Johnny Depp
Monday, September 29, 2008Posted by
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Johnny Depp spent a decade on the fringes of Hollywood as a favorite of independent directors like Tim Burton and Lasse Hallstrom, until his unbridled originality and penchant for extreme characterizations found a worldwide audience with “The Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” (2003). Throughout the 1990s the actor built a strong critical and art house following portraying societal outsiders – from the anatomic anomaly “Edward Scissorhands” (1990) to cross-dressing B-movie director “Ed Wood” (1994) to twitchy drug-addled journalist Hunter S....
Filmography
Rango - ( Rango / 2011 / Announced / )
Alice (Walt Disney Pictures) - ( Mad Hatter / 2010 / Announced / )
Shantaram - ( Producer / 2008 / Announced / )
Shantaram - ( Lindsay / 2008 / Announced / )
A Long Way Down - ( Producer / / Announced / )
Affected Provincial's Companion - ( Producer / / Announced / )
Byron - ( / / Announced / )
Dark Shadows - ( Producer / / Announced / )
Dark Shadows - ( Barnabas Collins / / Announced / )
Happy Days - ( / / Announced / )
Happy Days - ( Producer / / Announced / )
Inamorata - ( Producer / / Announced / )
Just to Be Together - ( / / Announced / )
Man's Fate - ( / / Announced / )
Rex Mundi - ( Producer / / Announced / )
Rex Mundi - ( - Cast / / Announced / )
Rum Diary - ( Producer / / Announced / Warner Independent Pictures )
Rum Diary - ( Paul Kemp / / Announced / Warner Independent Pictures )
Sasha's Story: The Life and Death of a Russian Spy - ( Producer / / Announced / )
Sasha's Story: The Life and Death of a Russian Spy - ( - Cast / / Announced / )
The Bomb in My Garden - ( Producer / / Announced / )
The Lone Ranger - ( Tonto / / Announced / )
The People's Act of Love - ( Producer / / Announced / )
Whistle Down the Wind - ( / / Announced / )
Public Enemies - ( John Dillinger / 2009 / Lensing/Awaiting Release / )
Breakfast With Hunter - ( Interviewee / 2003 / Lensing/Awaiting Release / )
Children of the Revolution - ( Himself / / Lensing/Awaiting Release / )
In Search of Ted Demme - ( - Himself / / Lensing/Awaiting Release / )
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus - ( Tony / / Lensing/Awaiting Release / )
Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson - ( Narrator / 2008 / Released / )
Gypsy Caravan - ( - Cast / 2007 / Released / )
Joe Strummer: The Future is Unwritten - ( - Cast / 2007 / Released / )
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End - ( Captain Jack Sparrow / 2007 / Released / )
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street - ( Sweeney Todd / 2007 / Released / )
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street - ( Song Performer / 2007 / Released / )
Deep Sea 3D - ( Narrator / 2006 / Released / )
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest - ( Captain Jack Sparrow / 2006 / Released / )
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - ( Willy Wonka / 2005 / Released / )
Happily Ever After - ( Stranger / 2005 / Released / )
The Libertine - ( John Wilmot, Earl of Rochester / 2005 / Released / )
Tim Burton's Corpse Bride - ( Voice of Victor Van Dort / 2005 / Released / )
Finding Neverland - ( Sir James Matthew Barrie / 2004 / Released / Buena Vista Worldwide Home Entertainment )
The Secret Window - ( Mort Rainey / 2004 / Released / )
Lost in La Mancha - ( Himself / 2003 / Released / )
Once Upon a Time in Mexico - ( Music Producer / 2003 / Released / )
Once Upon a Time in Mexico - ( CIA Agent Sands / 2003 / Released / )
Once Upon a Time in Mexico - ( Song / 2003 / Released / )
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl - ( Captain Jack Sparrow / 2003 / Released / )
Blow - ( George Jung / 2001 / Released / )
From Hell - ( Fred Abberline / 2001 / Released / )
The Man Who Cried - ( Cesar / 2001 / Released / )
Before Night Falls - ( Lieutenant Victor / 2000 / Released / Asmik Corporation )
Before Night Falls - ( Bon Bon / 2000 / Released / Asmik Corporation )
Chocolat - ( Roux / 2000 / Released / )
The Ninth Gate - ( Dean Corso / 2000 / Released / )
Sleepy Hollow - ( Ichabod Crane / 1999 / Released / )
The Astronaut's Wife - ( Spencer Armacost / 1999 / Released / )
The Source - ( / 1999 / Released / )
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - ( Raoul Duke / 1998 / Released / Universal )
Cannes Man - ( / 1997 / Released / )
Donnie Brasco - ( Donnie / 1997 / Released / Village Roadshow Pictures Worldwide )
The Brave - ( Director / 1997 / Released / Triangle Films Inc )
The Brave - ( Screenplay / 1997 / Released / Triangle Films Inc )
The Brave - ( Raphael / 1997 / Released / Triangle Films Inc )
Dead Man - ( William Blake / 1996 / Released / Globe Film Company )
Arizona Dream - ( Axel Blackmar / 1995 / Released / Initial Productions )
Don Juan Demarco - ( Don Juan DeMarco / 1995 / Released / Alliance Releasing )
Nick of Time - ( Gene Watson / 1995 / Released / )
Ed Wood - ( Ed Wood / 1994 / Released / )
Benny & Joon - ( Sam / 1993 / Released / )
What's Eating Gilbert Grape - ( Gilbert Grape / 1993 / Released / Finnkino )
Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare - ( / 1991 / Released / International Film Exchange )
Cry Baby - ( Cry-Baby / 1990 / Released / )
Edward Scissorhands - ( Edward Scissorhands / 1990 / Released / Finnkino )
Platoon - ( Lerner / 1986 / Released / )
Private Resort - ( Jack / 1985 / Released / )
A Nightmare on Elm Street - ( Glen Lantz / 1984 / Released / )
TV Credits
Golden Globe Winner Special ( 2008 / Released ): Actor
Brando ( 2007 / Released ): Actor
Runnin' Down a Dream: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers ( 2007 / Released ): Actor
The 2007 MTV Movie Awards ( 2007 / Released ): Actor
This American Life ( 2007 / Released ): Voice
Buy the Ticket, Take the Ride: Hunter S. Thompson on Film ( 2006 / Released ): Actor
The 2006 Teen Choice Awards ( 2006 / Released ): Actor
Nickelodeon's 18th Annual Kids' Choice Awards ( 2005 / Released ): Actor
The 11th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards ( 2005 / Released ): Actor
The 2004 MTV Movie Awards ( 2004 / Released ): Actor
E! Entertainer of the Year 2003 ( 2003 / Released ): Actor
Hollywood Salutes Nicolas Cage: An American Cinematheque Tribute ( 2002 / Released ): Actor
Lowell Blues: The Words of Jack Kerouac ( 2002 / Released ): Voice
The Inside Reel: Digital Filmmaking ( 2001 / Released ): Actor
6th Annual Blockbuster Entertainment Awards ( 2000 / Released ): Actor
In Bad Taste: The John Waters Story ( 1999 / Released ): Actor
The 1999 MTV Video Music Awards ( 1999 / Released ): Actor
The Entertainment Business ( 1998 / Released ): Actor
Top Secret ( 1998 / Released ): Narrator
Where It's At: The Rolling Stone State of the Union ( 1998 / Released ): Actor
King of the Hill ( 1997 / Released ): Voice
Inside the Actors Studio ( 1995 / Released ): Actor
The 66th Annual Academy Awards Presentation ( 1994 / Released ): Actor
ABC in Concert ( 1991 / Released ): Actor
Idols ( 1991 / Released ): Actor
The 41st Annual Emmy Awards ( 1989 / Released ): Actor
21 Jump Street ( 1987 / Released ): Actor
Slow Burn ( 1986 / Released ): Actor
Full Biography
Johnny Depp spent a decade on the fringes of Hollywood as a favorite of independent directors like Tim Burton and Lasse Hallstrom, until his unbridled originality and penchant for extreme characterizations found a worldwide audience with “The Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” (2003). Throughout the 1990s the actor built a strong critical and art house following portraying societal outsiders – from the anatomic anomaly “Edward Scissorhands” (1990) to cross-dressing B-movie director “Ed Wood” (1994) to twitchy drug-addled journalist Hunter S. Thompson in “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” (1998). He was so adept in disappearing into characters and accents that many had long ago forgotten the respected “actor’s actor” had initially gotten his start as a posterboy of both bad behavior – numerous real-life run-ins with the press and the occasional trashing of a hotel room – and good, getting his big break on the teenybopper favorite, “21 Jump Street” (Fox, 1987-1991).
