About Me
Born John Christopher Depp in Owensboro, Kentucky, on June 9, 1963. Raised in Florida, he dropped out of school at age 15 in the hopes of becoming a rock musician. He fronted a series of garage bands including The Kids, which once opened for Iggy Pop. Depp got into acting after a visit to Los Angeles, California, with his former wife, Lori Anne Allison, who introduced him to actor Nicolas Cage. He made his film debut in A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984). In 1987, he shot to stardom when he replaced Jeff Yagher in the role of undercover cop Tommy Hanson in the popular TV series "21 Jump Street" (1987).In 1990, after numerous roles in teen-oriented films, his first of a handful of great collaborations with director Tim Burton came about when he portrayed the title role in Edward Scissorhands (1990). Following the film's success, Depp carved a niche for himself as a serious, somewhat dark, idiosyncratic performer, consistently selecting roles that surprised critics and audiences alike. He continued to gain critical acclaim and increasing popularity by appearing in many features before re-joining with Burton in the lead role of Ed Wood (1994). In 1997, he played the undercover FBI agent in the factually-based film Donnie Brasco (1997), opposite Al Pacino; in 1998, he appeared in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998), directed by Terry Gilliam; and then, in 1999, he appeared in the sci-fi/horror film The Astronaut's Wife (1999). The same year, he teamed up again with Burton in Sleepy Hollow (1999), brilliantly portraying Ichabod Crane.Depp has played many characters in his career, including another factually-based character, Inspector Fred Abberline in From Hell (2001). He stole the show from screen greats such as Antonio Banderas in the finale to Robert Rodriguez's Mariachi trilogy, Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003), in the same year as starring in the marvelous family blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), playing a character that only the likes of Depp could pull off, Captain Jack Sparrow. Now, Depp is collaborating again with Tim Burton in a new screen adaptation of Roald Dahl's novel, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005).Apart from his on-screen life, Depp has dated several female celebrities off-screen, including failed engagements to Jennifer Grey, Winona Ryder, and Kate Moss. He was married to Lori Anne Allison in 1983 but then divorced her in 1985. Currently, Depp is living with French singer-actress Vanessa Paradis, with whom he has two children: Lily-Rose Melody, born in 1999 and Jack, born in 2002.
IMDb mini-biography by
mikedavies86
Mini biographyJohnny Depp is perhaps one of the most versatile actors of his day and age in Hollywood, who has recuperated his image greatly since his portrayal of Captain Jack Sparrow in the acclaimed Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), with a supporting cast of Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, and Geoffrey Rush.Though highly successful now, Depp's early life, strangely, was as a rebel, and he took to vandalism and narcotics. He dropped out of school when he was 15, and he fronted a series of music-garage bands, including one named The Kids. However, it was when he married Lori Anne Allison that he took up the job of being a ballpoint-pen salesman to support himself and his wife. A visit to Los Angeles, California, with his wife, however, happened to be a blessing in disguise, when he met up with actor Nicolas Cage, who advised him to turn to acting, which culminated in Depp's film debut in the low-budget horror classic, A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984), where he played a teenager who falls prey to dream-stalking demon Freddy Krueger. Three years later, Depp achieved fame as police cop Tom Hanson in the series "21 Jump Street" (1987) (1987-90), and in 1990, he was firmly established as a leading Hollywood actor with the Tim Burton movie Edward Scissorhands (1990), where he played a sad-faced, tragic hero who has scissors for hands.From then on, Depp was selective of his choice of roles in movies, and he more often than not played dark, sinister characters on-screen. He played an undercover FBI agent in Donnie Brasco (1997), in which he co-starred with Al Pacino; a druggie in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998); and in two more Tim Burton ventures, Ed Wood (1994) and Sleepy Hollow (1999), with Christina Ricci and Casper Van Dien. He is currently filming a fifth Tim Burton film, Corpse Bride (2005), as well as being committed for another Tim Burton production, where he plays Willy Wonka in the upcoming Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), based on the classic children's novel by Roald Dahl..During his career, Depp has, unfortunately, gotten himself under bad public scrutiny. He was accused of selling drugs at his own club, The Viper Room, in regard to the legendary celebrity, River Phoenix, who died outside the club due to drug overdose in 1993. The following year, Depp was arrested for smashing and trashing a New York suite. And, in 1999, he was arrested in London for being in a fight with paparazzi outside a restaurant.Although he gained popularity since the success of Edward Scissorhands (1990), Depp wasn't hugely famous for many years until his portrayal of the suave, charming Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) in 2003. With the film's enormous success, it has opened several doors for Johnny Depp's career and even included an Oscar nomination. He appeared as the central character in the Stephen King-based movie, Secret Window (2004); as the kind-hearted novelist James Barrie in the factually-based Finding Neverland (2004), where he co-starred with Kate Winslet; and most recently as Rochester in the British film, The Libertine (2004).
