Johnny Depp's Journey
Rex FeaturesJohn Christopher Depp II was born in June 1963 in the southern state of Kentucky. After a childhood spent skipping across the States, the family finally settled in Florida in 1970, and Johnny’s recently divorced mother bought her son a guitar to keep him focussed on things other than ‘family issues’.
By Jessica David
Rex FeaturesJohnny began playing in various bands when he was 12 – hanging out in friends' garages and basements practising. He eventually dropped out of High School to become a rock star, and he and his band Six Gun Method moved to LA in search of the ‘big time’. Although acting became his main profession, music is still Johnny’s first love, and throughout his career he’s played in many bands and contributed to many soundtracks and records, including Oasis’ 1997 album, Be Here Now.
Rex FeaturesLong before the likes of Kate and Vanessa, there were other prominent women in Johnny’s life. On Christmas Eve, 1983, 20-year-old Johnny married Lori Anne Allison (right) – a make-up artist and the sister of his band’s bass player. The pair divorced just two years later, though not before Lori has introduced her hubby to friend Nicolas Cage, who advised Johnny to get into acting. That same year, Johnny met Twin Peaks actress Sherilyn Fenn (left), who became his next fiancée.
Rex FeaturesIn 1984, whilst living in LA, Johnny accompanied a friend to an audition for a new horror flick, A Nightmare On Elm Street, where director Wes Craven spotted him and asked if he’d like to read for the part of Glen – a victim of slasher psycho Freddie Kruger. Johnny got the part, partly because the producer’s daughter thought he was “dreamy.”
Rex FeaturesIn 1987, now having fully caught the acting bug, Johnny landed the lead role in TV teen crime drama, 21 Jump Street. The show was a huge success and propelled Johnny into the limelight, making him an overnight teen idol and pin-up – something he didn’t enjoy. Johnny promised himself that once his contract ended, he would make the move into films…the kind that he felt were right for him.
Rex FeaturesIn a clear attempt to rebel against his perfect looks and teen idol image, Johnny Depp took on the eponymous role of Edward Scissorhands in Tim Burton’s quirky 1990 film. The role began a long association with the director and also led Johnny to meet his next fiancée…
Rex FeaturesA match made in perfect-cheekbone heaven, Johnny and the then-critically acclaimed actress Winona Ryder fell in love in 1990 and got engaged a year later. To celebrate their love, Johnny had the words ‘Winona Forever’ tattooed on his arm. However, Hollywood’s weird and beautiful twosome split in 1993, and Johnny later altered the tattoo to ‘Wino Forever’!
PA PhotosIn fact, Johnny has 13 tattoos in total. "My body is a journal in a way,” he once said. “It's like what sailors used to do, where every tattoo meant something, a specific time in your life...” As well as the poignant ‘Wino Forever’, he has his mother’s name in a heart, both his daughter's and son’s names, a sparrow (in reference to his Pirates of the Caribbean character, Jack Sparrow), an Indian Chief, a skull and crossbones, and a question mark to name but a few.
Rex FeaturesFrom 1993 onwards, Johnny further rebelled against his obvious beauty and continued to appear in roles that would gain him critical acclaim rather than poster sells. In ‘93 alone, he starred in quirky flicks Benny & Joon, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape? and Ed Wood. It was during this success that an unhappy Johnny began to feel the strain of fame, turning to drink and drugs to escape from reality.
Rex FeaturesThat same year, Johnny opened notorious nightclub, The Viper Room, on Hollywood’s infamous Sunset Strip. On Halloween that year, young actor and friend River Phoenix died of a drug overdose on its doorstep. Johnny and his band P (also featuring the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Flea) were performing on stage at the time of River’s collapse. Johnny closed the nightclub for a week in respect to River, and continued to close the club every Halloween up until he sold his share in 2001.
Rex FeaturesIn January 1994, Johnny met beautiful Brit supermodel Kate Moss – 10 years his junior – at New York’s Café Tabac, and the too-beautiful-for-words couple began a tempestuous four-year-relationship. Before they split in 1998 – when Johnny reportedly gave Kate a BMW with the note “thanks for the ride” – they made headlines following a certain hotel incident…
Rex FeaturesJohnny, now given the accolade of ‘Hollywood hell raiser’ by the press, was famously arrested in ’94 for trashing a hotel suite in Manhattan’s plush Mark Hotel. When police broke into the $1,200-a-night room, they found Johnny and Kate sitting amidst the debris, although they found no evidence of the “armadillo” that a drunken Johnny blamed the damage on. Apparently he had found it in the closet before it went berserk, trashed the suite and jumped out of the window.
Rex FeaturesIn 1998, Johnny met his long-term love, French singer/actress/model Vanessa Paradis. The pair have two children, Lily-Rose Melody Depp (10) and John “Jack” Christopher Depp III (7). They have never married, although after an ex-wife and four ex-fiancées, we can only assume the fact that Johnny hasn’t proposed means he has finally found The One.
iStockJohnny, Vanessa and their children have lived in France for ten years. The family split their time between their home in Meudon (a Parisian suburb) and their villa in the South of France, as well as a base in Los Angeles. Johnny has said before that he likes the anonymity of living in France, and his simpler life there.
Rex FeaturesIn 2003, Johnny accepted the role of Captain Jack Sparrow in Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. His portrayal of the kooky, rum-and-women-loving pirate has since been described as “one of the most popular performances of recent times” and even bagged Johnny his first Best Actor Oscar nomination.
PA PhotosThe actor has collaborated with close friend, Tim Burton on seven films, including Edward Scissorhands, Sleepy Hollow and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Johnny - who is godfather to Tim and Helen Bonham Carter’s son, Billy - recently described the eccentric director as his “favourite mad person” and has said before “he can ask me everything. If he wants me to have sex with an aardvark in one of his next movies, then I will do that.”
Rex FeaturesJohnny received his Hollywood Walk of Fame star in 1999. He has been described as one of the best, bravest and most versatile actors of his time by critics and major Hollywood players alike. Legend Marlon Brando famously called Johnny “one of the greatest actors of his generation.”
Johnny returns to the big screen today as the Mad Hatter in Tim Burton’s latest visual extravaganza, Alice in Wonderland. For GLAMOUR.com’s review of the flick, click here!