John Christopher Depp II was born on June 9, 1963, in Owensboro, KY. The son of a waitress and a civil engineer and the youngest of four kids, Depp was a fourth generation Kentuckian with Cherokee roots. The family moved constantly while Depp was growing up, first from Kentucky to Florida when Depp was six years old and from house to motel to apartment endlessly thereafter, racking up over 20 addresses by the actor’s estimation. His father left the family when Depp was 15 years old, at which point Depp had already been in trouble with school and the law from the use of drugs and alcohol.
He had also been playing guitar for several years, and having experienced some initial success playing club gigs (and sneaking into bars as an underage performer) Depp dropped out of Miramar High School in the 11th grade to become a guitar player. In a bout of remorse, he tried to return two weeks later, but his principal suggested he might make a better rock star than student. Depp pumped gas and worked construction jobs while his band The Kids paid their dues, recorded a demo, and eventually began to land prestigious opening slots for bands like The Talking Heads, Iggy Pop, and The Ramones. When Florida became too small for an ambitious rock band, the aging “Kids” renamed themselves Six Gun Method and headed to Los Angeles in search of a record deal.
Six Gun Method were struggling little fish in a big pond in the L.A. music scene of 1983, so poverty plus Depp’s youthful marriage to fellow musician Lori Anne Allison that same year only increased tension within the band. They managed to land a few gigs and during the day, they all worked at the same telemarketing company, selling pens for $100 dollars a week. Depp’s wife introduced him to a former boyfriend, Nicolas Cage, and Cage urged Depp to pursue acting. In need of a better job, Depp followed the leads to a casting audition for Wes Craven and came away with a role as the heroine's doomed boyfriend in "A Nightmare on Elm Street" (1984) – in a quick blur, Depp being sucked into a demon bed became his auspicious cinematic start. Following his blood-soaked debut, he co-starred in the teen romp "Private Resort" (1985) and landed a small role in Oliver Stone's Oscar-winning "Platoon" (1986). In the meantime, the band fell apart, his marriage ended, and Johnny Depp the accidental actor was about to become a teen idol.
With his mop of classic movie star hair, his deep serious eyes, and his beyond chiseled cheekbones, Depp as a teen idol was a no-brainer, and was just what Fox needed to complete the cast of its first original TV series, "21 Jump Street." As Officer Tom Hanson, Depp played one of a unit of cops working undercover in high schools — ironic considering he had spent the better part of his youth on the other side of the law. The show was a hit with young audiences and Depp became an overnight sensation, his character’s leather jacket and rebellious attitude earning the actor a bad boy reputation that would follow him for years. It was an invaluable introduction to show business for the newcomer, but Depp was uncomfortable with his star status – to the point that one night, he was even caught defacing his own image on a billboard. After fulfilling his contract for three seasons, Depp was ready to move on and eager to distance himself from the career-limiting curse of teen idolhood.
Depp immediately seized the opportunity to satirize his image in John Waters’ musical “Cry-Baby” (1990). As a sneering, crooning, 1950’s juvenile delinquent, Depp established his offbeat sensibility and displayed a smoldering sexiness that could easily have paid his bills for the next two decades, but which he promptly left behind to play "Edward Scissorhands" (1990). A challenge for any actor, Depp was captivating in his nearly wordless portrayal of a mad inventor’s creation — a boy with scissors for hands who finds himself adopted by a well-meaning suburban family. Tim Burton’s gothic fable resonated strongly with audiences, Depp’s physical grace and expressive features reminiscent of the sympathetic silent characters like Charlie Chaplin’s Little Tramp, and worthy of a Golden Globe nomination. The film not only put him on the big screen map officially – it also introduced him to two very important people in his life. First, director Burton, with whom Depp would collaborations with on project after project, so fond of and in tune with each other were they. On a different note, “Scissorhands” also introduced Depp to co-star, starlet Winona Ryder. The two quickly became an inseparable couple, and as a unit, developed into hip icons of the early 90s with their disheveled thrift store clothes, rock star friends and devil-may-care chain smoking. Depp even stamped his love for the actress permanently on his skin, resulting in the famous “Winona Forever” tattoo.
On screen, Depp continued his quest to explore distinctive material, starring in "Arizona Dream" (1992) as a young man unwillingly called upon by his uncle (Jerry Lewis) to take over the family car dealership. "Benny & Joon" (1993) presented Depp as a modern-day circus performer who, in the course of romancing a mentally disturbed woman (Mary Stuart Masterston), performs set pieces – again reminiscent of the great silent film stars, though this time more Keaton than Chaplin. That same year, in the title role of Lasse Hallstrom's "What's Eating Gilbert Grape,” Depp played it straight as a Midwesterner trapped in a small town by familial obligations. The film hearkened back to Depp’s own past, and the actor brought a gentleness and melancholy to his moving portrait of family dysfunction and unfulfilled ambitions. Most particularly touching were his scenes with mentally disabled younger brother Arnie (Leonardo DiCaprio) and obese “Momma” (Darlene Cates).
At the same time, in 1993 Depp launched the Viper Room, a low-key Sunset Strip rock club popular with famous and non-famous music lovers who came for lounge music-themed martini nights and live bands. Depp donned his guitar and made occasional appearances with P, an informal group including Depp, Gibby Haynes (Butthole Surfers), actor Sal Jenco, and a roster of local guests including Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers) and Steve Jones (Sex Pistols). The world at large learned of The Viper Room on Halloween 1993, when actor River Phoenix died from an overdose of heroin and cocaine – a “speedball” – outside the club. The press made the event into a sensationalized story of the excesses of young Hollywood, and Depp reacted with a statement condemning the media for turning Phoenix’s death into a circus. Meanwhile, his over three year relationship with Ryder was coming to an end and the actor sought solace in a period of drugs and heavy drinking. He recorded and played live dates with ex-Pogue Shane McGowan in early 1994, which was not likely to cure him of his bender but most likely lessened the pain of all the loss he had recently experienced.
In 1994, Depp reteamed with Burton and won considerable critical acclaim for "Ed Wood" (1994), which chronicled the career of the angora sweater-wearing “Plan 9 from Outer Space” (1959) cross-dressing filmmaker and his friendship with fading horror icon, Bela Lugosi (Martin Landau). Depp brought a bouncy, post-war optimism and unflagging confidence to the portrayal, and his handling of the absurd comedy was pure genius as he chomped cigars in high heels and skirts – apparently fearless when diving into a characterization. He followed up “Ed” with a rare role that actually embraced his good looks, donning a mask and Castilian accent for "Don Juan DeMarco" (1995). The film afforded him the opportunity to act opposite the legendary Marlon Brando, who played the therapist to Depp’s Don Juan, a modern day patient with delusions of being the world-renowned 14th century Spanish libertine, with the outfit to match. Though the film did little to further his career, he looked good and worked with Brando. That was apparently enough for Depp, as it would be for any actor worth his salt.
