Johnny Depp. Biography

John Christopher "Johnny" Depp II is an American actor, film director, musician, screenwriter and producer. He became famous for his roles with Tim Burton, starting with Edward Scissorhands. Also notable films at the start of Johnny’s career were “Cry Baby” by John Waters and “Arizona Dream” by Emir Kusturica. Then there were no less important works in the film by Jim Jarmusch “Dead Man” and Terry Gilliam’s “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.” Great commercial success accompanied the Pirates of the Caribbean film series, where Johnny Depp played Captain Jack Sparrow. In 2012, Johnny even entered the Guinness Book of Records as the highest paid actor with $75 million. He won a Golden Globe Award for his role in the film “Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street.” He was nominated for an Oscar three times.

Johnny Depp's childhood

Johnny Depp's father, also John Christopher Depp, his son's namesake, was a civil engineer.

Johnny Depp as a child (Photo: johnny-depp.org)

Johnny Depp's mother, Betty-Sue Wills Palmer, worked as a waitress. It was her second marriage to Johnny Depp's father. From his mother's first marriage, Johnny Depp has half-brothers Daniel and sister Debbie. Depp's half-sister is Christy Depp.

Johnny Christopher had a difficult childhood. Betty-Sue did not spoil her son with maternal caresses. She worked from morning to evening in a roadside cafe to feed her children. Depp recalled: “Mother swore like a sailor, played cards and smoked.” And my father was not distinguished by refined manners - he drank and, when drunk, often beat his wife and children.

Johnny's parents were restless people. By the age of fifteen, young Depp had changed several cities and even houses in the same city. Depp Sr. and his wife could suddenly move into a neighboring house. The only truly close person for Johnny Depp was his grandfather Jim (on his father’s side, a purebred Irishman). My maternal grandfather was a Cherokee Indian. To the boy's bitter regret, grandfather Jim died when little Depp was 9 years old. John Christopher felt completely alone. His parents were spiritual strangers to him. Johnny quarreled with them endlessly, at the age of 12 he began to smoke, became addicted to alcohol, and at the age of 13 John Christopher began to be sexually active. When his father divorced his wife in 1978, Johnny Depp finally went downhill and began experimenting with drugs. For this, fifteen-year-old Johnny was expelled from school.

Johnny Depp and his first steps in art

Still, the mother sometimes paid attention to her son. Noticing that Johnny had musical talent, she gave the boy a cheap electric guitar for his 12th birthday. Depp managed to learn to play on his own, and when his parents separated, the guy left home in protest to his friend Sal and began performing as part of the garage band “Kids”. His musical activities brought in a small income. The guys earned money from fees in nightclubs. Over the course of four years, Johnny Depp changed about 14 such amateur musical groups; in addition, the young man began his career by working part-time on construction sites.

Johnny locked himself in his room for almost a year until he learned to play (Photo: johnny-depp.org)

It was as a member of the punk group “The Kids” that Johnny Depp was noticed by the famous Iggy Pop and invited the young people to perform at his concert. This acquaintance became useful for Johnny.

Soon, another friend of his, Nicolas Cage, who had already starred in Francis Ford Coppola's Rumble Fish, introduced Depp to his agent, and the little-known musician Johnny Depp auditioned for the film A Nightmare on Elm Street. Johnny expected a maximum of a cameo role, but the directors liked him. They were touched by Depp's naturalness on set and the small details of his image, down to the yellow nicotine stains on his fingers, that made him look "real." Johnny was cast in the role of Glen, one of the main characters in the film. But even the increased popularity did not stimulate Johnny Depp’s desire to become a professional actor. The guy believed that a horror film like A Nightmare on Elm Street would simply be a stepping stone to his musical career. However, the breakthrough into the film industry was successfully made. Hollywood drew attention to Johnny Depp and invited him to star in the youth comedy “Private Resort.” Here the guy showed off his figure - Johnny appeared naked on screen for the first time.

Johnny Depp in the films "Private Resort" (top photo) and "A Nightmare on Elm Street" (bottom)

Film career of Johnny Depp

Today, Johnny Depp is confidently one of the limited number of the most original and recognizable film actors.

Johnny Depp in the movie "Platoon"

After the success of A Nightmare on Elm Street, Johnny appeared in television series, but not in leading roles. Johnny Depp wanted to save up some money, and Depp spent all the money he earned on acting courses. Thanks to his education, Johnny Depp joined the cast of Oliver Stone's war drama Platoon. The director cast Depp in the supporting role of Private Lerner. Unfortunately, almost all of Johnny's scenes were cut during the final cut. And in 1987, “Platoon” received eight Oscar nominations.