IMDb mini-biography by
Sidhartha Shankar
Spouse
Lori Anne Allison (20 December 1983 - 1985) (divorced)
TriviaChosen by Empire magazine as one of the "100 Sexiest Stars in Film History" (#1). [1995]Daughter, with Vanessa Paradis, Lily-Rose Melody Depp. [27 May 1999]Arrested for being in a fight with paparazzis in front of a restaurant in London. [January 1999]Ranked #67 in Empire (UK) magazine's The Top-100 Movie Stars of All Time list. [October 1997]Chosen by People (USA) Magazine as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the World. [1996]Voted Empires's (UK) Sexiest Male Movie Star of All Time. [1995]River Phoenix died outside Depp's L.A. club, The Viper Room, at 8852 Sunset Boulevard, in Los Angeles, California.Has twice recorded with British band "Oasis". Most notably, he plays lead slide guitar on the track "Fade In-Out", from the 1997 album Be Here Now. Noel Gallagher, Oasis's lead guitarist, was allegedly too drunk to perform it himself, so celebrity pal Depp stepped in and nailed the lead on one take.Arrested for trashing a New York apartment. [1994]Ex-fianc?es: Sherilyn Fenn, Kate Moss, Jennifer Grey and Winona Ryder.When engaged to Winona Ryder, he had "Winona forever" tattooed on his arm. After the broke up, he had the n and a surgically removed to simply say "Wino forever!"Was the guitarist in a band called The Kids.Currently plays in a band called P.Grew up in Florida.Brother of D.P. Depp.Adopted Goldeneye, the one-eyed Andalusian horse who played Gunpowder, Ichabod Crane's steed in Sleepy Hollow (1999), thereby saving him from the glue factory.Got his "Betty Sue" tattoo May 31, 1988.Named one of E!'s Top 20 Entertainers of 2001.Son, Jack, born to him and Vanessa Paradis on April 10, 2002, in Neuilly, France, weighing just over 7 lbs.Chosen #2 on E!'s 25 sexiest entertainers listWith Chuck E. Weiss, Depp paid a reported USD$350,000 for the Central Nightclub in Los Angeles, California, and turned it into the Viper Room. Other stars in contention to buy the club in 1993 included Arnold Schwarzenegger and, separately, Frank Stallone.Lists British comedy "The Fast Show" (1994)--renamed "Brilliant" for US television--as his favorite TV program of all time. He used to take tapes of the series on tour with him to keep him amused. Made a guest appearance in the last-ever sketch in its last-ever episode.Was named one of the 50 Most Beautiful People by People Magazine in 2001.Wrote the foreword to Mark Salisbury's biography of Tim Burton, "Burton on Burton." He credits Burton's belief in him for rescuing him from being "a loser, an outcast, just another piece of expendable Hollywood meat."Appears in Tom Petty's 1991 music video "Into the Great Wide Open."Johnny's two children with Vanessa Paradis have the same names of the two main characters in Legend (1985): Lily (b. 1999) and Jack (b.2002).His long-time girlfriend, Vanessa Paradis, is a popular singer-songwriter in her native France, as well as an aspiring actress.Gave Noel Gallagher a white guitar with the letter "P" on it, which Noel regularly plays during Oasis' gigs. "P" is the name of a band that Depp was in.Has a song about him by the late famed schizophrenic Chicago street artist Wesley Willis.Parents: John Christopher and Betty Sue Palmer.He wanted some of his teeth to be gold-capped for Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) but knew that the directors would never agree, so he went out and got lots more than he wanted capped. He then showed the directors, and they decided to make him give up a few, so he got some taken off. He had only gotten the extras so he could negotiate with the directors while pretending that he wanted all his teeth capped.Resides in France and Los Angeles.Siblings: Danny, Christy, and Debbie.Was People Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive in 2003.Before Depp