When this pretty boy leapt to stardom in the '80s, no one could have predicted that he would become one of the most revered thespians of his generation. A former rock-and-roll wannabe, Depp segued into acting with a handful of big-screen supporting roles. With his stunning cheekbones, he became an instant sex symbol on the TV series
21 Jump Street. After graduating from the small screen, Depp shrewdly eschewed the traditional leading-man route, playing offbeat characters in films helmed by edgy directors: John Waters, Terry Gilliam, and his frequent collaborator, Tim Burton. (One of Depp's many memorable roles included his wonderful portrayal of the title character in Burton's magical 1990 film
Edward Scissorhands, in which Depp's handsome face is obscured by makeup and scars.) Off the screen he cultivated a bad-boy image with a string of high-profile romances (Winona Ryder, Sherilyn Fenn, Kate Moss) and trashed hotel rooms. But Depp matured both personally and professionally in the 2000s, earning Oscar nods and making a stable home with his girlfriend Vanessa Paradis and their children. In 2007, he proved that, despite his megastar status, his family was his top priority when he interrupted the shoot of
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street to be by his sick daughter's bedside. Depp continued to show his formidable protean acting skills when he played John Dillinger in the 2009 film
Public Enemies, latest in a line of films in which he successfully took on real-life characters (notably, FBI agent Donnie Brasco in the 1997 film of that name and schlock director Edward J. Wood in the haunting 1994 Burton movie,
Ed Wood).
Johnny Depp Fast Facts:
- Left school as a teenager to pursue music, and went on to play in many bands (including one that opened a show for Iggy Pop).
- Got his start in acting after his ex-wife introduced him to her former boyfriend, Nicolas Cage, which ultimately landed Depp a role in 1984's A Nightmare on Elm Street.
- Gained industry clout in 1987 as Tommy Hanson in 21 Jump Street, a show about young L.A. undercover cops in high schools.
- Owner of the Viper Room, an L.A. club on the Sunset Strip that was the site of River Phoenix's drug-related 1993 death.
- Has received numerous awards and nominations both for his talent and good looks, including People Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive titles in 2003 and 2009; a Golden Globe award for his performance in the 2007 film Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street; and three Oscar nominations.
- In 2010, announced he was taking on directing duties for a documentary about Keith Richards, who appeared in Depp's 2007 film Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. Depp patterned Jack Sparrow, his character in Pirates, after Richards.
- Johnny Depp Relationships:
- Betty Sue Palmer - Mother
- Christie Dembrowski - Sister
- Daniel Depp - Brother
- Debbie Depp - Sister
- Jack John Christopher Depp III - Son
- Jennifer Grey - Ex-fiancée
- John Christopher Depp - Father
- Kate Moss - Ex-fiancée
- Lily-Rose Melody Depp - Daughter
- Lori Allison - Ex-wife
- Vanessa Paradis - Significant Other
- Winona Ryder - Ex-fiancée
- Johnny Depp Awards:
- 1991 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy - Nominee
- 1994 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy - Nominee
- 1995 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy - Nominee
- 2005 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama - Nominee
- 2004 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy - Nominee
- 2006 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy - Nominee
- 2007 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy - Nominee
- 2003 Oscar: Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role - Nominee
- 2004 Oscar: Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role - Nominee
- 2008 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy - Winner
- 2007 Oscar: Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role - Nominee
- 2008 People's Choice Awards: Favorite Male Movie Star - Winner
- 2007 People's Choice Awards: Favorite On Screen Match Up - Winner
- 2007 People's Choice Awards: Favorite Male Action Star - Winner
- 2007 People's Choice Awards: Favorite Male Movie Star - Winner
- 2006 People's Choice Awards: Favorite Motion Picture Actor - Winner
- 2005 People's Choice Awards: Favorite Motion Picture Actor - Winner
- 2010 People's Choice Awards: Favorite Movie Actor - Winner
- 2003 BAFTA Awards: Best Actor in a Leading Role - Nominee
- 2004 BAFTA Awards: Best Actor in a Leading Role - Nominee
- 2004 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture - Nominee
- 2004 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role - Nominee
- 2003 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role - Winner
- 2000 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture - Nominee
- 2011 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical - Nominee
- 2011 People's Choice Awards: Favorite Movie Actor - Winner
- 2012 People's Choice Awards: Favorite Movie Actor - Winner
- 2012 People's Choice Awards: Favorite Animated Movie Voice - Winner