Afterwards, Depp successfully starred in the youth series “21 Jump Street” as one of the police officers who solved crimes in a school environment. Johnny became an idol among girl fans, which annoyed him.

And then John Waters cast Depp in the lead role in the grotesque musical Cry-Baby, a film in which Iggy Pop also played, which became a cult classic.

In the musical "Crybaby"

In 1989, Depp starred in a film that surpassed all of his previous works in success. It was Tim Burton's fantasy film Edward Scissorhands. It was with this film that the friendship between director Burton and actor Johnny Depp began. Their creative tandem gave the world talented films - “Ed Wood”, “Sleepy Hollow”, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”, “Swinney Todd”, “Dark Shadows”, “Alice in Wonderland” and other popular films.

Johnny Depp in the films Edward Scissorhands, Sleepy Hollow, Sweeney Todd and Dark Shadows (from left to right)

However, Johnny Depp was also willingly filmed by other famous film directors, representative of independent American cinema Jim Jarmusch (“Dead Man”), Emir Kusturica (“Arizona Dream”), and the actor’s biography also included the famous film “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape” in 1993. Johnny Depp played several times in Terry Gilliam's films.

“Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” is a film adaptation of the novel of the same name by the notorious writer Hunter Thompson. Johnny read this writer's book as a teenager. Depp met the author himself in 1994 and was shocked by his open soul and recklessness. And when Terry Gilliam decided to film the acclaimed book about the adventures of Dr. Gonzo and Raoul Duke, the writer himself called Depp: “Maybe you’ll play me in a film about Las Vegas? Not a bad thing so and so.”

The collaboration between Hunter Thompson and Depp on the project grew into a strong male friendship. And after the death of the writer, Johnny Depp paid for his friend’s expensive funeral (Hunter wanted his ashes to be shot from a giant cannon), paid off all his debts and became the producer of the film “The Rum Diary” based on Thompson’s novel of the same name, in which he himself played the main role.

In the films "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" and "The Rum Diary" (from left to right)

For Gilliam, Johnny Depp played in the mystical film “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus.”

Depp tried his hand at the crime genre in the film Donnie Brasco. In 1997, Johnny made his directorial debut in the film “Brave.” True, the film was not particularly successful, but Depp continued his directorial career.

In 2003, Gore Verbinski's Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl was released and became a hit. Film critics enthusiastically claimed that it was thanks to the talented work of Johnny Depp that this film received worldwide recognition. The role of the pirate Jack Sparrow became one of the main ones in Depp's biography.

Stills from the film "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl"

Johnny Depp's financial status and fees

“Pirates of the Caribbean” not only brought Johnny Depp success among mass audiences, but also significantly improved his financial situation. In 2016 alone, the Pirates of the Caribbean star earned $48 million, according to Forbes. But Johnny Depp knows how to spend no worse than he can earn money. Today, the star actor is close to bankruptcy, and accuses his managers from The Management Group of theft. Johnny Depp is sure that his managers stole about $30 million from him. However, when Depp sued them, they, in turn, filed a counterclaim, reproaching the artist for extravagance.

In 2017, Johnny is busy with work and spends a lot of time with his children. True, journalists have so far been able to take photos of Depp exclusively at the premieres of the film “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.” But photos of his ex-wife Amber Heard confirm her new hobby - the actress looks happy in the arms of her new lover, Tesla owner, billionaire Elon Musk. Their romance was first reported in the news, and recently the actress helped the rumors by posting a photo together on Instagram.

In March 2019, Johnny Depp sued Amber for $50 million for defamation. Depp believes Heard is a criminal, not a victim of domestic violence.

Amber Heard then made an official statement in which she accused Johnny Depp of alcohol abuse, as well as the fact that the actor turned into a “monster” under the influence of drugs.

In this state, according to Amber Heard, he threw various objects at her, and once she allegedly had to barricade herself in the room, but Johnny knocked down the door and began to strangle his wife.

He failed to complete this process, but Amber Heard colorfully described further events.

“That night Johnny threw me onto a ping-pong table, which collapsed underneath me. Johnny was throwing bottles at windows and glass doors, and there were glass shards everywhere. Then he grabbed me and tore off my nightgown. I was naked and barefoot, covered in alcohol and covered in small shards of glass. Johnny grabbed me by the hair and pinned me against the refrigerator in the kitchen. I tried to break free, but I just slipped on the glass-strewn floor,” Amber was quoted as saying in Cosmo news.

Amber Heard notes that in a sober state, Johnny Depp did not remember what he had done. The actor himself has a different version of events; he believes that he simply has nothing to remember and, on the contrary, accuses his ex-wife of beatings.

