JOHNY DEPP

Biography

John Christopher Depp III was born June 9, 1963, in Owensboro, Kentucky. The son of John Christopher, a city engineer and Betty Sue Palmer, a waitress and homemaker (Johnny Depp has a tattoo of his mother's name on his left arm), young Johnny relocated to Florida with his three older siblings. The family moved to Florida shortly after the death of his grandfather, with whom the future actor was very close.

Never the studious teenager and even more distraught by the divorce of his parents, Johnny Depp delved into the world of experimental drugs and picked up a whole new passion: the guitar. The high-school dropout spent his days playing guitar in a garage band after he taught himself how to play with the instrument his mother bought him.

johnny depp on elm street
Johnny Depp joined a rock band called The Flame, with whom he toured the Florida nightclub circuit. The Flame eventually dubbed themselves The Kids, and the band was hired as the opening act on an Iggy Pop tour. Hoping to strike a chord as famous rockers, The Kids moved to Los Angeles. Johnny Depp took a job selling ballpoint pens over the phone in order to support himself, but he and his fellow rockers decided to break up and move on.

Bigger and better things awaited Johnny Depp, who at the time was married to makeup artist Lori Allison. Their marriage was short-lived, but it did lead to something: Lori introduced Johnny to Nicolas Cage, who saw star potential in the young Depp. Thanks to their encounter, Johnny Depp was cast in his feature film debut -- the slasher Nightmare on Elm Street in 1984.

After a starring role in the campy Private Resort, a bit part in 1986's Platoon and acting lessons at L.A.'s Loft Studio, Johnny Depp was cast as Officer Tom Hanson in the teen crime drama 21 Jump Street. He initially refused the role, but eventually accepted it and remained on the show -- and on the cover of every teen magazine -- for three years. To his dismay, Johnny Depp became a heartthrob posted on the wall of every teenage girl, a role he wanted no part in.

johnny depp in cry-baby
Johnny Depp was given the opportunity to prove his worth as the eccentric title role in Tim Burton's Edward Scissorhands in 1990. He starred in Cry-Baby that same year, and even made an appearance in the final installment of Nightmare on Elm Street, Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare, in which he was credited as Oprah Noodlemantra.

The brooding actor made it a point to always take on different characterizations. He certainly never became pigeonholed, despite the oddball, wacky characters he usually portrayed, as seen in 1993's Benny & Joon and 1994's Ed Wood. Johnny Depp made Hollywood and critics take notice with his incredible portrayal of a guy tired of his small-town lifestyle in 1993's What's Eating Gilbert Grape, also starring a then up-and-comer, Leonardo DiCaprio.

johnny depp in donnie brasco
While his work in 1995's Don Juan DeMarco and Nick of Time didn't garner much attention, Johnny Depp was highly praised for his turn as an FBI undercover agent who infiltrates the mob opposite Al Pacino, in 1997's Donnie Brasco. He also took time to write, direct and star in The Brave that year.

In 1998, Johnny Depp starred as the alter ego of buddy Hunter S. Thompson in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, costarring Benicio Del Toro, and tried his hand at sci-fi in 1999's The Astronaut's Wife, along with gorgeous Charlize Theron. He re-teamed with Tim Burton to star in the magnificently gothic adaptation of the Halloween legend, 1999's Sleepy Hollow, in a brilliant portrayal of constable Ichabod Crane.

Johnny Depp began the year with roles in The Man Who Cried (costarring good friend Christina Ricci), Before Night Falls, and the small film that could, Chocolat, as a gypsy who falls for Juliette Binoche.

johnny depp and vanessa paradis
While Johnny Depp has had his share of beautiful costars, he also had a wide variety of leading ladies in his own life, such as ex-fiancées Sherilyn Fenn, Jennifer Grey and Winona Ryder, with whom he was engaged for three years. The tattoo in honor of his Edward Scissorhands costar once read Winona Forever; it has since been laser-altered to read Wino Forever. Besides Winona, Johnny Depp's most famous ex-fiancée is Kate Moss. He and the waifish model were engaged from 1995 to 1997, and had an on-again/off-again relationship.

Johnny Depp shares a house in France with Vanessa Paradis, a French actress and singer, and the mother of their children, Lily-Rose Melody and Jack. The only reason Johnny Depp is ever away from home is in order to fulfill his film contracts.

johnny depp's oscar and golden globe nominations
Johnny Depp's critical acclaim as an actor has garnered him a slew of nominations and awards. He was honored with the 1990 ShoWest Male Star of Tomorrow award, the 1996 London Critics Circle Actor of the Year award for Ed Wood and the 1998 Honorary Cesar. He was nominated for an unprecedented seven Golden Globes, including four consecutive nominations between 2003 and 2006, and two Oscars for his performances in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) and Finding Neverland (2004).

johnny depp in sweeney todd
In 2005, Johnny Depp appeared in three flicks: The Libertine, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (he played Willy Wonka) and the Academy-Award nominated stop-motion-animation film Corpse Bride.

Johnny Depp only appeared in one movie in 2006: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. However, 2007 was a year of major blockbusters for the talented actor.
The third installment of Pirates was released, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. He also appeared in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. The film reunited Johnny Depp with film director Tim Burton and won Johnny Depp the Golden Globe for Best Actor, as well as an Academy Award nomination in the same category.

johnny depp directs happy days
Widening his talented scope, Johnny Depp decided to dabble in directing in addition to acting. In 2008, he began directing the flick Happy Days.

Then, in 2009, he was the co-producer of Shantaram and was the Executive Director of The Rum Diary. He also performed in Public Enemies and The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, assuming a role Heath Ledger originally played