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Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp 2020.jpg
Depp at the 2020 Berlin International Film Festival
Born
John Christopher Depp II

(1963-06-09) June 9, 1963 (age 62)
Occupation Actor
Years active 1984–present
Works
Filmography
Spouse(s)
  • Lori Allison
    (m. 1983; div. 1985)
  • (m. 2015; div. 2017)
Partner(s) Winona Ryder
(1989–1993)
Vanessa Paradis
(1998–2012)
Children 2 (including Lily-Rose)
Awards Full list
Musical career
Genres
Instruments
  • Guitar
  • vocals
Labels
Signature
Johnny Depp's signature.svg

John Christopher Depp II (born June 9, 1963) is an American actor and musician. He has won many awards, including a Golden Globe Award. He has also been nominated for three Academy Awards.

Depp's films have earned billions of dollars around the world. This makes him one of Hollywood's most successful actors. He often plays unique and interesting characters.

He started his career as a musician in rock bands. Then, he began acting in movies. His first film was the horror movie A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984). He also appeared in Platoon (1986). He became very popular as a teen idol on the TV show 21 Jump Street (1987–1990).

Johnny Depp has worked with director Tim Burton many times. Their movies together include Edward Scissorhands (1990), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), and Alice in Wonderland (2010).

He became famous worldwide for playing Captain Jack Sparrow. This character is from the Pirates of the Caribbean movie series (2003–2017). He also received praise for his roles in Chocolat (2000) and Finding Neverland (2004).

Depp has also done voice acting. He voiced characters in Corpse Bride (2005), Rango (2011), and Sherlock Gnomes (2018). In 1999, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He also formed a rock supergroup called Hollywood Vampires with Alice Cooper and Joe Perry.

Early Life and Music

John Christopher Depp II was born on June 9, 1963. He was born in Owensboro, Kentucky. He is the youngest of four children. His family moved often when he was a child. They finally settled in Miramar, Florida, in 1970. His parents divorced in 1978 when he was 15 years old.

Depp's mother gave him a guitar when he was 12. He started playing in different bands. He left Miramar High School at 16 in 1979 to become a rock musician. The principal told him to follow his dream.

In 1980, Depp played in a band called The Kids. They had some success in Florida. The band then moved to Los Angeles to try and get a record deal. They changed their name to Six Gun Method. Depp also worked odd jobs, like telemarketing. The Kids broke up before getting a record deal in 1984. Depp then worked with the band Rock City Angels.

Acting Career

Starting in Hollywood

President Ronald Reagan greets Johnny Depp while Nancy Reagan looks on
Depp greeting President Ronald Reagan at a White House in 1988

Depp moved to Los Angeles with his band when he was 20. After his band split up, his then-wife Lori Ann Allison introduced him to actor Nicolas Cage. Cage told him to try acting. Depp was interested in acting after reading about James Dean.

Cage helped Depp get an audition for A Nightmare on Elm Street. Depp had no acting experience. He got the role of the main character's boyfriend. He said he "ended up acting by accident."

Depp continued to get acting roles. He made enough money to pay bills that his music career didn't cover. He starred in the 1985 comedy Private Resort. He also had a small role in Oliver Stone's 1986 war movie Platoon.

He became a teen idol in the late 1980s. This was when he starred in the TV series 21 Jump Street. He played an undercover police officer in a high school. The show started in 1987. Depp felt the show made him into a "product."

Working with Tim Burton

After 21 Jump Street, Depp started choosing roles he found more interesting. He didn't just pick movies that would make a lot of money. His first film in 1990 was John Waters's Cry-Baby. This was a musical comedy set in the 1950s. It later became a cult classic.

Also in 1990, Depp played the main character in Tim Burton's Edward Scissorhands. He starred with Dianne Wiest and Winona Ryder. The movie was a big success. Depp watched many Charlie Chaplin films to prepare for the role. He wanted to show emotion without much talking. Critics praised his performance. He earned his first Golden Globe nomination for this film.

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Depp at the 1992 Cannes Film Festival

Depp appeared in three films in 1993. In Benny and Joon, he played an unusual silent film fan. He earned another Golden Globe nomination for this role. His second film that year was What's Eating Gilbert Grape. He starred with Leonardo DiCaprio. Critics liked the movie. His last film of 1993 was Arizona Dream.

