions—especially when talking about film.
“Is it ‘therapeutic’? ‘Cathartic’? ‘Instinctual’?” she asks.
She slips easily into informal “tu,” favouring poetic turns of phrase.
“Cinema fills my life,” she says. “Without it, I feel stagnant. I need it oxygen. It’s also a way to grow.
“Acting can take you to the deepest parts of yourself—sad, uncomfortable, angry places—but in the end, you gain a kind of power over those emotions. Exploring them through other stories is healing.”
And when asked about leaving a character behind:
“I like that rollercoaster aspect of the job.”
For now, the effortlessly photogenic actress—who counts cooking among her hobbies (“At Christmas, I made the turkey for the whole family,” she adds with a wide smile)—is moving forward with flawless instincts. Soon, she’ll appear in Alpha Gang by the Zellner brothers, alongside Cate Blanchett and Léa Seydoux, playing extra-terrestrials infected by a very human condition: emotion. She’s also set to star opposite Jacob Elordi in László Nemes’ adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s Outer Dark, the story of an incestuous brother and sister.
“[Nemes] is a director I admire enormously,” Depp says. “I loved the script. The book is set in the American Southeast—my father’s family is from there, so it resonated with me.”
She hasn’t yet seen Wuthering Heights with Jacob Elordi, but she’s still recovering from Hamnet.
“That film destroyed me—it’s so beautifully made, directed, acted,” she says. “Jessie Buckley, the child… I was inconsolable.”
And what about motherhood?
“I didn’t need cinema to want that—I’ve always wanted children. Since I was a child myself, I think,” she adds. “Not right away, but I’m really looking forward to that stage of my life.”
And love?
Still in love—with musician Danielle Balbuena, aka 070 Shake.
“Yes. Very.”
“T
IN TEN YEARS, THE ACTRESS AND CHANEL AMBASSADOR HAS GONE FROM NEWCOMER TO A SURE THING—WITHOUT EVER CEASING TO SURPRISE.
Words by Marion Ruggieri
Styled by Hortense Manga.
Lily-Rose Depp wears Chanel’s Denim makeup collection.
Chanel jeans and underwear (worn throughout). Lily-Rose Depp wears Chanel’s Denim makeup collection.
Lily-Rose Depp wears Chanel’s Denim makeup collection.
THE
ENCHANTING
Depp
Lily-Rose
Lily-Rose Depp wears Chanel jacket and jeans (worn throughout). BEAUTY NOTE Lily-Rose Depp wears Chanel’s Denim makeup collection. EXPLORE IT NOW.
Lily-Rose Depp wears Chanel jacket and jeans (worn throughout). BEAUTY NOTE Lily-Rose Depp wears Chanel’s Denim makeup collection. EXPLORE IT NOW.
Lily-Rose Depp wears Chanel’s Denim makeup collection. EXPLORE IT NOW.
“I DISCOVERED CHANEL BY DIGGING THROUGH MY MUM’S WARDROBE…SHE WAS WEARING LIP LINER. I THOUGHT, ‘THAT’S MY THING,’ AND I’VE NEVER STOPPED.”
– LILY-ROSE DEPP
Lily-Rose Depp wears Chanel’s Denim makeup collection. EXPLORE IT NOW.
Lily-Rose Depp wears Chanel’s Denim makeup collection.
Lily-Rose Depp wears Chanel’s Denim makeup collection.
Styling Assistant Julie Chopard Hair Alexandry Costa Makeup Min Kim for CHANEL Beauty (Denim Collection) Manicure Joanna Memmi
Syndicated with permission from ELLE France.