However, it is not only his wife who accuses Depp of violence. In 2018, “SP” reported that a drunk Johnny Depp attacked a film set employee on the set of director Brad Furman’s crime detective film “Labyrinth.” The incident occurred at the end of the day when Depp decided to direct one of the scenes himself. However, carried away by the process, the star actor did not notice that the permitted time for street filming and blocking the alley had expired. When the location manager informed him about this, Depp attacked him with his fists.

JohnChristopher Depp II was born on a hot June day in 1963 in Owensboro, Kentucky - the patrimony of many Indian tribes. And the blood of the proud flows in John Depp's veins Cherokee, along with Irish and German blood. Probably, this unique international mixture was one of the reasons for Johnny Depp’s extravagant appearance and indescribable charm in his youth.

Dark brown eyes, like large cheekbones carved with a chisel, dark skin, harmonious physique plus masculine charm - this is Johnny Depp in young age. Is it any wonder that from the age of 13 he was actively courting girls, and at 16 he left school, became interested in music and performed in nightclubs in Florida as part of the group The Kid.

He could have become a brilliant musician, but at the age of 20 he marries makeup artist Lori AnnAllison who introduces her husband to Nicholas Cage. With his light hand, Johnny Depp's stellar career began.

For his excellent performance, he received the Golden Globe awards, Cesar"and a personal star on the Walk of Fame.

Johnny's personal life resembles the stormy Caribbean Sea. After his divorce from Laurie in 1985, Johnny had numerous relationships with famous actresses and models: Jennifer Gray, Winona Ryder, Kate Moss, Amber Heard.

French Vanessa Paradis and Johnny Depp in their youth they gave the impression of being an inseparable couple. A beautiful daughter and son, material security, fame... But this novel suffered the same fate as the previous ones.

Last marriage with AmberHurd also ended in a scandalous divorce in 2017.

What does Johnny Depp look like now?

Johnny Depp was eccentric and shocking in his youth (photos confirm this), and he remains so now. He himself does not hide his difference from others. Eternal unshavenness, an original manicure and shaggy hair are the everyday image of Johnny Depp.

He disdains fashionable clothes, loves baggy trousers and jackets, old hats, scarves, and frilly bracelets.

Forced to wear glasses due to vision problems, Johnny approaches this issue with creativity, choosing only unusual models.

It seems that this man is indifferent to appearance, but years pass, and his facial features are still perfectly proportional.

The actor's youthful appearance attracts the attention not only of journalists, but also of plastic surgeons, who claim that his unfading beauty is the work of their colleagues and the result of a series of operations that were carried out at different times. They confirm their guesses with before and after photos, where Johnny looks slightly swollen.

There is an opinion that even before his first film role, Johnny was recommended to slightly correct the shape of his nose using rhinoplasty. Even then, this method made it possible to eliminate almost any deformation. But whether Johnny followed the recommendations is unknown.

Experts say that a recent eyebrow and forehead lift helped Johnny Depp return his beautiful eye shape, remove drooping eyelids and wrinkles in the upper half of his face.

Despite the radical nature of the method, the scars from such an operation are not visible, since the incision is made significantly above the area of ​​hair growth. The operation is complex, but American surgeons, judging by the results, successfully completed it.

But it’s not only thanks to medicine that Johnny Depp is as attractive now as he was in his youth. Having left all his bad habits in the past, he carefully monitors his diet and regularly visits fitness clubs.

It's hard to believe that Johnny Depp has already crossed the half-century mark and remains one of the most beautiful people on the planet. And it doesn’t matter whether plastic surgery or good genetics helped him.

Photo sources: www.flickr.com:RV1864, wein85114139, Andy Templeton, chillopedia.com, highheelsinthewilderness.blogspot.ru, skepchick.org, boingboing.net, ipkitten.blogspot.ru, actorreport.wikispaces.com, www.aeromental.net , feminema.wordpress.com, www.vvox.it, www.shroomery.org, uk.anygator.com, cheatymonkey.com, moobys.es

If you answer “no,” then we can congratulate you: you just refused to shake hands with Johnny Depp himself! Yes, yes, this world-famous pirate-madman was never a good boy and differed from his peers in his temper and complex character.

However, this is precisely what allowed him to become what we now know and adore. To say that half of the female audience is in love with Depp and dreams of him in their most secret dreams is to say nothing.

The childhood of the future public favorite can hardly be called fairy-tale. Constant moving, the death of his grandfather, with whom he was very close, and the eternal scandals of his parents, which led to divorce, could not have a positive effect on the psyche of little Johnny.

We moved about 30 times. This is probably why I still travel in my thoughts, I always feel like I’m somewhere else. It seems to me that I’m not quite here and now.” , Depp once admitted in an interview.

Johnny Depp as a child

From an eccentric kid who loved to make all kinds of faces, Depp grew into a difficult teenager.

