Johnny Depp: King of Cult

is to deliver something that's fresh each time,

something that's new or at least to attempt that.

The real responsibility is to entertain them,

to try and make 'em laugh.

That's really it.

Johnny Depp

is perhaps one of the most versatile actors

of his day and age in Hollywood

and has carved a legacy for himself

as a serious, well-rounded performer.

- I started out to make a film that everyone will hate,

to go out of your way to see if they'll just hate it.

I've done that before, haven't I?

- His tendency to frequently play

freakishly eccentric outcast,

whose oddities are misunderstood by society

has made him one of the world's best character actors

with iconic roles such as Captain Jack Sparrow

and Willy Wonka.

- With all the characters I've played,

they're still pretty close to the surface.

There's still each and every one relatively accessible.

- From his stranger roles like the Mad Hatter

in Alice in Wonderland to more conventional performances

like John Dillinger in Public Enemies,

Johnny Depp has managed to capture the hearts of millions,

making him a household name.

It's just so much fun to,

well, get away with things that you're not normally allowed

to get away with it.

John is a lot of fun to write

and he also helps out and contributes a lot

to the character.

He knows it so well.

He knows what the character would say.

He embellishes things so effectively.

- He is sensationally professional and talented actor.

John, he's a legend, he .

- Johnny Depp is Hollywood's chameleon.

- I've just been very lucky over the years.

It's a miracle that people still hire me

after some of the stuff I've gotten away with.

I mean, honestly.

I lay it all down to luck.

There was no way to predict,

prior to Pirates of the Caribbean,

I was labeled,

they literally used to call me box office poison,

which I was kind of okay with.

That didn't bother me at all,

then suddenly Pirates happened.

Suddenly, Tim doesn't have to fight with studios

to get me the gig anymore,

which he had to for many years.

It just happens.

Initially known as a teen idol

for his tortured pretty boy looks,

Johnny Depp survived the perils

of adolescent heartthrob status to earn a reputation

as a respected adult actor.

Johnny Depp was born on June 9th, 1963

in Owensboro, Kentucky,

the youngest of four children of waitress,

Betty Sue Palmer and civil engineer, John Christopher Depp.

- Johnny, what else can we expect to see you in?

- Well, it's called something else now.

I think it's called Learning to Fly.

It'll be out in September.

The family moved frequently

during his childhood,

eventually settling in Miramar, Florida in 1970.

His parents divorced in 1978 when he was 15

and his mother later married Robert Palmer,

whom Johnny has called an inspiration.

Johnny was gifted a guitar by his mother

when he was 12 years old and began playing in various bands.

He dropped out of Miramar High School aged 16 in 1979

to become a rock musician.

He attempted to go back to school two weeks later

but the principal told him to follow his dream

of being a musician.

In 1980, he began playing guitar in a band

called The Kids.

After modest local success in Florida,

the band moved to Los Angeles in pursuit of a record deal,

changing their name to Six Gun Method.

In December 1983,

Johnny married makeup artist, Lori Anne Allison

the sister of his band's bassist and singer.

The Kids split up before signing a record deal in 1984

and Johnny subsequently began collaborating

with the band, Rock City Angels.

In the early 1980s, Johnny Depp's then wife,

Lori Anne Allison introduced him to actor, Nicholas Cage

who advised him to pursue an acting career.

His first role was in the horror film,

A Nightmare on Elm Street in 1984

in which he played the boyfriend of heroine, Nancy Thompson

and one of Freddy Krueger's victims.

Johnny Depp became a teen idol during the late 1980s

when he starred as an undercover police officer

in a high school operation in the Fox television series,

21 Jump Street, which premiered in 1987.

What are you doing?

This is the way it works.

Stare him down, Hansen.

- Now the homeboy's in your face.

He don't stay here to see if you punk out.

- We can be like this for days, man.

- No, you won't 'cause after you see that you ain't no punk

and that you don't punk out, he's gon' to ask you

where you from.

He accepted this role

to work with actor, Frederic Forrest who inspired him.

Despite his success,

he felt that the series forced him into the role of product.

He subsequently decided to appear only in films

that he felt were right for him.

After his early acting experiences,

Johnny began to prioritize roles he found more interesting

rather than those he knew would instantly succeed

at the box office.

His first film release in 1990 was Cry-Baby,

a musical comedy set in the 1950s.

Although it was not a huge box office success

upon its release,

over the years, it has gained its status as a cult classic.

1990 also saw the beginning

of Johnny Depp's infamous relationship

and collaborations with Tim Burton.

Their first collaboration saw Johnny

and Edward Scissorhands alongside Winona Ryder.

The film was a commercial and critical success

and began the long association between Johnny Depp

and Tim Burton.

Another of Johnny's memorable roles from the '90s

was in the drama, What's Eating Gilbert Grape?

In which he starred alongside another upcoming actor

of the time, Leonardo DiCaprio.

In 1994, Johnny took on his second collaboration

with Tim Burton in Ed Wood, a biographical film

about one of history's most inept film directors.

Johnny has said the film gave him a chance to stretch out

and have some fun with acting again.

Ed Wood received a positive reception

with many critics noting Johnny's performance,

pointing out that he had proved himself

as an established certified actor.

He was nominated for a Golden Globe for this performance.

Johnny Depp's starred alongside Al Pacino

in the 1997 crime drama, Donnie Brasco.

To prepare for this role,

Johnny spent time with the real life Joe Pistone,

on whose memoirs the film was based.

Donnie Brasco was a commercial and critical success

and is considered one of Johnny's finest performances.

He gave him his trust.

- You gotta get rid of that mustache

and get yourself a pair of pants.

Dress just like me.

He loved him like a son.

- Nobody can touch you because I represent you.

Keep your nose clean, follow the rules, be a good earner

and maybe one day when they open the books,

you become a wise guy.

I'd die with you, Donnie.

But he never knew the truth.

- There's a war going on in that mafia family

and that is where Joe is undercover.

Donnie, come here.

The end of the 1990s

saw Johnny take on further memorable roles in the film,

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

as well as another collaboration with Tim Burton

for the period film, Sleepy Hollow.

Critics have described the characters he plays

as iconic loners.

Johnny's ability to embody all of the different characters

he plays makes for a spectacular show on screen,

improves his diversity as an actor.

Johnny Depp began a relationship with French actress

and singer, Vanessa Paradis,

whom he met while filming The Ninth Gate in France in 1998.

- Have you ever seen someone across the room

and had that feeling of true love at first site?

- Yeah, we've been together about 11 years

and we have two children.

What happened?

- I saw her back from about 30 yards away,

I saw her back and her neck

and then turned around suddenly and looked at me.

I was stupefied and then it was over.

They have two children,

daughter, Lily Rose Melody Depp born in 1999

and son, John Christopher Depp III

known as Jack born in 2002.

He stated that having children

has given him a real foundation,

a real strong place to stand in life.

- I mean, I think I was making choices back then for my kid