In 1994, Depp worked with Burton again in Ed Wood. This movie was about a director known for making bad films. Depp said this role helped him love acting again. Critics praised his performance. He was nominated for a Golden Globe for the third time.

Diverse Roles and Pirates of the Caribbean

In 1995, Depp starred in three films. He played a man who thought he was Don Juan in Don Juan DeMarco. He also starred in Dead Man, a Western movie. And he was in Nick of Time.

In 1997, Depp starred with Al Pacino in Donnie Brasco. Depp played an undercover FBI agent. He learned about the Mafia for the role. The movie was a success. Many people think this is one of Depp's best performances. Also in 1997, Depp directed and wrote his first film, The Brave.

Depp played Hunter S. Thompson's character in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998). In 1999, he was in The Astronaut's Wife and The Ninth Gate. He also played Ichabod Crane in Burton's Sleepy Hollow. This movie was a big success.

In 2000, Depp was in The Man Who Cried and Before Night Falls. He also starred in Chocolat, which was very popular. In 2001, he was in Blow and From Hell.

Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow in Queensland, Australia
Depp in costume as Captain Jack Sparrow. He is pictured here on the set of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales in 2015.

In 2003, Depp starred in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. This movie was a huge hit. He received great praise for playing Captain Jack Sparrow. He was nominated for an Academy Award and won a Screen Actor's Guild Award. Depp said he based Captain Jack on The Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards. Studio executives were unsure about his portrayal at first. But the character became very popular with audiences.

In 2004, Depp starred in Secret Window. He also received his second Academy Award nomination for Finding Neverland. He played Scottish author J. M. Barrie. Depp also started his own film company, Infinitum Nihil.

Depp continued his success with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005). He played Willy Wonka in this Tim Burton film. He also voiced Victor Van Dort in Burton's animated movie Corpse Bride (2005). He played Jack Sparrow again in Pirates sequels: Dead Man's Chest (2006) and At World's End (2007). Both were huge hits.

In 2007, Depp worked with Burton again in Sweeney Todd. He played the main character, a barber. This was the first movie where Depp had to sing. He won a Golden Globe for this role. He was also nominated for an Academy Award for the third time.

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Depp at the Paris premiere of Public Enemies in 2009

In 2009, Depp played gangster John Dillinger in Public Enemies. The movie was successful. He also appeared in The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell helped finish the film after their friend Heath Ledger passed away. They gave their salaries to Ledger's daughter.

Depp started the 2010s with Alice in Wonderland (2010). He played the Mad Hatter. The movie earned over $1 billion. This made it one of the highest-grossing films ever. His next film was The Tourist with Angelina Jolie. He received Golden Globe nominations for both films.

In 2011, Depp voiced the main character in the animated film Rango. It was a big success. He also starred in the fourth Pirates movie, On Stranger Tides. This was another box office hit. Depp's company, Infinitum Nihil, also produced The Rum Diary (2011) and Hugo (2011).

Later Career and New Projects

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Depp at the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2013

By 2012, Depp was one of the highest-paid actors in the world. He earned $75 million that year. He appeared in the movie version of 21 Jump Street. He also starred in and produced Dark Shadows (2012) with Tim Burton.

Depp signed a deal with Walt Disney Studios. The first film was The Lone Ranger (2013). Depp played Tonto. Some people criticized his casting as a Native American character. The film did not do well.

In 2014, Depp starred in Transcendence. He also had a small role in the musical Into the Woods. He appeared in Tusk as Guy LaPointe.

In 2015, Depp was in Mortdecai, which was not successful. However, his role as crime boss Whitey Bulger in Black Mass (2015) was praised. Critics called it one of his best performances. He also became the face of Dior's Sauvage fragrance. He was inducted as a Disney Legend.

Johnny Depp Alice Through the Looking Glass premiere
Depp at the premiere of Alice Through the Looking Glass in 2016

In 2016, Depp appeared in Yoga Hosers with his daughter, Lily-Rose Depp. He also played Donald Trump in a comedy satire. He reprised his role as the Mad Hatter in Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016). He also had a secret cameo as Gellert Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016).

In 2017, Depp was in a short film called The Black Ghiandola. He also played Captain Jack Sparrow again in Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017). His last film of 2017 was Murder on the Orient Express.