The actor who – despite a wild image – often appeared to be a serial monogamist, announced his engagement to English model Kate Moss the same year. The two made headlines in 1994 during a stay at The Mark hotel in New York, when what was described by the actor as simply a “bad night” resulted in destruction of furniture in the couple’s suite and Depp’s arrest for felony criminal mischief. The charges were dropped, but the press had a field day, painting Depp and Moss as a tempestuous couple on a rampage. In a brief foray back into music, Depp’s band P released an album, and though the members kept the side project fairly low profile, the single “Michael Stipe” did enjoy a bit of airplay.
In John Badham's "Nick of Time" (1995), Depp was a surprising sight as a father racing the clock to rescue his kidnapped daughter, but the stylized thriller ultimately failed to deliver the unique results audiences came to expect from Depp. He rebounded with Jim Jarmusch's artfully filmed "Dead Man" (1996), playing a mild-mannered accountant mixed up in a whorehouse shooting and forced to go on the lam across 1840’s western frontier with a bullet in his chest. Jarmusch’s and Depp’s subtle sense of absurd humor proved to be highly compatible. Adding to his cast of oddball outsiders, Depp essayed the title role in Mike Newell's "Donnie Brasco" (1997), an FBI undercover agent who infiltrates a crime family, befriends its volatile leader, and begins to morph a little too well into his surroundings. Depp won praise for his layered portrayal of the real life Joe Pistone – and especially for his interplay with co-star Al Pacino, who served as Depp’s mentor onscreen and off.
The year 1997 marked Depp’s feature directorial debut with "The Brave,” a film he co-wrote with older brother D. P. Depp and in which he starred as a father who agrees to play the victim in a snuff film to earn money for his family. The film also featured Brando and Clarence Williams III, but earned mostly negative reviews following its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. Depp returned to the recording studio to lend guitar work to Oasis’ Be Here Now album before tackling the mighty portrayal of Raoul Duke, the drug-crazed alter ego of Gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson in Terry Gilliam's "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" (1998). Depp gave a hilarious and eye-popping performance that seamlessly blended with the film’s lush, undulating, fantastical feel, and the film earned Gilliam a Golden Palm nomination at Cannes. That year, Depp and Moss finally called it quits, after a break-up and reconciliation the previous tempestuous year and press speculation of drug use.
Depp may have chosen "The Astronaut's Wife" – the first of his three 1999 thrillers – for the opportunity to play good-boy-gone-wrong under alien influence, but the result was sadly a rare one-note performance. From one movie resembling Roman Polanski's "Rosemary's Baby” (1968), he moved to "The Ninth Gate" (1999), which was actually directed by Polanski. As a rumpled, bespectacled book dealer in search of a 17th-century volume allegedly co-authored by Satan, Depp was the soft, unassertive core of a film thought by most – but not all – to be a journey to nowhere.
The film was forgettable, but shooting in France was not, for it was there that he met French singer- songwriter Vanessa Paradis and essentially never went back Stateside again, except for work. The lovers had a daughter named Lily Rose Melody on May 27, 1999, providing the renegade drifter of sorts with an instant attitude adjustment in Depp, who now waxed poetic that the love of his daughter had caused him to finally understand the world. Several months prior to the birth, however, he had landed in a London jail after threatening a paparazzi whom he felt was being disrespectful of Paradis’ pregnancy.
With "Sleepy Hollow” (1999), based on the Washington Irving legend, Depp again paired perfectly with the imaginative gothic vision of Tim Burton. The studio nixed his notion of playing Ichabod Crane with a long pointy nose, though he did insist on going against the heroic archetype with his prissy, neurotic characterization. It became Depp’s biggest box office hit to date, but he followed up with a pair of films that barely saw the light of box office day — Julian Schnabel's "Before Night Falls" (2000), the story of Cuban poet-novelist Reinaldo Arenas – in which Depp again cross-dressed – and the period drama "The Man Who Cried" (2001) where he starred as Christina Ricci’s gypsy love interest in post World War II France. Between films, Depp returned to the recording studio, co-writing two tracks with Paradis and playing guitar on one track of her 2000 release Bliss. He also directed music videos for the singles “Que Fait la Vie?” and “Pourtant.”
Depp returned to the screen to take on another interpretation of a real-life figure in Ted Demme's "Blow" (2001), where he chronicled the rise and fall of George Jung, a major cocaine trafficker for Colombian kingpin Pablo Escobar during the 1970s. In the moody thriller "From Hell" (2001), Depp took on the role of Inspector Frederick Abberline, a London detective and opium addict embroiled in the Jack the Ripper murders of the 1880s. Depp and girlfriend Paradis welcomed their second child, John III (Jack), into the family on April 9, 2002, and by all accounts, restless Depp seemed to be settling into a satisfying real life role as a family man abroad with a steady stream of moderately successful, artfully-oriented films.
In 2003, Disney executives got their first peek at the dailies for “The Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” and began rounds of panicked phone calls. They initially had not had high hopes for the film, as earlier attempts to build a narrative around the popular Disney World ride had failed. Convinced by director Gore Verbinski that Depp could be trusted, they fretted over the film’s release and were stunned when the finished product was a runaway blockbuster. Capping his teeth with gold and basing his performance on the swaggering, dissipated rock star Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones, Depp was a lively tour de force, finding himself in the unique position of not only being nominated for a Best Actor Oscar for a comedic performance, but for appearing in a commercial blockbuster at long last.
The film was the fourth highest grossing of the year and Hollywood wrongly assumed that the now mainstream viable star would be accepting scripts for blockbusters. Predictable only for being unpredictable, Depp’s next appearance was in indie icon Robert Rodriguez's "Once Upon a Time in Mexico" (2003), the third of the filmmaker’s trilogy and one that positioned Depp as a corrupt CIA agent who lures El Mariachi out of seclusion for a dangerous mission.
Depp drew little attention for his 2004 turn in the Stephen King adaptation "Secret Window" (2004), playing an author caught up in accusations of plagiarism and stalked by his accuser. But later that year the actor mesmerized critics as Peter Pan scribe J.M. Barrie in the highly-praised "Finding Neverland." Depp delivered a subtle but deeply emotional performance as the playwright who, despite his age and wisdom, wished to never grow up. Depp earned his second Oscar nomination for Best Actor for his performance. He also unloaded The Viper Room and launched his production company, Infinitum Nihil, in June of 2004, taking on the role of CEO and cutting a first look deal with Initial Entertainment.
Considering his infamous history of pulling off outrageous characterizations, Depp was an ideal choice to play magical candy maker Willie Wonka in Burton's adaptation of Ronald Dahl's "Charlie & the Chocolate Factory," a remake of 1971’s "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory." Burton's darker interpretation hewed closer to the book, while Depp's Wonka was both inspired and a bit more unsettling. The film received favorable reviews and Depp, the new superstar of family entertainment, raked in box office receipts of $475 million dollars. That same year he provided the voice of Victor Van Dort, a Victorian lad whisked away to the underworld to wed a mysterious undead woman in Burton's stop-motion animated feature "Tim Burton's Corpse Bride.”
