9 Milestones in the Evolution of Johnny Depp
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
Speaking of Keith Richards: After rebounding from The Brave with the box office smash Sleepy Hollow (another collaboration with Burton) and some mid-range successes like Chocolat and Blow, Depp jumped aboard Gore Verbinski's big-budget family adventure and crafted a truly original character that initially confounded Disney executives. With a performance that owed much to Richards' rock 'n' roll persona (as well as Hunter S. Thompson, whom Depp played in the cult favorite Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas), the swaggering pirate earned the star his first Oscar nomination. Meanwhile, the film itself grossed $654 million worldwide, making Depp the centerpiece to one of Disney's most lucrative franchises. To think: it all started as a theme park ride.
Finding Neverland (2004)
Depp exercised more restraint in Marc Forster's semi-autobiographical drama about Peter Pan creator J.M. Barrie. After a series of off-the-wall characters, some viewers criticized Depp's performance as the peculiar Edwardian author for not being risky enough. Regardless, the film earned positive reviews and Depp received his second Oscar nomination.
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)
Depp traded in his pen for a straight razor when he and Tim Burton reunited to adapt Hugh Wheeler's Tony Award-winning musical for the big screen. In a departure for Depp -- whose career has been built around artistic departures -- the actor sang over eight of Stephen Sondheim's numbers in the film. Although Depp's voice was panned for being "thin," critics agreed that his performance was a powerful one and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association awarded him his first Golden Globe after seven previous nominations.
Alice in Wonderland (2010)
Depp followed Todd up with work in Michael Mann's Public Enemies, but returned to the comfort of CGI blockbusters with Alice in Wonderland. Acting opposite Mia Wasikowska's angelic title character, Depp starred as the Mad Hatter in Tim Burton's take on the Lewis Carroll fantasy classic. The latest Burton-Depp collaboration grossed over $1 billion worldwide, and the two will team again for Dark Shadows next summer. Consistently one of the top stars in the world -- he was named the most powerful male movie star by Forbes earlier this week -- Depp goes back to the blockbuster well once more with On Stranger Tides.
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I realize I'm getting up there in age, (a fact I'm reminded of everyday I look in a mirror) but there is no way that Depp's returning to 21 Jump Street after 30 years.
Thanks. Fixed.
Johnny has had an incredible career. These are all good movies, but there are several others that he is just unbelievable in. It's too bad you were only pointing out 9 of them. I hope this will encourage others who are not so familiar with his earlier work, to seek out those movies and watch them. He is a force to be reckoned with. Oh, and by the way, the clip you have there for "The Brave" is actually from "Arizona Dream".
Going to see POTC 4 today, JD is my favorite....love all hie movies.. Libertine was so good!!
No mention of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas? What a role that was.
I never did care much for him back in his "pretty boy" (as I call them) days. If anything it's his love of the "weird" that has turned me into a huge fan of his.
If I had known, all those years ago, that he originally wanted to be a rock musician I might have been more interested in him.
I can hardly wait to see him in The Night Stalker, and Dark Shadows.