turned it into The Viper Room, the building in which the club is housed was owned by famous gangster Bugsy Siegel.Chosen as E!'s 2003 Entertainer of the Year.According to the liner notes for the soundtrack CD of Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003), he wrote his own theme music, the music for Sands (Track 9 on the CD).Shot all of his scenes in 9 days for Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003), but after his filming was done he didn't want to leave. So he suggested to Robert Rodriguez that he play a small part, the priest that Antonio Banderas talks to in the church, and use his Marlon Brando impression.Reportedly based his portrayal of Ichabod Crane in _Sleepy Hollow (1999)_ on Withnail, from _Withnail and I (1987)_ , as played by Richard E. Grant.Has been in six films in which the title contains the name of the character he plays: Edward Scissorhands (1990), Cry-Baby (1990), What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993), Ed Wood (1994), Don Juan DeMarco (1995), and Donnie Brasco (1997).Persuaded actor Rey-Phillip Santos to give acting a try.His son is named after him (John Christopher Depp) but is called Jack for short.Received a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on 19 November 1999. Tim Burton and Martin Landau were guest speakers.His niece Megan works for popular online entertainment magazine TYCP.Was ranked #5 on VH1's 100 Hottest Hotties.Based the character of Captain Jack Sparrow on rock legend Keith Richards.Shares a birthday with Michael J. Fox and Natalie Portman.He is part Navajo.Purchased Bela Lugosi's Los Angeles home.Sports his son's name's, Jack, tattoo on his arm and a beaded bracelet made by his daughter Lily Rose.Is a huge fan of Jack the Ripper.He has said in a number of interviews that he is of Cherokee, Irish, and German descent.Ranked #4 in TV Guide's list of TV's 25 Greatest Teen Idols (23 January 2005 issue).Has something in common with actor Robert Englund, famed for portraying dream-stalking Freddy Krueger in the "Nightmare on Elm Street" movies. Both of them appeared in the first A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984), and both had played characters with blades for hands: Englund as Freddy Krueger, and Depp as the title character in Edward Scissorhands (1990). And, strangely, both of them were born in June, with their birthdays three days apart, and they both share the same height, which is 5'10".A movie buff (with a somewhat encyclopedic knowledge of older films), he admits he watches few movies any more, other than the children's films that his "kiddies" prefer. He also enjoys most of them.Loves watching animated films with his daughter such as Shrek (2001) and Finding Nemo (2003).Co-owns a restaurant/club in Paris called Man Ray (named after avant-garde artist Man Ray) with Sean Penn and John Malkovich. The restaurant is located in a renovated theater and serves Tibetan cuisine.He was voted the 47th Greatest Movie Star of all time by Premiere Magazine.When he was cast as Willy Wonka, many newspapers published headings about "Depp's Willy" and "Deppy's Willy is a Bit Wonkier."Apparently conceived his portrayal of Edward D. Wood Jr. as a cross between Ronald Reagan (the wobbly-headed thing), the Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz (1939), and the voice of Casey Kasem.Dropped out of high school at 16As a teen, he and his band "The Kids" performed for Iggy PopAs a child, he was allergic to chocolate.In 2004, Ren?e Zellweger accepted the Screen Actors Guild Award for "Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role" on his behalf, because he wasn't present at the awards ceremonyLearned French to be able to converse with Vanessa Paradis' parents.He also played slide for an acoustic recording of Fade Away, recorded in 1995 for the War Child: Help album.