Depp was pleased to revive Captain Jack Sparrow for the inevitable sequel, “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” (2006), a harrowing, energetic and worthy addition to the swashbuckling franchise. Depp outweighed co-star Orlando Bloom and displayed fine chemistry with a game Keira Knightley in a story that pitted the three against undead pirate Davy Jones – and sometimes themselves – in a quest to find a valued treasure that would enable control over supernatural forces. “Dead Man’s Chest” broke several box office records, including biggest single-day gross and biggest opening weekend ever, paving the way for the third installment, “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” (2007). “At World’s End” focused on the desperate quest undertaken by heroes Will Turner (Bloom) and Elizabeth Swann (Knightley), both allied with Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush reprising his role from the first “Pirates”), to rescue Sparrow from the trap of Davy Jones’ Locker. Detractors criticized the film as convoluted and the weakest of the franchise, but Depp’s built-in fanbase brought in over $300 million in box office.
Hollywood’s number one expatriate returned to the box office for the Christmas 2007 release of “Sweeney Todd,” the highly anticipated film adaptation of Steven Sondheim’s macabre musical. Bringing the bloody British saga of a wronged man’s revenge to the big screen was the brain child of Burton, and promised to deliver he and Depp’s signature hybrid of gloom and wit, though the R rating would mean that the Sparrow fans would be left at home with a babysitter. Fans were most anxious to see Depp sing. Having conquered every other medium, accent and quirk, many were confident that even Depp’s pipes would not disappoint, so sure were they of his ability to transform believably into anyone. The Hollywood Foreign Press agreed, awarding him for his "Sweeney Todd" performance by taking home a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy in early 2008. Depp soon followed with an Oscar nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role.
Profession(s):
Actor, musician, producer, director, gas station attendant, pen salesman
Sometimes Credited As:
John Christopher Depp II
Family
brother:Daniel Depp (Older)
daughter:Lily-Rose Melody Depp (Born May 27, 1999; mother, Vanessa Paradis)
father:John Christopher Depp (Divorced Depp's mother when he was 15 (c. 1978))
mother:Betty Sue Palmer (Depp has a tattoo with his mother's name on his left arm; divorced Depp's father when he was 15 (c. 1978))
sister:Christie Dembrowski (Born c. 1961; handles Depp's affairs from her Florida home)
sister:Debbie Depp (Older)
son:Jack Depp (Born April 9, 2002; mother Vanessa Paradis)
wife:Lori Anne Allison (Married in 1983; divorced c. 1985; former girlfriend of Nicolas Cage)
Companion(s)
Jennifer Grey , Companion , ```..Dated from 1988-1989; were briefly engaged, before they split
Kate Moss , Companion , ```..Born Jan. 16, 1974; together from 1994-1998; announced engagement in 1995; separated in 1997; reunited briefly; split in May 1998
Sherilyn Fenn , Companion , ```..Dated from 1987-1988
Vanessa Paradis , Companion , ```..French; born c. 1972; together from June 1998; mother of Depp's two children
Winona Ryder , Companion , ```..Together from 1990 to 1993; engaged briefly; had a tattoo of 'Winona Forever' on his arm, which he has altered to say the more appropriate 'Wino Forever'
Education
The Loft Studio Los Angeles, CA
Awards
Golden Globe Award Best Actor In A Motion Picture Musical Or Comedy "Sweeny Todd" 2008
MTV Movie Award Best Comedic Performance "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End" 2008
MTV Movie Award Best Villain "Sweeney Todd" 2008
MTV Movie Award Best Performance "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" 2007
MTV Movie Award Best Male Performance "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" 2004
Screen Actors Guild Award Best Actor in a Leading Role "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" 2004
Honorary Cesar Award 1998
Milestones
2007 Reprised role of Captain Jack Sparrow in "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End"
2007 Reteamed with Burton to play The Demon Barber of Fleet Street for the film adaptation of the musical, "Sweeny Todd"; earned an Oscar nomination for Best Actor in a leading role
2006 Reprised the role of Captain Jack Sparrow in Gore Verbinski's "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest"; received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical
2005 Cast as Willy Wonka, in Tim Burton's remake of the classic tale "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"; earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor
2004 Played a writer who is accused of plagiarism by a strange man, who then starts haunting him in "The Secret Window"
2004 Portrayed 'Peter Pan' author J.M. Barrie in "Finding Neverland" also starring Kate Winslet; received Golden Globe, SAG and Academy Award nominations for Best Actor
2003 Played a sociopathic CIA agent in the Robert Rodriguez western feature "Once Upon A Time In Mexico"
2003 Starred in the blockbuster hit "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl"; earned Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations for Best Actor
2001 Cast as a British policeman with unorthodox means of tracking a serial killer in the thriller "From Hell"
2001 Portrayed American George Jung, one of the major cocaine traffickers for Columbian kingpin Pablo Escobar, in Ted Demme's "Blow"
2000 Had two roles in Julian Schnabel's "Before Night Falls," a biopic of gay Cuban writer Reinaldo Arenas; portrayed an imprisoned drag queen with a gift for smuggling and a brutally officious army office
2000 Reteamed with Terry Gilliam to play a modern-day ad executive whisked back in time in "The Man Who Killed Don Quixote"; shooting began in 2000 but was put on hold when leading actor Jean Rochefort suf
1999 Reteamed with Burton for "Sleepy Hollow" starring opposite Christina Ricci
1999 Received star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (November 16)
1999 Starred as corruptible rare-book dealer hired to find satanic texts in Roman Polanski's supernatural thriller "The Ninth Gate"
1999 Starred opposite Charlize Theron in the thriller "The Astronaut's Wife"
1998 Portrayed Raoul Duke in Terry Gilliam's adaptation of "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas"; first film with Christina Ricci
1997 Earned some of the best reviews of his career as the title character in "Donnie Brasco"; based on the book about an FBI agent who infiltrated the Mob
1997 Feature directorial debut, "The Brave" reteamed him with Brando; also wrote and co-starred; premiered at the Cannes Film Festival; Iggy Pop wrote the score
1996 Starred as William Blake in Jim Jarmusch's post-modern Western "Dead Man"; film also featured Iggy Pop
1995 Acted opposite Marlon Brando in "Don Juan DeMarco"
1995 Made first action film, John Badham's "Nick of Time"; cast as a mild-mannered accountant who becomes embroiled in an assassination scheme
1995 Formed the rock group P, making major label debut on Capitol Records
1995 Purchased first home in Los Angeles; house once owned by Bela Lugosi
1994 Played infamous, cross-dressing, B-movie director "Ed Wood"; second film with Burton
1994 Directed the eight-minute short film "Banter" for DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education)
1993 Impressively recreated silent-comedy routines of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton in "Benny and Joon"
1993 Starred in the title role of "What's Eating Gilbert Grape"
1993 Opened L.A. club, The Viper Room
1992 Appeared along with Jerry Lewis and Faye Dunaway in Emir Kusturica's "Arizona Dream"
1990 Headlined John Waters' "Cry-Baby" playing the Elvis-inspired, leather-clad title role; first film acting with Iggy Pop
1990 First hit movie, Tim Burton's "Edward Scissorhands" co-starring then-girlfriend Winona Ryder
1987 - 1990 Starred as a baby-faced undercover cop in TV series, "21 Jump Street" (Fox)
1987 Began working with the Make-A-Wish Foundation
1986 Had small role in Oliver Stone's "Platoon"
1986 TV-movie debut, "Slow Burn" (Showtime)
1985 First screen lead, "Private Resort"
