Johnny Depp

Introduction:

John Christopher Depp known as Johnny Depp was born on June 9, 1963 in Owensboro, Kentucky. Johnny Depp is an American actor, film producer, and musician. Johnny Depp is perhaps one of the most versatile actors of his age in Hollywood. Depp has gained acclaim for his portrayals of such people as Ed Wood, in Ed Wood, Joseph D. Pistone in Donnie Brasco, Hunter S. Thompson in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, George Jung in Blow, and the bank robber John Dillinger in Michael Mann's Public Enemies. He has been listed in 2012 as the highest paid actor.

Early Life:

Johnny Depp was born into a typical American “blue-collar” family and raised in Florida. His father, John senior, was a city engineer and his mother, Betty Sue, was a waitress. Depp was always closer to his mother than his father but he was closest to his grandfather. He took up smoking at the age of 12 and at the age of 16, Depp dropped out of high school so that he could focus on his music full-time. It was the late 1970s when punk rock was at the height of its popularity so he joined a punk band called              ‘The Flame’ they were soon playing support to such big names as Iggy Pop, Talking Heads.T he band then relocated to Los Angeles while living on the West Coast, Depp met and married make-up artist Lori Anne Allison. The marriage was not successful they split shortly in 1985.His wife introduced him to her friend actor Nicholas Cage.

Acting Carrier:

Nicolas Cage saw potential in Depp, who advise him to pursue an acting career. Cage introduced him to Hollywood agent who help Depp in his debut,Depp’s first major role was in the 1984 classic horror film ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’

In 1987 he shot to stardom when he replaced Jeff Yagher in the role of undercover cop Tommy Hanson in the popular TV series "21 Jump Street" (1987).After playing roles in numerous teen oriented films in 1990 he finally met Tim Burton. Burton cast him for the lead role in his film ‘Edward Scissorhands’. The film was a massive critical success and established Depp once and for all as a leading Hollywood player.

Depp’s career went from strength to strength during the 1990s, as he starred in an impressive line-up of successful movies. In ‘What’s Eating Gilbert Grape’ he acted alongside Leonardo DiCaprio, who played his disabled brother. He then starred in ‘Benny and Joon’, where he portrayed the life and work of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton but Depp’s reputation as a brilliant actor was growing year by year.

Depp continued to gain critical acclaim and increasing popularity by appearing in many features before re-joining with Burton in the lead role of Ed Wood (1994)

He was widely acclaimed for his portrayal of an undercover cop in ‘Donnie Brasco’, where he played opposite Al Pacino’s mobster character. Interestingly, Depp spent time hanging out with the real-life “Brasco”, Joe Pistone, in order to research his movie role more thoroughly. After the success of Donnie Brasco, Depp got the chance to direct for the first time in ‘The Brave’, a film in which he also starred as a Native American Indian alongside Marlon Brando.

Depp was invited to star in a new Tim Burton film; ‘Sleepy Hollow’ his portrayal of the shy detective was widely recognised as masterful. Sleepy Hollow was a huge Hollywood success.

In 2000 Johnny Depp’s role as Roux in ‘Chocolat’ earned him his careers first Oscar nomination. 

Depp starred in the marvelous family blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), playing a character that only the likes of Depp could pull off: the charming, conniving and roguish Capt. Jack Sparrow. With the film's enormous success, it has opened several doors for his career and even included an Oscar nomination. Depp confess that Captain Jack Sparrow is his favorite part out of all the screen characters he has ever played.

In 2005 Depp again collaborated with Burton in a screen adaptation of Roald Dahl's novel, ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’

Depp teamed up with his favourite director for sixth time in ‘Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street’. The 2007 Tim Burton film led to another Academy Award nomination for Depp.

In 2010 Depp once more collaborate with his long time friend Tim Burton for his film ‘Alice in Wonderland’

His recent film was ‘Rango’ (2011) Depp’s versatility landed him a lead role in an animated film.

Personal Life:

Depp has around 13 tattoos, many of them signifying important persons or events in his life one of them was "Winona Forever" which signify Winona Ryder his former wife. Depp has dated several female celebrities, and has been engaged to Sherilyn Fenn, Jennifer Grey, and Kate Moss. He was married to Lori Anne Allison in 1983 but they divorced her in 1985. Depp has two children with French singer-actress Vanessa Paradis: Lily-Rose Melody, born in 1999 and Jack, born in 2002.Depp has ups and downs in his life but his career never shakes. Once Marlon Brando said; ‘Johnny is the best actor of his generaton’

Awards and Nominations:

Depp has been nominated for three Academy Awards, despite all of his phenomenal box office success; Depp has yet to be rewarded for his prodigious acting talent by receiving an Oscar. He has, however, won Golden Globe awards for roles in Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood, Benny and Joon and Finding Neverland and she also won other famous awards for his roles.

List of Johnny Depp Movies:

Dark Shadows   2012      

Jack and Jill         2011      

The Rum Diary   2011      

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides    2011          

Rango   2011      

The Tourist   2010            

Alice in Wonderland       2010

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus     2009      

Public Enemies  2009      

Sweeney Todd  2007      

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End 2007    

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest   2006           

The Corpse Bride 2005  

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory 2005 

The Libertine     2005      

Finding Neverland           2004      

Ils se marierent et eurent beaucoup d'enfants   2004      

Secret Window 2004      

Once Upon a Time in Mexico      2003      

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl    2003      

From Hell             2001      

Blow      2001      

Chocolat              2000      

Before Night Falls            2000      

The Man Who Cried        2000      

Sleepy Hollow   1999      

The Astronaut's Wife     1999      

The Ninth Gate 1999      

Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas       1998      

L.A. Without A Map        1998      

The Brave            1997      

Donnie Brasco   1997      

Cannes Man       1996      

Nick of Time       1995      

Dead Man           1995      

Don Juan DeMarco          1995      

Ed Wood              1994      

What's Eating Gilbert Grape?      1993      

Benny & Joon    1993      

Arizona Dream  1993      

Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare        1991      

Edward Scissorhands      1990      

Cry-Baby              1990      

Platoon                1986      

Private Resort   1985      

A Nightmare on Elm Street          1984      

Depp once said about himself:

“I never really wanted to be an actor or a director. I was a musician and still am. The other stuff just happened”

By : Haroon Anwar