On the cusp of her 20s, she has spent her life in the public eye. Now, the cinema scion is ready to cultivate her own garden.

KRISTEN STEWART I saw the pictures. They look really nice and honest.

LILY-ROSE DEPP Oh, thank you. That’s actually what Luke and I were going for. Luke is a really good friend of mine and has been for years. It’s nice being able to work with people like that—like doing this interview with you—someone that I know. Luke knows me so well and I’ve shot with him before, just by ourselves.

KS It’s a gift that’s usually not given, being able to fully share your truth. And actors are desperate for that.

LRD The first shoot I ever did with Luke was very simple because we were just shooting for fun. I did my own hair and makeup and we just pulled clothes from my closet and my mom’s closet.

KS By the way, the entire world listens to that and literally goes, screw you. [Lily-Rose laughs.] Because we all go through our mom’s closet, but like, yours is definitely a different story.

LRD Yeah, it’s definitely not the same vibe as everybody’s mom. I definitely am lucky because my mom has kept all of her old shit from when she was younger. So it’s like a gold mine in there. But we just did it so simply. It was literally just us picking stuff out and just taking pictures. You can tell that when I’m looking into his lens, it’s like I’m looking into my friend’s eyes.

KS It’s dope that you’re already able to work with people who allow you to do that. It took me years to be able to figure out exactly how to own my voice and not feel nervous about it or like I was providing answers to questions that I didn’t really have answers for. And then all of a sudden I’m saying something I don’t mean.

LRD I am really shy when it comes down to it, which is why I love acting so much. It allows me to get out of my own head. I have a way easier time acting like someone else than acting like myself.

KS What have you been doing? What’s feeding you right now?

LRD Well right now I’m preparing for this role I’m going to be playing next year. I’m not sure if I’m allowed to say what it is yet, but it’s something that requires a lot of research and preparation. I’m just getting a head start on the research process and really enjoying it. And I just shot this Netflix movie called The King earlier this summer. I play a French princess with a French accent, so that was really fun. I recently went to TIFF with Louis Garrel’s movie.

KS Wow. How does it feel to work with someone like that? Because that blows my fucking head off.

LRD We started rehearsing months before because it was really particular shooting certain things. We shot really fast and on film, like on 35 millimeter. We kind of had to know the shape that each scene was going to take before we even got there.

KS Yeah and he’s also the son of a brilliant director. It’s kind of in both of your breeding. It’s trippy.

LRD For sure. And I think that he has great respect for his father who is a great director. And I have so much respect for both of my parents as well. It’s definitely something that we were able to level with each other about.

KS That’s cool. Dope. Where are you living right now? I know you’re in Paris right now, but is that where you’re based?

LRD I’m based in L.A., but I kind of feel like I’m based in both places. I definitely feel like I get more done in Paris. I also like walking, and being able to walk around my neighborhood.

KS Yeah, with L.A., you’re just kind of floating around. Whereas in New York…you hear [the city] all the time. So you’re like, I should be engaging with that.

LRD It’s funny you should bring up New York because I’m staying in New York for a few months this fall. I feel like with every change like that, you grow so much. And I feel like this year I’ve done a lot of growing and become more independent. So I think that will be good for me.

KS That will be so much fun. The first time I stayed in New York for an extended period of time was on a movie and…This is going to sound super irresponsible, but I didn’t sleep there that much because I was so excited to be there.

LRD I have a good feeling about it. It goes with my trying to be more independent. I feel like I’ve come into my own a lot as a woman this year so I feel like it’s going to help me continue on that road.

KS Wow, that’s good. That’s a nice thing to be able to fully say. [That’s] fucking amazing. What about Chanel stuff? I literally remember seeing you in a makeup room and you must’ve been 14 or 15 and I was like, “She looks fucking cool. I want to be friends with her.”

LRD I did my first campaign for them when I was 15, which was crazy. I remember when they told me, I thought I was dreaming. For a 15-year-old girl to be told that, I was just so excited and just couldn’t believe that they wanted me. Karl [Lagerfeld] and I actually met when I was like eight, with my mom. He’s so sweet. It really is rare to find someone like that who is such an icon in so many ways, and has been for so long, but who is just such a genuinely sweet and welcoming person. We will send each other pictures of our cats.