1985 TV acting debut in episode of "Lady Blue" (ABC)
1984 Introduced by his then-wife Lori Allison to actor Nicolas Cage, who helped arranged a meeting with an agent who set up audition for his feature acting debut in Wes Craven's "A Nightmare on Elm Street"
1983 Moved to Los Angeles with band, The Kids; played lead guitar
1969 Moved to Miramar, Florida
Started own rock group at age 13; subsequently played in 15 other bands
Sold ball-point pens by phone before he began acting
Replaced the deceased Heath Ledger's character in, "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" (lensed 2008)
Will portray notorious Depression-era bank robber John Dillinger in Michael Mann's 1930s gangland flick "Public Enemies" (lensed 2008)
Filmography
Rango - ( Rango / 2011 / Announced / )
Alice (Walt Disney Pictures) - ( Mad Hatter / 2010 / Announced / )
Shantaram - ( Producer / 2008 / Announced / )
Shantaram - ( Lindsay / 2008 / Announced / )
A Long Way Down - ( Producer / / Announced / )
Affected Provincial's Companion - ( Producer / / Announced / )
Byron - ( / / Announced / )
Dark Shadows - ( Producer / / Announced / )
Dark Shadows - ( Barnabas Collins / / Announced / )
Happy Days - ( / / Announced / )
Happy Days - ( Producer / / Announced / )
Inamorata - ( Producer / / Announced / )
Just to Be Together - ( / / Announced / )
Man's Fate - ( / / Announced / )
Rex Mundi - ( Producer / / Announced / )
Rex Mundi - ( - Cast / / Announced / )
Rum Diary - ( Producer / / Announced / Warner Independent Pictures )
Rum Diary - ( Paul Kemp / / Announced / Warner Independent Pictures )
Sasha's Story: The Life and Death of a Russian Spy - ( Producer / / Announced / )
Sasha's Story: The Life and Death of a Russian Spy - ( - Cast / / Announced / )
The Bomb in My Garden - ( Producer / / Announced / )
The Lone Ranger - ( Tonto / / Announced / )
The People's Act of Love - ( Producer / / Announced / )
Whistle Down the Wind - ( / / Announced / )
Public Enemies - ( John Dillinger / 2009 / Lensing/Awaiting Release / )
Breakfast With Hunter - ( Interviewee / 2003 / Lensing/Awaiting Release / )
Children of the Revolution - ( Himself / / Lensing/Awaiting Release / )
In Search of Ted Demme - ( - Himself / / Lensing/Awaiting Release / )
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus - ( Tony / / Lensing/Awaiting Release / )
Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson - ( Narrator / 2008 / Released / )
Gypsy Caravan - ( - Cast / 2007 / Released / )
Joe Strummer: The Future is Unwritten - ( - Cast / 2007 / Released / )
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End - ( Captain Jack Sparrow / 2007 / Released / )
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street - ( Sweeney Todd / 2007 / Released / )
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street - ( Song Performer / 2007 / Released / )
Deep Sea 3D - ( Narrator / 2006 / Released / )
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest - ( Captain Jack Sparrow / 2006 / Released / )
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - ( Willy Wonka / 2005 / Released / )
Happily Ever After - ( Stranger / 2005 / Released / )
The Libertine - ( John Wilmot, Earl of Rochester / 2005 / Released / )
Tim Burton's Corpse Bride - ( Voice of Victor Van Dort / 2005 / Released / )
Finding Neverland - ( Sir James Matthew Barrie / 2004 / Released / Buena Vista Worldwide Home Entertainment )
The Secret Window - ( Mort Rainey / 2004 / Released / )
Lost in La Mancha - ( Himself / 2003 / Released / )
Once Upon a Time in Mexico - ( Music Producer / 2003 / Released / )
Once Upon a Time in Mexico - ( CIA Agent Sands / 2003 / Released / )
Once Upon a Time in Mexico - ( Song / 2003 / Released / )
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl - ( Captain Jack Sparrow / 2003 / Released / )
Blow - ( George Jung / 2001 / Released / )
From Hell - ( Fred Abberline / 2001 / Released / )
The Man Who Cried - ( Cesar / 2001 / Released / )
Before Night Falls - ( Lieutenant Victor / 2000 / Released / Asmik Corporation )
Before Night Falls - ( Bon Bon / 2000 / Released / Asmik Corporation )
Chocolat - ( Roux / 2000 / Released / )
The Ninth Gate - ( Dean Corso / 2000 / Released / )
Sleepy Hollow - ( Ichabod Crane / 1999 / Released / )
The Astronaut's Wife - ( Spencer Armacost / 1999 / Released / )
The Source - ( / 1999 / Released / )
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - ( Raoul Duke / 1998 / Released / Universal )
Cannes Man - ( / 1997 / Released / )
Donnie Brasco - ( Donnie / 1997 / Released / Village Roadshow Pictures Worldwide )
The Brave - ( Director / 1997 / Released / Triangle Films Inc )
The Brave - ( Screenplay / 1997 / Released / Triangle Films Inc )
The Brave - ( Raphael / 1997 / Released / Triangle Films Inc )
Dead Man - ( William Blake / 1996 / Released / Globe Film Company )
Arizona Dream - ( Axel Blackmar / 1995 / Released / Initial Productions )
Don Juan Demarco - ( Don Juan DeMarco / 1995 / Released / Alliance Releasing )
Nick of Time - ( Gene Watson / 1995 / Released / )
Ed Wood - ( Ed Wood / 1994 / Released / )
Benny & Joon - ( Sam / 1993 / Released / )
What's Eating Gilbert Grape - ( Gilbert Grape / 1993 / Released / Finnkino )
Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare - ( / 1991 / Released / International Film Exchange )
Cry Baby - ( Cry-Baby / 1990 / Released / )
Edward Scissorhands - ( Edward Scissorhands / 1990 / Released / Finnkino )
Platoon - ( Lerner / 1986 / Released / )
Private Resort - ( Jack / 1985 / Released / )
A Nightmare on Elm Street - ( Glen Lantz / 1984 / Released / )
TV Credits
Golden Globe Winner Special ( 2008 / Released ): Actor
Brando ( 2007 / Released ): Actor
Runnin' Down a Dream: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers ( 2007 / Released ): Actor
The 2007 MTV Movie Awards ( 2007 / Released ): Actor
This American Life ( 2007 / Released ): Voice
Buy the Ticket, Take the Ride: Hunter S. Thompson on Film ( 2006 / Released ): Actor
The 2006 Teen Choice Awards ( 2006 / Released ): Actor
Nickelodeon's 18th Annual Kids' Choice Awards ( 2005 / Released ): Actor
The 11th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards ( 2005 / Released ): Actor
The 2004 MTV Movie Awards ( 2004 / Released ): Actor
E! Entertainer of the Year 2003 ( 2003 / Released ): Actor
Hollywood Salutes Nicolas Cage: An American Cinematheque Tribute ( 2002 / Released ): Actor
Lowell Blues: The Words of Jack Kerouac ( 2002 / Released ): Voice
The Inside Reel: Digital Filmmaking ( 2001 / Released ): Actor
6th Annual Blockbuster Entertainment Awards ( 2000 / Released ): Actor
In Bad Taste: The John Waters Story ( 1999 / Released ): Actor
The 1999 MTV Video Music Awards ( 1999 / Released ): Actor
The Entertainment Business ( 1998 / Released ): Actor
Top Secret ( 1998 / Released ): Narrator
Where It's At: The Rolling Stone State of the Union ( 1998 / Released ): Actor
King of the Hill ( 1997 / Released ): Voice
Inside the Actors Studio ( 1995 / Released ): Actor
The 66th Annual Academy Awards Presentation ( 1994 / Released ): Actor
ABC in Concert ( 1991 / Released ): Actor
Idols ( 1991 / Released ): Actor
The 41st Annual Emmy Awards ( 1989 / Released ): Actor
21 Jump Street ( 1987 / Released ): Actor
Slow Burn ( 1986 / Released ): Actor
Full Biography
Johnny Depp spent a decade on the fringes of Hollywood as a favorite of independent directors like Tim Burton and Lasse Hallstrom, until his unbridled originality and penchant for extreme characterizations found a worldwide audience with “The Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” (2003). Throughout the 1990s the actor built a strong critical and art house following portraying societal outsiders – from the anatomic anomaly “Edward Scissorhands” (1990) to cross-dressing B-movie director “Ed Wood” (1994) to twitchy drug-addled journalist Hunter S. Thompson in “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” (1998). He was so adept in disappearing into characters and accents that many had long ago forgotten the respected “actor’s actor” had initially gotten his start as a posterboy of both bad behavior – numerous real-life run-ins with the press and the occasional trashing of a hotel room – and good, getting his big break on the teenybopper favorite, “21 Jump Street” (Fox, 1987-1991).