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Depp in costume as Gellert Grindelwald at the San Diego Comic Con in 2018

In 2018, Depp voiced Sherlock Gnomes in Gnomeo & Juliet: Sherlock Gnomes. He also starred in City of Lies and Richard Says Goodbye. He reprised his role as Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018).

Depp's next films were Waiting for the Barbarians (2019) and Minamata (2020). In Minamata, he played photographer W. Eugene Smith. In November 2020, Depp left his role as Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts series.

Recent Work

In March 2021, City of Lies was released. An online petition to bring Depp back to the Pirates series gained many signatures. His Pirates co-star Kevin McNally also supported his return.

In July 2021, the director of Minamata said the film was being held back. Depp claimed he was being boycotted by Hollywood. Minamata was released later that year. Critics praised Depp's performance. He also continues to be the face of Dior's Sauvage fragrance.

Depp has received many honorary awards at European film festivals. These include festivals in Poland, the Czech Republic, and Spain. In September 2021, he said he was a victim of cancel culture. He also launched a new production company called IN.2.

Johnny Depp Festival de Cannes 2023
Depp at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival

On February 15, 2022, Depp received the Serbian Gold Medal of Merit. This was for his work in film and promoting Serbia. His animated series Puffins was filmed there.

In May 2022, Depp made a surprise appearance at a Jeff Beck concert. He played guitar with Beck. They later released an album together called 18. Depp also made a cameo at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards.

In 2022, Depp was cast as King Louis XV in the French film Jeanne du Barry. This was his first film acting in French. The movie premiered at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. Critics had mixed reactions. Depp was praised for his performance.

Modì, Three Days on the Wing of Madness (2024) is Depp's first time directing in over 25 years. The film is about artist Amedeo Modigliani. Depp co-produced it with Al Pacino. The film premiered in September 2024.

Other Ventures

Film Production

In 2004, Depp started his film production company, Infinitum Nihil. He is the CEO, and his sister, Christi Dembrowski, is the president. The company's first films were The Rum Diary (2011) and Hugo (2011). In September 2021, he launched a European sister company called IN.2. He said it would be a place where artists can create freely.

Depp also owned a nightclub called The Viper Room from 1993 to 2003. He was also part owner of a restaurant-bar in Paris.

Music Career

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Depp performing with the Hollywood Vampires at Wembley Arena in 2018

Before acting, Depp was a guitarist. He has played on songs for many artists. These include Oasis, Iggy Pop, and Marilyn Manson. He also played guitar on the soundtracks for his films Chocolat and Once Upon a Time in Mexico. He has appeared in music videos for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Paul McCartney. In the 1990s, he was part of a band called P.

In 2015, Depp formed the supergroup Hollywood Vampires. He formed it with Alice Cooper and Joe Perry. The band released their first album in September 2015. It had classic rock covers and new songs. They have done three world tours. Their second album, Rise, came out in 2019.

In 2020, Depp released a song called "Isolation" with guitarist Jeff Beck. They later released a joint album called 18 in July 2022. Depp joined Beck on his tours. In May 2023, Depp performed at a tribute concert for Jeff Beck.

Art

In July 2022, artwork made by Depp sold out quickly. It was shown at the Castle Fine Art gallery in London. His "Friends & Heroes" collection featured paintings of people who inspired him. These included actors Al Pacino and Elizabeth Taylor. He also painted musicians Bob Dylan and Keith Richards. Depp earned nearly $4 million from selling 780 prints.

Depp said he always used art to express his feelings. He wanted to show his art publicly. All 780 pieces sold within hours. The gallery said it was their fastest-selling collection ever.

A second collection, "Friends & Heroes II," was released in March 2023. It included prints of Heath Ledger, Bob Marley, River Phoenix, and Hunter S. Thompson. In July 2023, Depp showed a self-portrait called "Five." He said the number five was linked to a difficult time in his life.

Depp opened his first art exhibition, A Bunch of Stuff, in New York City in October 2024. It features artworks he created over many years.

Personal Life

Depp owns property in West Hollywood. He currently lives in London.

Family

Depp has two children, a daughter named Lily-Rose Melody Depp (born 1999) and a son named Jack (born 2002). He has said that having children gave him a "real foundation" in life.

Filmography and Awards

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Johnny Depp para niños

  • List of people from Kentucky
  • List of actors with Academy Award nominations
  • List of actors with two or more Academy Award nominations in acting categories
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