Oscar nominee Johnny Depp showed his growing relationship with Saudi Arabia on Friday by taking part in a Q&A at the country’s Red Sea Fest in Jeddah after screening of his feature Jeanne du Barry.

The actor had been due to attend the screening itself, but as director Maïwenn explained, he’s “always late.”

Not that the crowd minded his self-described “procrastination,” however, with cheers following the discussion, and at least one yell of “We Love You Johnny!” from an audience member as he was ushered away by a security team, to which Depp smiled and waved courteously.

Outside the cinema at the Red Sea Mall, where the screening took place, Depp had to be quickly escorted to his car as news of his presence sparked a flood of people racing to catch a glimpse of the actor and attempt to get a selfie.

“To be given the opportunity to play Louis XV came out of nowhere, and that was the initial beauty of it,” said Depp about Jeanne du Barry, which in Cannes was being billed as his comeback movie, his first major project after his grueling trial with ex-wife Amber Heard. “To be able to dive into the skin and bones of a French king is pretty strange, especially for a guy from Kentucky.”