John Christopher Depp II was born on June 9, 1963, in Owensboro, KY. The son of a waitress and a civil engineer and the youngest of four kids, Depp was a fourth generation Kentuckian with Cherokee roots. The family moved constantly while Depp was growing up, first from Kentucky to Florida when Depp was six years old and from house to motel to apartment endlessly thereafter, racking up over 20 addresses by the actor’s estimation. His father left the family when Depp was 15 years old, at which point Depp had already been in trouble with school and the law from the use of drugs and alcohol.
He had also been playing guitar for several years, and having experienced some initial success playing club gigs (and sneaking into bars as an underage performer) Depp dropped out of Miramar High School in the 11th grade to become a guitar player. In a bout of remorse, he tried to return two weeks later, but his principal suggested he might make a better rock star than student. Depp pumped gas and worked construction jobs while his band The Kids paid their dues, recorded a demo, and eventually began to land prestigious opening slots for bands like The Talking Heads, Iggy Pop, and The Ramones. When Florida became too small for an ambitious rock band, the aging “Kids” renamed themselves Six Gun Method and headed to Los Angeles in search of a record deal.
Six Gun Method were struggling little fish in a big pond in the L.A. music scene of 1983, so poverty plus Depp’s youthful marriage to fellow musician Lori Anne Allison that same year only increased tension within the band. They managed to land a few gigs and during the day, they all worked at the same telemarketing company, selling pens for $100 dollars a week. Depp’s wife introduced him to a former boyfriend, Nicolas Cage, and Cage urged Depp to pursue acting. In need of a better job, Depp followed the leads to a casting audition for Wes Craven and came away with a role as the heroine's doomed boyfriend in "A Nightmare on Elm Street" (1984) – in a quick blur, Depp being sucked into a demon bed became his auspicious cinematic start. Following his blood-soaked debut, he co-starred in the teen romp "Private Resort" (1985) and landed a small role in Oliver Stone's Oscar-winning "Platoon" (1986). In the meantime, the band fell apart, his marriage ended, and Johnny Depp the accidental actor was about to become a teen idol.
With his mop of classic movie star hair, his deep serious eyes, and his beyond chiseled cheekbones, Depp as a teen idol was a no-brainer, and was just what Fox needed to complete the cast of its first original TV series, "21 Jump Street." As Officer Tom Hanson, Depp played one of a unit of cops working undercover in high schools — ironic considering he had spent the better part of his youth on the other side of the law. The show was a hit with young audiences and Depp became an overnight sensation, his character’s leather jacket and rebellious attitude earning the actor a bad boy reputation that would follow him for years. It was an invaluable introduction to show business for the newcomer, but Depp was uncomfortable with his star status – to the point that one night, he was even caught defacing his own image on a billboard. After fulfilling his contract for three seasons, Depp was ready to move on and eager to distance himself from the career-limiting curse of teen idolhood.
Depp immediately seized the opportunity to satirize his image in John Waters’ musical “Cry-Baby” (1990). As a sneering, crooning, 1950’s juvenile delinquent, Depp established his offbeat sensibility and displayed a smoldering sexiness that could easily have paid his bills for the next two decades, but which he promptly left behind to play "Edward Scissorhands" (1990). A challenge for any actor, Depp was captivating in his nearly wordless portrayal of a mad inventor’s creation — a boy with scissors for hands who finds himself adopted by a well-meaning suburban family. Tim Burton’s gothic fable resonated strongly with audiences, Depp’s physical grace and expressive features reminiscent of the sympathetic silent characters like Charlie Chaplin’s Little Tramp, and worthy of a Golden Globe nomination. The film not only put him on the big screen map officially – it also introduced him to two very important people in his life. First, director Burton, with whom Depp would collaborations with on project after project, so fond of and in tune with each other were they. On a different note, “Scissorhands” also introduced Depp to co-star, starlet Winona Ryder. The two quickly became an inseparable couple, and as a unit, developed into hip icons of the early 90s with their disheveled thrift store clothes, rock star friends and devil-may-care chain smoking. Depp even stamped his love for the actress permanently on his skin, resulting in the famous “Winona Forever” tattoo.
On screen, Depp continued his quest to explore distinctive material, starring in "Arizona Dream" (1992) as a young man unwillingly called upon by his uncle (Jerry Lewis) to take over the family car dealership. "Benny & Joon" (1993) presented Depp as a modern-day circus performer who, in the course of romancing a mentally disturbed woman (Mary Stuart Masterston), performs set pieces – again reminiscent of the great silent film stars, though this time more Keaton than Chaplin. That same year, in the title role of Lasse Hallstrom's "What's Eating Gilbert Grape,” Depp played it straight as a Midwesterner trapped in a small town by familial obligations. The film hearkened back to Depp’s own past, and the actor brought a gentleness and melancholy to his moving portrait of family dysfunction and unfulfilled ambitions. Most particularly touching were his scenes with mentally disabled younger brother Arnie (Leonardo DiCaprio) and obese “Momma” (Darlene Cates).
At the same time, in 1993 Depp launched the Viper Room, a low-key Sunset Strip rock club popular with famous and non-famous music lovers who came for lounge music-themed martini nights and live bands. Depp donned his guitar and made occasional appearances with P, an informal group including Depp, Gibby Haynes (Butthole Surfers), actor Sal Jenco, and a roster of local guests including Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers) and Steve Jones (Sex Pistols). The world at large learned of The Viper Room on Halloween 1993, when actor River Phoenix died from an overdose of heroin and cocaine – a “speedball” – outside the club. The press made the event into a sensationalized story of the excesses of young Hollywood, and Depp reacted with a statement condemning the media for turning Phoenix’s death into a circus. Meanwhile, his over three year relationship with Ryder was coming to an end and the actor sought solace in a period of drugs and heavy drinking. He recorded and played live dates with ex-Pogue Shane McGowan in early 1994, which was not likely to cure him of his bender but most likely lessened the pain of all the loss he had recently experienced.
In 1994, Depp reteamed with Burton and won considerable critical acclaim for "Ed Wood" (1994), which chronicled the career of the angora sweater-wearing “Plan 9 from Outer Space” (1959) cross-dressing filmmaker and his friendship with fading horror icon, Bela Lugosi (Martin Landau). Depp brought a bouncy, post-war optimism and unflagging confidence to the portrayal, and his handling of the absurd comedy was pure genius as he chomped cigars in high heels and skirts – apparently fearless when diving into a characterization. He followed up “Ed” with a rare role that actually embraced his good looks, donning a mask and Castilian accent for "Don Juan DeMarco" (1995). The film afforded him the opportunity to act opposite the legendary Marlon Brando, who played the therapist to Depp’s Don Juan, a modern day patient with delusions of being the world-renowned 14th century Spanish libertine, with the outfit to match. Though the film did little to further his career, he looked good and worked with Brando. That was apparently enough for Depp, as it would be for any actor worth his salt.
