Johnny Depp, one of Hollywood’s most mysterious performers, celebrates his birthday on June 9th. Depp has amassed a very eclectic collection of cinema characters, the majority of which have one thing in common: he is drawn to playing outsiders or those on the fringes of society who go their own way, and going his own way has certainly been a trademark of this much-awarded actor’s career.
1. Donnie Brasco (1997):
Depp made a drastic change of image in this actual story of young FBI agent Joseph Pistone (Depp) who goes undercover as “The Jewel Man,” Donnie Brasco, after a string of offbeat flicks. Donnie quickly becomes enmeshed in the Bonanno crime organization and the protégé of veteran boss Lefty Ruggiero (Al Pacino).
2. Pirates of The Caribbean Series (2003, 2006, 2007, 2011, 2017):
With his decision to style his pirate Jack Sparrow after out-there rock legend Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones, Depp grabbed lightning-in-a-bottle. When Disney execs saw the dailies, they were apparently taken aback by Depp’s aggressive approach, with some wishing to shut down production completely, believing it would be a flop.
3. What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (1993):
‘What’s Eating Gilbert Grape,’ a straight drama set in a small Iowa town where Depp looks after his morbidly obese mother Bonnie (Darlene Case) and his mentally challenged younger brother Arnie, was certainly a change of pace for Depp (Leonardo DiCaprio).
4. Finding Neverland (2004):
Those expecting another version of J.M. Barrie’s classic ‘Peter Pan’ were likely shocked to see a film about Barrie himself and how he came to write the cherished children’s favorite in ‘Finding Neverland.’
5. Edward Scissorhands (1990):
For his performance as Edward, a construct of The Inventor (Vincent Price), who handed the artificial young man scissors instead of hands, Depp won his first Golden Globe nomination.
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