Pirates of the Caribbean actor Johnny Depp turns 63 today, but how much do you know about the actor? Here are some facts you might not know.
Pirates of the Caribbean has become an iconic movie franchise, and a large part of that is down to the character of Captain Jack Sparrow, the chaotic hero of the series, and his various misadventures. But key to this was Johnny’s Depp’s performance as Captain Jack, which made him beloved by fans young and old.
But Johnny, who turns 63 today, has had a career spanning more than 40 years, and he has appeared in many famous movies over the years. He is also now famous as the father of Lily-Rose Depp.
As we wish Johnny Depp a happy birthday, here are some fascinating facts about him that you might not know.
He dropped out of school to be a rock star
Young Johnny had an interest in music, especially after being gifted a guitar for his 12th birthday. He dreamed of being a rock star and, aged 16, dropped out of high school to pursue his ambition. Although he did try to return to school two weeks later, but his principal encouraged him to follow his dream.
Johnny played in a band called The Kids, which had modest success including opening for stars such as Iggy Pop. But, after moving to Los Angeles and changing name to Six Gun Method, the band split up before securing a record deal.
Nicolas Cage encouraged him to become an actor#
After the band split, Johnny worked in various jobs, including telemarketing. But during this time, his then-wife Lori Ann Allison introduced him to Nicolas Cage, and they became drinking buddies. Nicolas, who was making his own way in the acting business at the time, suggested to Johnny that he give acting a try.
Johnny took up the idea and, with Nicolas’ help, landed an audition for a horror movie – A Nightmare on Elm Street. He managed to land a part, despite his lack of acting experience – and the rest is history. As was his character, who succumbed to Freddy Kruger in the film.
He made his name in a TV series
After that, Johnny appeared in several other movies, but his big break came in a Fox TV series, 21 Jump Street.
In the series, Johnny played a cop who goes undercover at a high school. 21 Jump Street was a huge hit and turned Johnny into a teen idol. However, Johnny felt the series “forced him into the role of a product” and this influenced his decision thereafter to take on roles he found interesting, rather than those that might prove most popular at the box office.
He is regularly in Tim Burton films
To this end, he took the lead role in romantic fantasy movie Edward Scissorhands, directed by Tim Burton.
The pair enjoyed working together and since then, Johnny has become synonymous with Tim Burton-directed movies, appearing in eight of his films to date, including Ed Wood (1994), The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (1999) and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005).
Johnny credits the director for saving him from being “just another piece of expendable Hollywood meat.”
He used to be allergic to chocolate
Johnny played Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. But interestingly, when he was a child Johnny was allergic to chocolate. Fortunately, by the time the movie came around, he had grown out of the affliction.
He fulfilled a friend’s wish to be shot out of a canon
Johnny was good friends with infamous gonzo journalist and writer Hunter S Thompson – most famous for writing Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas – until his death.
Hunter’s last wish was for his remains to be shot out of a 150-foot canon. Bizarre as it was, Johnny was one of the ones who helped to make the wish come true.