The actor who – despite a wild image – often appeared to be a serial monogamist, announced his engagement to English model Kate Moss the same year. The two made headlines in 1994 during a stay at The Mark hotel in New York, when what was described by the actor as simply a “bad night” resulted in destruction of furniture in the couple’s suite and Depp’s arrest for felony criminal mischief. The charges were dropped, but the press had a field day, painting Depp and Moss as a tempestuous couple on a rampage. In a brief foray back into music, Depp’s band P released an album, and though the members kept the side project fairly low profile, the single “Michael Stipe” did enjoy a bit of airplay.
In John Badham's "Nick of Time" (1995), Depp was a surprising sight as a father racing the clock to rescue his kidnapped daughter, but the stylized thriller ultimately failed to deliver the unique results audiences came to expect from Depp. He rebounded with Jim Jarmusch's artfully filmed "Dead Man" (1996), playing a mild-mannered accountant mixed up in a whorehouse shooting and forced to go on the lam across 1840’s western frontier with a bullet in his chest. Jarmusch’s and Depp’s subtle sense of absurd humor proved to be highly compatible. Adding to his cast of oddball outsiders, Depp essayed the title role in Mike Newell's "Donnie Brasco" (1997), an FBI undercover agent who infiltrates a crime family, befriends its volatile leader, and begins to morph a little too well into his surroundings. Depp won praise for his layered portrayal of the real life Joe Pistone – and especially for his interplay with co-star Al Pacino, who served as Depp’s mentor onscreen and off.
The year 1997 marked Depp’s feature directorial debut with "The Brave,” a film he co-wrote with older brother D. P. Depp and in which he starred as a father who agrees to play the victim in a snuff film to earn money for his family. The film also featured Brando and Clarence Williams III, but earned mostly negative reviews following its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. Depp returned to the recording studio to lend guitar work to Oasis’ Be Here Now album before tackling the mighty portrayal of Raoul Duke, the drug-crazed alter ego of Gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson in Terry Gilliam's "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" (1998). Depp gave a hilarious and eye-popping performance that seamlessly blended with the film’s lush, undulating, fantastical feel, and the film earned Gilliam a Golden Palm nomination at Cannes. That year, Depp and Moss finally called it quits, after a break-up and reconciliation the previous tempestuous year and press speculation of drug use.
Depp may have chosen "The Astronaut's Wife" – the first of his three 1999 thrillers – for the opportunity to play good-boy-gone-wrong under alien influence, but the result was sadly a rare one-note performance. From one movie resembling Roman Polanski's "Rosemary's Baby” (1968), he moved to "The Ninth Gate" (1999), which was actually directed by Polanski. As a rumpled, bespectacled book dealer in search of a 17th-century volume allegedly co-authored by Satan, Depp was the soft, unassertive core of a film thought by most – but not all – to be a journey to nowhere.
The film was forgettable, but shooting in France was not, for it was there that he met French singer- songwriter Vanessa Paradis and essentially never went back Stateside again, except for work. The lovers had a daughter named Lily Rose Melody on May 27, 1999, providing the renegade drifter of sorts with an instant attitude adjustment in Depp, who now waxed poetic that the love of his daughter had caused him to finally understand the world. Several months prior to the birth, however, he had landed in a London jail after threatening a paparazzi whom he felt was being disrespectful of Paradis’ pregnancy.
With "Sleepy Hollow” (1999), based on the Washington Irving legend, Depp again paired perfectly with the imaginative gothic vision of Tim Burton. The studio nixed his notion of playing Ichabod Crane with a long pointy nose, though he did insist on going against the heroic archetype with his prissy, neurotic characterization. It became Depp’s biggest box office hit to date, but he followed up with a pair of films that barely saw the light of box office day — Julian Schnabel's "Before Night Falls" (2000), the story of Cuban poet-novelist Reinaldo Arenas – in which Depp again cross-dressed – and the period drama "The Man Who Cried" (2001) where he starred as Christina Ricci’s gypsy love interest in post World War II France. Between films, Depp returned to the recording studio, co-writing two tracks with Paradis and playing guitar on one track of her 2000 release Bliss. He also directed music videos for the singles “Que Fait la Vie?” and “Pourtant.”
Depp returned to the screen to take on another interpretation of a real-life figure in Ted Demme's "Blow" (2001), where he chronicled the rise and fall of George Jung, a major cocaine trafficker for Colombian kingpin Pablo Escobar during the 1970s. In the moody thriller "From Hell" (2001), Depp took on the role of Inspector Frederick Abberline, a London detective and opium addict embroiled in the Jack the Ripper murders of the 1880s. Depp and girlfriend Paradis welcomed their second child, John III (Jack), into the family on April 9, 2002, and by all accounts, restless Depp seemed to be settling into a satisfying real life role as a family man abroad with a steady stream of moderately successful, artfully-oriented films.
In 2003, Disney executives got their first peek at the dailies for “The Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” and began rounds of panicked phone calls. They initially had not had high hopes for the film, as earlier attempts to build a narrative around the popular Disney World ride had failed. Convinced by director Gore Verbinski that Depp could be trusted, they fretted over the film’s release and were stunned when the finished product was a runaway blockbuster. Capping his teeth with gold and basing his performance on the swaggering, dissipated rock star Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones, Depp was a lively tour de force, finding himself in the unique position of not only being nominated for a Best Actor Oscar for a comedic performance, but for appearing in a commercial blockbuster at long last.
The film was the fourth highest grossing of the year and Hollywood wrongly assumed that the now mainstream viable star would be accepting scripts for blockbusters. Predictable only for being unpredictable, Depp’s next appearance was in indie icon Robert Rodriguez's "Once Upon a Time in Mexico" (2003), the third of the filmmaker’s trilogy and one that positioned Depp as a corrupt CIA agent who lures El Mariachi out of seclusion for a dangerous mission.
Depp drew little attention for his 2004 turn in the Stephen King adaptation "Secret Window" (2004), playing an author caught up in accusations of plagiarism and stalked by his accuser. But later that year the actor mesmerized critics as Peter Pan scribe J.M. Barrie in the highly-praised "Finding Neverland." Depp delivered a subtle but deeply emotional performance as the playwright who, despite his age and wisdom, wished to never grow up. Depp earned his second Oscar nomination for Best Actor for his performance. He also unloaded The Viper Room and launched his production company, Infinitum Nihil, in June of 2004, taking on the role of CEO and cutting a first look deal with Initial Entertainment.
Considering his infamous history of pulling off outrageous characterizations, Depp was an ideal choice to play magical candy maker Willie Wonka in Burton's adaptation of Ronald Dahl's "Charlie & the Chocolate Factory," a remake of 1971’s "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory." Burton's darker interpretation hewed closer to the book, while Depp's Wonka was both inspired and a bit more unsettling. The film received favorable reviews and Depp, the new superstar of family entertainment, raked in box office receipts of $475 million dollars. That same year he provided the voice of Victor Van Dort, a Victorian lad whisked away to the underworld to wed a mysterious undead woman in Burton's stop-motion animated feature "Tim Burton's Corpse Bride.”
Depp was pleased to revive Captain Jack Sparrow for the inevitable sequel, “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” (2006), a harrowing, energetic and worthy addition to the swashbuckling franchise. Depp outweighed co-star Orlando Bloom and displayed fine chemistry with a game Keira Knightley in a story that pitted the three against undead pirate Davy Jones – and sometimes themselves – in a quest to find a valued treasure that would enable control over supernatural forces. “Dead Man’s Chest” broke several box office records, including biggest single-day gross and biggest opening weekend ever, paving the way for the third installment, “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” (2007). “At World’s End” focused on the desperate quest undertaken by heroes Will Turner (Bloom) and Elizabeth Swann (Knightley), both allied with Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush reprising his role from the first “Pirates”), to rescue Sparrow from the trap of Davy Jones’ Locker. Detractors criticized the film as convoluted and the weakest of the franchise, but Depp’s built-in fanbase brought in over $300 million in box office.
