“I was in tears”: Johnny Depp Would Be an Extremely Proud Father After Learning Lily-Rose Depp Made Robert Eggers Cry With Her Audition

SUMMARY

• Lily-Rose Depp’s portrayal of Ellen Hutter in ‘Nosferatu’ has received widespread acclaim, with many saying she stole the spotlight.
• Depp’s audition moved director Robert Eggers to tears, showcasing her disciplined and fearless acting.
• Depp described the role as a “gift” and appreciated the deeper focus on Ellen’s character in this retelling.

Sinking its teeth into the iconic 1922 silent film of the same name, Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu (2024) is gothic horror done right. Giving it a thrilling, modern-day bite, the filmmakers dove headfirst into the genre with his retelling of Count Orlok’s eerie escapades. Joining him on the ride were Lily-Rose Depp, Nicholas Hoult, Bill Skarsgård, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and more. The recently released flick has critics raving on and on about it, and rightly so.

Nicholas Hoult and Aaron Taylor-Johnson in Nosferatu (2024) | Credits: Focus Features

Nosferatu is being praised for its fear factor as well as its casting. In fact, it seems like Lily-Rose Depp may have stolen the spotlight with her effortless portrayal of Ellen Hutter. Quite a proud moment for Johnny Depp as not only did his daughter nail the role, but she also brought the director to tears with her splendid audition.

Lily-Rose Depp’s audition made Robert Eggers tear up

Lily-Rose Depp as Ellen Hutter in Nosferatu | Credits: Focus Features

Robert Eggers paid a visit to the Video Club where he talked a bit about Nosferatu and some behind-the-scenes anecdotes from the set. At one point, the filmmaker opened up about Lily-Rose Depp’s audition for the film.

Depp plays the role of Ellen Hutter, the wife of Thomas Hutter (Nicholas Hoult). Described as a pure woman and an angelic wife, Ellen finds herself becoming the obsession of Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård).

Eggers revealed that the young woman’s perfection was evident right from the audition itself where she somehow managed to bring him to tears.

He stated,

She sure has raised Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis’ necks in rightful pride!

Eggers wasn’t the only one who was blown away by Depp’s portrayal of the character. Filmmaker Sean Baker, best known for films like Take Out (2004) and The Florida Project (2017), stated that Nosferatu was probably going to be his favorite film of the year.

He also praised Eggers’ direction calling it “masterful,” and stated that both Depp and Hoult “deserve best actor noms” (via World of Reel).

The role was like a gift to Lily-Rose Depp

A still from Nosferatu | Credits: Focus Features

When compared to F. W. Murnau’s 1922 original, Depp’s Ellen has a meatier role in the story. She still is an object of dark desire but this time around, she has more of a say regarding what goes on in her life.

Depp enjoyed everything about playing Ellen and called it nothing short of a “gift.” She stated that it was special how the character took center stage in the remake.

In her words (via USA Today),

As for Eggers, he knew right from the get-go that Depp was going to do one hell of a job. He admitted that the actress had the same “raw ferocity” in the screen test and he immediately knew that she was going to hit the ball right out the park.

He stated, “In Lily’s screen test, she had the same kind of raw ferocity she has in the film. So I knew her performance was going to go to 125%.” Well, it looks like other actresses might have to watch their backs in the award season!

Nosferatu is currently playing in theatres.

Written by Mishkaat Khan

Articles Published: 1665

Mishkaat is a medical student who found solace in content writing. Having worked in the industry for several years, she has written about everything from medicine to literature and is now happy to enlighten you about the world of entertainment. She has written over 1500 articles for FandomWire. When not writing, she can be found obsessing over the world of the supernatural through books and TV.