Johnny Depp is one of the most popular and acclaimed actors of his generation. Over the course of his nearly 40-year career, Depp has shown an incredible ability to transform himself into a vast array of eccentric and larger-than-life characters. He first rose to fame in the late 1980s on the TV series 21 Jump Street and has since starred in a number of highly successful and critically praised films.
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Johnny Depp was born John Christopher Depp II on June 9, 1963, in Owensboro, Kentucky. His father, John, was a civil engineer and his mother, Betty Sue, was a waitress and homemaker.
Depp’s family moved frequently during his childhood, eventually settling in Miramar, Florida, when he was seven years old. He had a difficult relationship with his parents growing up. His parents divorced when he was 15 years old.
From an early age, Depp was interested in music and film. He dropped out of high school to become a rock musician. He joined his first band at age 12. Depp later co-founded the band Six Gun Method. The group became modestly successful on the local music scene, opening for bands like the Talking Heads and Iggy Pop.
Early Acting Career
Depp’s then wife introduced him to actor Nicolas Cage, who encouraged Depp to pursue acting. In 1987, Depp landed his breakthrough role as Officer Tom Hanson in the hit television series 21 Jump Street. Depp became an instant teen heartthrob thanks to the show’s popularity.
Tired of being just a pretty boy leading man, Depp worked to take on more varied and eccentric roles. He appeared alongside Freddy Krueger actor Robert Englund in the horror film A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) and co-starred with Charlie Sheen in the Vietnam War drama Platoon (1986).
In 1990, Depp again demonstrated his versatility by playing the title role of Edward Scissorhands in the Tim Burton film of the same name. The film was a critical and commercial success, earning Depp praise and fame for taking on darker quirkier characters.
Rise to Stardom in the 1990s
Building on the success of Edward Scissorhands, Depp continued working alongside top-tier Hollywood talent throughout the 1990s. He re-teamed with Burton in 1994 to play the title role in Ed Wood, a biopic about the cross-dressing B-movie director. Other notable films included Don Juan DeMarco (1995) Donnie Brasco (1997), and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998).<div>
| Movie | Year | Director | Costar |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ed Wood | 1994 | Tim Burton | Martin Landau |
| Don Juan DeMarco | 1995 | Jeremy Levin | Marlon Brando |
| Donnie Brasco | 1997 | Mike Newell | Al Pacino |
| Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas | 1998 | Terry Gilliam | Benicio del Toro |
Depp cemented his reputation as one of Hollywood’s top leading men with his role as suave gangster George Jung in 2001’s Blow. The film was a hit at the box office and further reinforced Depp’s growing fame and popularity.
Pirates of the Caribbean & Global Stardom
In 2003, Depp would take on the role that made him a globally recognized superstar – Captain Jack Sparrow in the Disney swashbuckler film Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. Depp’s loose, flamboyant portrayal of the rum-loving pirate captivated audiences worldwide. His take on the character was widely praised by critics too, earning him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.
The original Pirates of the Caribbean was a smash hit, grossing over $650 million worldwide. Depp returned for ever-increasing paychecks in sequels Dead Man’s Chest (2006) and At World’s End (2007), with the trilogy earning well over $2.6 billion total at the box office.
Depp’s bankable status meant he could still headline eclectic passion projects like 2005’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and 2007’s Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, both directed again by frequent collaborator Tim Burton.
Recent Work and Personal Troubles
In 2011, Depp voiced the computer-animated chameleon Rango, in another Golden Globe-nominated performance. He later played famed vampire Barnabas Collins in Burton’s film adaptation of the 1960s gothic soap opera Dark Shadows in 2012.
In 2017, Depp stirred up controversy for comments he made insinuating that an actor killing the President of the United States in a film or play could be a good thing. This resulted in a notable public backlash against the actor.
Around this time, after over a decade together, Depp also went through a difficult breakup and lawsuit with actress Amber Heard. The ensuing legal troubles and rumors further damaged Depp’s public standing for a period.
Professionally though, Depp has continued acting despite the turmoil, appearing as wizard Gellert Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts film series beginning in 2016. Whether donning elaborate makeup and costumes or controversially inserting his own interpretation into established literary characters, Johnny Depp has proven time and again that he is one of the most daring and versatile actors to grace the silver screen.
Johnny Depp retiring from acting?
In late 2022, rumors began to swirl that Johnny Depp may retire from acting after his recent legal troubles and changes to his career landscape. However, there is no clear confirmation if Depp does indeed plan to give up acting at this point.
Many speculate that after his highly publicized defamation trial with Amber Heard which concluded in June 2022, Depp may wish to take a step back from Hollywood for a period. The trial itself as well as the vast media coveragenegatively impacted his acting profile during that time.
However, in the aftermath of the trial, Depp seems to have regained much fan support and industry clout once again. He made surprise concert appearances alongside musician Jeff Beck during the summer of 2022, hinting that he still seeks creative outlets even away from acting currently.
As such, while talk of retirement persists in some circles, Johnny Depp has not directly stated that he intends to permanently retire from acting altogether. At only 59 years old, many fans hope Depp will proceed to take on new quirky roles or reprise some of his most famous characters like Captain Jack Sparrow in the years ahead. For now, followers of the star remain optimistic that this versatile Oscar-nominated actor still has much left to contribute to cinema.
What was Johnny Depp’s biggest movie flop?
While Johnny Depp has starred in numerous highly successful blockbuster hits, earning hundreds of millions at the worldwide box office during his glittering career, even great actors appear in major flops now and then. For Johnny Depp, his universally panned big-budget debacle was 2013’s The Lone Ranger.