Hollywood’s number one expatriate returned to the box office for the Christmas 2007 release of “Sweeney Todd,” the highly anticipated film adaptation of Steven Sondheim’s macabre musical. Bringing the bloody British saga of a wronged man’s revenge to the big screen was the brain child of Burton, and promised to deliver he and Depp’s signature hybrid of gloom and wit, though the R rating would mean that the Sparrow fans would be left at home with a babysitter. Fans were most anxious to see Depp sing. Having conquered every other medium, accent and quirk, many were confident that even Depp’s pipes would not disappoint, so sure were they of his ability to transform believably into anyone. The Hollywood Foreign Press agreed, awarding him for his "Sweeney Todd" performance by taking home a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy in early 2008. Depp soon followed with an Oscar nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role.
Profession(s):
Actor, musician, producer, director, gas station attendant, pen salesman
Sometimes Credited As:
John Christopher Depp II
Family
brother:Daniel Depp (Older)
daughter:Lily-Rose Melody Depp (Born May 27, 1999; mother, Vanessa Paradis)
father:John Christopher Depp (Divorced Depp's mother when he was 15 (c. 1978))
mother:Betty Sue Palmer (Depp has a tattoo with his mother's name on his left arm; divorced Depp's father when he was 15 (c. 1978))
sister:Christie Dembrowski (Born c. 1961; handles Depp's affairs from her Florida home)
sister:Debbie Depp (Older)
son:Jack Depp (Born April 9, 2002; mother Vanessa Paradis)
wife:Lori Anne Allison (Married in 1983; divorced c. 1985; former girlfriend of Nicolas Cage)
Companion(s)
Jennifer Grey , Companion , ```..Dated from 1988-1989; were briefly engaged, before they split
Kate Moss , Companion , ```..Born Jan. 16, 1974; together from 1994-1998; announced engagement in 1995; separated in 1997; reunited briefly; split in May 1998
Sherilyn Fenn , Companion , ```..Dated from 1987-1988
Vanessa Paradis , Companion , ```..French; born c. 1972; together from June 1998; mother of Depp's two children
Winona Ryder , Companion , ```..Together from 1990 to 1993; engaged briefly; had a tattoo of 'Winona Forever' on his arm, which he has altered to say the more appropriate 'Wino Forever'
Education
The Loft Studio Los Angeles, CA
Awards
Golden Globe Award Best Actor In A Motion Picture Musical Or Comedy "Sweeny Todd" 2008
MTV Movie Award Best Comedic Performance "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End" 2008
MTV Movie Award Best Villain "Sweeney Todd" 2008
MTV Movie Award Best Performance "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" 2007
MTV Movie Award Best Male Performance "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" 2004
Screen Actors Guild Award Best Actor in a Leading Role "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" 2004
Honorary Cesar Award 1998
Milestones
2007 Reprised role of Captain Jack Sparrow in "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End"
2007 Reteamed with Burton to play The Demon Barber of Fleet Street for the film adaptation of the musical, "Sweeny Todd"; earned an Oscar nomination for Best Actor in a leading role
2006 Reprised the role of Captain Jack Sparrow in Gore Verbinski's "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest"; received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical
2005 Cast as Willy Wonka, in Tim Burton's remake of the classic tale "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"; earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor
2004 Played a writer who is accused of plagiarism by a strange man, who then starts haunting him in "The Secret Window"
2004 Portrayed 'Peter Pan' author J.M. Barrie in "Finding Neverland" also starring Kate Winslet; received Golden Globe, SAG and Academy Award nominations for Best Actor
2003 Played a sociopathic CIA agent in the Robert Rodriguez western feature "Once Upon A Time In Mexico"
2003 Starred in the blockbuster hit "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl"; earned Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations for Best Actor
2001 Cast as a British policeman with unorthodox means of tracking a serial killer in the thriller "From Hell"
2001 Portrayed American George Jung, one of the major cocaine traffickers for Columbian kingpin Pablo Escobar, in Ted Demme's "Blow"
2000 Had two roles in Julian Schnabel's "Before Night Falls," a biopic of gay Cuban writer Reinaldo Arenas; portrayed an imprisoned drag queen with a gift for smuggling and a brutally officious army office
2000 Reteamed with Terry Gilliam to play a modern-day ad executive whisked back in time in "The Man Who Killed Don Quixote"; shooting began in 2000 but was put on hold when leading actor Jean Rochefort suf
1999 Reteamed with Burton for "Sleepy Hollow" starring opposite Christina Ricci
1999 Received star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (November 16)
1999 Starred as corruptible rare-book dealer hired to find satanic texts in Roman Polanski's supernatural thriller "The Ninth Gate"
1999 Starred opposite Charlize Theron in the thriller "The Astronaut's Wife"
1998 Portrayed Raoul Duke in Terry Gilliam's adaptation of "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas"; first film with Christina Ricci
1997 Earned some of the best reviews of his career as the title character in "Donnie Brasco"; based on the book about an FBI agent who infiltrated the Mob
1997 Feature directorial debut, "The Brave" reteamed him with Brando; also wrote and co-starred; premiered at the Cannes Film Festival; Iggy Pop wrote the score
1996 Starred as William Blake in Jim Jarmusch's post-modern Western "Dead Man"; film also featured Iggy Pop
1995 Acted opposite Marlon Brando in "Don Juan DeMarco"
1995 Made first action film, John Badham's "Nick of Time"; cast as a mild-mannered accountant who becomes embroiled in an assassination scheme
1995 Formed the rock group P, making major label debut on Capitol Records
1995 Purchased first home in Los Angeles; house once owned by Bela Lugosi
1994 Played infamous, cross-dressing, B-movie director "Ed Wood"; second film with Burton
1994 Directed the eight-minute short film "Banter" for DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education)
1993 Impressively recreated silent-comedy routines of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton in "Benny and Joon"
1993 Starred in the title role of "What's Eating Gilbert Grape"
1993 Opened L.A. club, The Viper Room
1992 Appeared along with Jerry Lewis and Faye Dunaway in Emir Kusturica's "Arizona Dream"
1990 Headlined John Waters' "Cry-Baby" playing the Elvis-inspired, leather-clad title role; first film acting with Iggy Pop
1990 First hit movie, Tim Burton's "Edward Scissorhands" co-starring then-girlfriend Winona Ryder
1987 - 1990 Starred as a baby-faced undercover cop in TV series, "21 Jump Street" (Fox)
1987 Began working with the Make-A-Wish Foundation
1986 Had small role in Oliver Stone's "Platoon"
1986 TV-movie debut, "Slow Burn" (Showtime)
1985 First screen lead, "Private Resort"
1985 TV acting debut in episode of "Lady Blue" (ABC)
1984 Introduced by his then-wife Lori Allison to actor Nicolas Cage, who helped arranged a meeting with an agent who set up audition for his feature acting debut in Wes Craven's "A Nightmare on Elm Street"
1983 Moved to Los Angeles with band, The Kids; played lead guitar
1969 Moved to Miramar, Florida
Started own rock group at age 13; subsequently played in 15 other bands
Sold ball-point pens by phone before he began acting
Replaced the deceased Heath Ledger's character in, "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" (lensed 2008)
Will portray notorious Depression-era bank robber John Dillinger in Michael Mann's 1930s gangland flick "Public Enemies" (lensed 2008)
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