“Lily-Rose is a beautiful spirit. I feel a sweet bond, as if Anaïs Nin and I had a little sister, and maybe the same parents. She is very aware of her uniqueness, and beauty. [She is] innocent but aware.”

–Pamela Anderson on Lily-Rose Depp for V116

KS That’s so sweet! Yeah, not to be a weirdo, but you meet the very best and the very worst type of people in fashion. Like literally, the worst, mean, nasty, just like crawling and climbing up, awful people. And then you meet the most creative, wild, just completely unique individuals.

LRD I also think the way that fashion ties into cinema is really interesting. To me, the hair and makeup, and costume of a character are so crucial to me.

KS Totally. I kind of hate when people ask me this in interviews, but I also feel like it’s an interesting question: What is your favorite movie?

LRD It’s okay, I get it all the time. I feel like I grew up watching so many old French movies. I grew up watching so many Louis de Funès movies. La Boum, which I love. Nobody’s gonna know what that is. It’s this old French movie. And then Peau d’âne with Catherine Deneuve is one of my favorite movies ever. It’s iconic.

KS You’ll have to forgive me because you’re all French and shit. [Laughs.] What’s the English title?

LRD I actually don’t know…I’m going to look it up right now. I wonder if it’s called Donkey Skin? Probably not. That’s not a very nice title. But that’s one of my favorites. Catherine Deneuve plays this amazing, magical princess and then she puts on a donkey carcass and runs away into the forest.

KS Honestly, it’s pretty cool that you grew up with that. You know, most people don’t have a real reason to start watching French films and foreign films at such a young age. It’s very cool that you started so little. You’re lucky for that.

LRD Don’t think that I didn’t watch Twilight when I was younger, too! I was a huge fan. You’re not gonna escape it.

KS [Laughs.] Oh my god, that’s so funny. So what the fuck else? Do you read a lot?

LRD I do. I read a lot. I’ve been obsessed with Haruki Murakami for years. He’s my favorite author. I’m reading The Basketball Diaries by Jim Carroll right now, which I’m really enjoying. My little brother actually, who’s 16, is reading constantly. This summer, we were on vacation and he’s like, “Oh, have you read Bukowski? I’m loving this book.”

KS That’s so cool and so cute. By the way you should definitely read Bukowski, he’s my fuckin’ boy. He’s one of my all-time favorites. Would you ever want to make a movie? Are you interested in directing at all?

“I am really shy when it comes down to it, which is why I love acting so much. It allows me to get out of my own head. I have a way easier time acting like someone else than acting like myself.”

–Lily-Rose Depp for V116

LRD I don’t know. I would never say never. Maybe later in life. Would you want to direct a movie?

KS Yeah, yeah totally. I’m really reaching towards that right now. Let me just tell you all about it. [Laughs.] I feel so self-conscious talking about myself in your interview. But I’m adapting a memoir right now. I’ll text you about it. You should read it.

LRD I would love to. That’s awesome that you’re doing that. Certain books really pull you in and really take hold of your imagination. And it’s like creating your own movie in your head, which is something I love about reading.

KS I only started reading off my phone out of necessity, like if I’m on a movie or something and don’t have a book. I also just got super crazy addicted to podcasts.

LRD I just listened to this podcast that compares the lives of Jane Fonda and Jean Seberg who are two people that I find so interesting. And I was just walking on the treadmill for half an hour, just learning all of this new information.

KS Dude, I can’t believe you just said that. I just played Jean Seberg in a film I wrapped like two weeks ago, about her affiliation with the Black Panthers and the FBI take[down]. That’s so random.

LRD Oh my god, that is incredible! That’s such a sick role. I can’t wait to see it.

KS Wow, what a trip. Yeah, it actually was…fucking…It was a lot. Oh man. More to talk about.

This story appears in the pages of V116: now available for purchase!

Photography Luke Gilford

Fashion Dogukan Nesanir

Interview Kristen Stewart

Lily-rose’s Makeup Kate Lee (The Wall Group)

Lily-rose’s Hair Teddy Charles (The Wall Group)

Production Meagan Judkins, Briana Gonzales, Samantha Silvers (Fox & Leopard)

Prop Stylist Steffanie Walk

Photo Assistants Colin Smith, Gregory Brouillette, Jonathan Miskevich

Makeup Assistant Daphne Del Rosario

Hair Assistant Virginie Pineda

Production Assistant Jared Sohnen