Depp played Native American hero Tonto opposite Armie Hammer’s Lone Ranger in Disney’s costly adaptation of the famed Western TV series and radio franchise. Burton originally was set to direct, and similar to Depp’s Pirates role, his eccentric spin on Tonto garnered attention early on.
However after production delays and budget overruns, the film finally hit theaters mid-2013 to dismal reviews and one of the biggest financial flops of the decade. The Lone Ranger couldn’t recoup its $215+ million budget despite a massive marketing campaign, earning just $261 million total globally. With merchandising tie-ins also failing, Disney reportedly stated it lost between $160-$190 million total on the project.
For Depp, it marked a rare significant big-budget misfire. While most lay blame on the unchecked excess of producers and production woes, The Lone Ranger failure also fueled a minor backlash over Depp appearing in what some deemed an inappropriate caricature as a Native American. Nevertheless, Depp ultimately shouldered little blame for the financial loss, and it did little to slow his career trajectory in the long run.
Who has Johnny Depp been married to?
Although never shy about dating beautiful actresses and models over the years, Johnny Depp has only been married twice in his nearly 40-year professional career.<div>
| Spouse | Year Married | Year Divorced | Years Together |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lori Anne Allison | 1983 | 1985 | 2 Years |
| Amber Heard | 2015 | 2017 | 2 Years |
Lori Anne Allison
Johnny Depp’s first wife was makeup artist Lori Anne Allison. The pair were introduced through mutual friends and married in Florida in 1983 when Depp was just 20 years old.
Allison worked as a makeup artist on early Depp projects like A Nightmare on Elm Street in their short-lived marriage. However, as Depp’s star first began to significantly rise, they divorced after just two years in 1985.
They reportedly remain friendly to this day. Depp would then have a lengthy relationship with actress Winona Ryder in the late 80s through much of the 90s.
Amber Heard
In over 25 years of singledom, Johnny Depp began a new relationship with actress Amber Heard, over two decades his junior, whom he met filming 2011’s The Rum Diary. They were engaged in 2013 and formally married in February 2015.
The marriage proved tumultuous though as Heard filed for divorce in May 2016 alleging physical assault and domestic abuse during their relationship. This launched a lengthy, bitterly public legal saga between the two former spouses, including libel lawsuits in both the U.S. and UK.
After months of accusations, lawsuits, and negative publicity from both sides, Depp and Heard formally settled their divorce in August 2016. However they continued lawsuits and openly criticizing one another until Depp ultimately prevailed in his 2020 U.S. defamation suit versus Heard, going on to win over $10 million from his ex-wife. The entire ordeal defined an ugly end to Depp’s second marriage.
What is Johnny Depp’s net worth?
As one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars for decades and making near $20 million upfront for numerous blockbuster projects, Johnny Depp amassed immense personal wealth before his fortunes shifted due to recent legal troubles.
At the peak of his stellar career, Depp’s net worth was estimated as high as $650 million. Today, after settling lawsuits, legal fees, and accounting for lost opportunities during his defamation cases, Depp’s net worth dropped significantly and is estimated between $150-$300 million by most sources in 2022/2023.
Despite financial setbacks in recent years due to lawsuits and damaged career standing, Johnny Depp apparently still maintains significant personal wealth generated by decades of highly successful films grossing billions worldwide. His current net worth likely lands somewhere between $150-$300 million today.
Conclusion
In reviewing the life and career of Johnny Depp thus far, it becomes clear just how phenomenally talented and dedicated this actor remains to his craft decades later. First captivating fans back in the late 80s, Depp continuously challenges himself in roles most actors would never dare pursue, often with rich critical acclaim and huge box office returns for his daring efforts.
While his personal life and problems with addiction may have challenged Depp more recently both professionally and financially, true fans of great acting hope this is but a minor roadblock for one of cinema’s greatest living legends. Perhaps Depp’s most iconic character to date, Jack Sparrow, says it best – “the problem is not the problem, the problem is your attitude about the problem.”
And if past resilience tells us anything about Johnny Depp’s staying power, his best artistic successes likely still lie ahead in his stellar career. Nearing 60 years old but still chasing dynamic roles with youthful charisma and imagination, the next unpredictable chapter promises to be fascinating as Depp hopes to mesmerize us again both on and off-screen soon.
Frequently Asked Questions about Johnny Depp’s Biography
How old was Johnny Depp in his first movie role?
Johnny Depp was 20 years old when he made his film debut with a minor role in the horror classic A Nightmare on Elm Street in 1984.
What was Johnny Depp’s first major movie role?
Depp’s first major movie role was as the title character in Tim Burton’s 1990 film Edward Scissorhands, which propelled him to significant fame as a leading Hollywood actor.
How much did Johnny Depp make for Pirates of the Caribbean?
For the first Pirates film, Johnny Depp earned $10 million upfront for portraying Jack Sparrow. He earned $20 million for the sequel Dead Man’s Chest, then a record $33.6 million salary for At World’s End, establishing his status as one of Hollywood’s highest paid actors in history.
What is Johnny Depp’s most commercially successful movie?
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006) is Johnny Depp’s highest-grossing film, earning over $1.06 billion worldwide as Captain Jack Sparrow.
Did Johnny Depp really tie the knot?
No – despite plenty of engagements, Depp has only had two official marriages: his first to Lori Anne Allison (1983-1985) and second to actress Amber Heard (2015-2017), both ending in divorce after 2 years.
What crime was Johnny Depp accused of?
In 2016, Depp’s then-wife Amber Heard alleged Depp committed domestic abuse and assaulted her on multiple occasions while intoxicated or using controlled substances over the course of their 4-year relationship, filing for divorce and a restraining order against Depp. This launched a lengthy legal battle between the former spouses.