Johnny in his youth

The only consolation for him during such a difficult period was music. “I vaguely remember adolescence, I locked myself in a room and played the guitar” , - Jack Sparrow later said.

By the way, you will be amazed, but in his youth Johnny played in the rock band The Kids, which, by the way, opened for Talking Heads, Ramones, The Pretenders and Iggy and the Stooges.

When the group broke up, Depp became seriously interested in acting.

Amateur rock band in which the future idol of millions performed

Johnny Depp's first wife was Laurie Ann Alison (make-up artist at one of the Hollywood film studios), who introduced the young artist to Nicolas Cage. Their marriage did not last long - only 2 years, but the former spouses remained friends.

Rare photos from Johnny Depp's first wedding (most likely from the family archive).

After this, the talented actor had several high-profile affairs and scandalous romances, the most popular of which was his relationship with Kate Moss.

Sex, drugs and rock and roll - this was exactly the concept of the novel between the most famous anorexic woman in Hollywood and the ambitious Depp.

Their shocking quarrels and sometimes crazy actions were the No. 1 topic in press discussions.

Kate on her relationship with Depp:

“After we met, the emptiness that had tormented me for many years disappeared from my soul. He alone was capable of surprising me."

« Kate is always in me. A big part of me misses her and I still don't understand why we're not together." , - Depp confessed.

Depp's longest and strongest union was his marriage to Vanessa Paradis, a French actress and singer.

They gave the world two children - daughter Lily-Rose Melody (b. 1999) and son Jack Christopher (b. 2002). In 2012, the star marriage of Vanessa and Johnny broke up.

Depp with his daughter

All in daddy!

An apple from an apple tree...

Johnny with his son, 2002 and 2006

Christmas shopping

Vanessa with Johnny and children. Banier estate, France, 2008.

Today we celebrate the birthday of one of the most beautiful men of our time, who entered Guinness Book of Records as the highest paid actor, and simply a talented person A! He's turning 52, but he's still a real heartthrob and just recently married a young actress wife. Amber Heard(29). What makes women follow him to the ends of the earth? PEOPLETALK tried to find the answer.

Johnny Christopher Depp was born into a simple large family and was the youngest of four children. After his parents' divorce, he became depressed. To cope with the pain, Johnny cut himself and still has those scars.

He first married in 1983 to Laurie Ellison, his friend's sister, who worked as a makeup artist. But two years later they divorced. Depp was then engaged to the actress Jennifer Gray(55), but the wedding never took place. Then there was an affair with an actress Sherilyn Fenn(50). During his life, Johnny loved a huge number of women, including a model Kate Moss(41), actress Winona Ryder(43) and French singer and actress Vanessa Paradis(42), who bore him two children: a daughter Lily-Rose(16) and son Jack John(13). In February 2015, Johnny married a young actress Amber Heard, for whom he left Vanessa.

Johnny began playing the guitar at the age of 12, which his mother gave him, and even dropped out of school to pursue a career as a musician. In addition, he can sing and play the drums.

Depp has performed with many famous musicians, including Alice Cooper(67), Marilyn Manson(46) and others. He also had his own group called "Pi".

In his youth, Depp met Nicolas Cage(51), who advised him to become an actor. That's how Johnny got into the TV series "21 Jump Street" and became an idol of youth.

The first full-length film where Depp played the main role was the film "Crybaby".

But it was the film that brought him real fame. Tim Burton (56) "Edward Scissorhands". Thus began the era of collaboration between Depp and Burton, which gave us many wonderful films. Producer Scott Rudin once said, “Johnny Depp plays Tim Burton himself in his films.”

Producers Disney wanted to fire Depp because they believed that he misrepresented the image of the main character in the film "Pirates of the Caribbean". Today the image of the captain Jack Sparrow− one of the most expensive Disney franchises.

In the film Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Depp demonstrated his vocal abilities and was highly praised by critics.

Among other things, Johnny is an excellent photographer and an excellent swordsman.

British scientist David Lang found an ancient fossil, the ancestor of the lobster or scorpion. It looked very much like a character from a movie. "Edward Scissorhands". Being a fan of the actor, the scientist named the fossil after Johnny Depp.

Many people know that Johnny's ancestors were Indians. But recently Depp himself was able to become part of the tribe. Movie "The lone ranger", may not be his best work, but the leaders of the Comanche tribe liked him very much, and they held an official dedication ceremony for the actor.

Johnny Depp is a descendant Elizabeth Key Grinstead the first mixed-race woman of African descent to win a lawsuit in the northern states against a former slave owner.

In 2004, Johnny founded his own production company Infinitum Nihil(“Nothing Lasts Forever”), which released films "The Rum Diary", "Hugo", "Dark Shadows".