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John Christopher "Johnny" Depp II (born 9 June 1963) is an American actor, producer, and musician who portrayed a middle-aged Gellert Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.

Outside of the Wizarding World franchise, Johnny Depp is most famous for his roles in Edward Scissorhands, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Alice in Wonderland and the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.

Biography[]

Early life and career[]

Johnny Depp was born in Owensboro, Kentucky, and raised in Florida, as the youngest of four children of Betty Sue Palmer (née Wells), a waitress, and John Christopher Depp, a civil engineer. The family moved frequently during Depp's childhood, and he and his siblings lived in more than 20 different locations, settling in Miramar, Florida, in 1970. With the gift of a guitar from his mother when he was 12, Depp began playing in various garage bands. A year after his parents' divorce, Depp dropped out of high school to become a rock musician. Depp began his career as a musician with the rock group The Kids, which took him to Los Angeles. When the band broke up, Depp turned to an acting career, taking the advice of actor Nicolas Cage, and earned his first major acting job in A Nightmare on Elm Street.

Career[]

Though Depp said he "didn't have any desire to be an actor", he continued to be cast in films. Depp followed A Nightmare on Elm Street with roles in several films, including Oliver Stone's Academy Award–winning Platoon before landing the role that would prove to be his breakthrough, as undercover detective Tom Hanson on the popular TV show 21 Jump Street. He starred on the series for four seasons before starring as the title role in John Waters' Cry-Baby. It was Depp's compelling performance in the title role of Tim Burton's Edward Scissorhands that established him as one of Hollywood's most sought-after talents and earned him his first Golden Globe Award nomination as Best Actor. He was honoured with another Golden Globe® nomination for his work in the offbeat love story Benny & Joon, directed by Jeremiah S. Chechik. Depp reunited with Burton for the critically acclaimed Ed Wood, and his performance garnered him yet another Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actor. Depp starred and made his feature directorial debut opposite Marlon Brando in The Brave, a film based on the novel by Gregory McDonald. He co-wrote the screenplay with his brother D. P. Depp.

As Captain Jack Sparrow, Depp received his first Academy Award nomination, as well as a Golden Globe Award nomination, a British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Award nomination and a Screen Actors Guild Award for his portrayal of Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. He reprised the role of Sparrow in various film sequels, video games, and Disney theme park attractions. Depp received his second Academy Award nomination, as well as a Golden Globe Award nomination, Screen Actors Guild nomination and BAFTA nomination for his role as J.M. Barrie in Marc Forster's Finding Neverland, in which he starred opposite Kate Winslet and Freddie Highmore. In 2004, Depp starred in The Libertine as 17th-century womanising poet John Wilmot, the Earl of Rochester.

In 2005, Depp collaborated with Tim Burton on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, for which he received a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical, and Corpse Bride, which received an Academy Award® nomination for Best Animated Film in 2006. In 2008, Depp received his third Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, winning a Golden Globe Award for the role.

Other screen credits include Florian Henckel Von Donnersmarck's The Tourist, David Koepp's Secret Window, Robert Rodriguez's Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Albert and Allen Hughes' From Hell, Ted Demme's Blow, Lasse Hallstrom's Chocolat, Julian Schnabel's Before Night Falls, Sally Potter's The Man Who Cried, Burton's Sleepy Hollow, Roman Polanski's The Ninth Gate, Terry Gilliam's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Mike Newell's Donnie Brasco with Al Pacino, Jim Jarmusch's Dead Man and Jeremy Leven's Don Juan DeMarco, in which he starred opposite Marlon Brando and Faye Dunaway, as well as Lasse Hallstrom's What's Eating Gilbert Grape, Emir Kusturica's Arizona Dream and John Badham's Nick of Time.

His other successful roles include starring as real-life criminal John Dillinger opposite Christian Bale and Academy Award winner Marion Cotillard in Michael Mann's Public Enemies, as the Mad Hatter in Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, for which he received a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy or Musical, and voicing the title role of Gore Verbinski's critically acclaimed Rango. Johnny Depp also starred in Tim Burton's Dark Shadows and Bruce Robinson's The Rum Diary, both of which were produced by his company, Infinitum Nihil. In 2012, Depp reunited with original Pirates director Gore Verbinski, producer Jerry Bruckheimer, and screenwriters Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio in the 2013 film The Lone Ranger.

Wizarding World[]

Fantastic Beasts[]

Grindelwald?

A still of a promotional featurette reveals Gellert Grindelwald in the film inspired by Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

At the premiere of Alice Through the Looking Glass in May 2016, Johnny Depp was noted to have sported an unusual undercut. When asked to comment, he said "I cut it for a little part I did in a film".[2] In November 2016, it was reported that Johnny Depp had been cast as Gellert Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts film series. While Depp was announced for the sequel Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, the actor did appear in first film, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.[3][4] Prior to the initial announcement, Grindelwald appeared in a promotional featurette for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, attacking a group of wizards.

Depp's casting received criticism and negative reactions from some fans, partly due to domestic violence allegations against him. In an interview with The Leaky Cauldron, Fantastic Beasts director David Yates and producer David Heyman defended the casting. David Yates stated, "the whole principal of casting the movie was go with the best actor. Go for the most inspired, interesting, right fit for that character. And as we approached Grindelwald we thought, 'who's going to take this in an interesting direction?' [...] So we went for him, purely on that selfish basis. We don't care if he's famous or not famous. We just know he's interesting."[5] Speaking at the premiere of Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them, J. K. Rowling admitted that she was "delighted" with the casting of Johnny Depp, saying "he has done incredible things with that character".[6] On 7 December, 2017, Rowling weighed in further on the Grindelwald casting in a piece posted on her official website. Rowling wrote that she understood fans' concerns about the choice to not recast the role, but based on their understanding of the situation, "the filmmakers and I are not only comfortable sticking with our original casting, but genuinely happy to have Johnny playing a major character in the movies."[7]

Johnny Depp Grindelwald Comic Con surprise

Depp in costume as Gellert Grindelwald at the San Diego Comic-Con in 2018.

On 21 July 2018, after the first official trailer for the film premiered at the 2018 San Diego Comic-Con, Johnny Depp made a surprise appearance as Gellert Grindelwald in full costume.[8][9] About Rowling's response, Depp said in October 2018, "I'll be honest with you, I felt bad for J. K. having to field all these various feelings from people out there. I felt bad that she had to take that." He also said it was his idea for the character to have heterochromia, as he said he saw Grindelwald as "more than one [...] almost as though he was two people."[10]

Johnny Depp hinted that he might return to portray Gellert Grindelwald.[11] However, in November 2020, the actor announced he would not reprise the role after being asked by Warner Bros. to step down, due to negative publicity resulting from the libel case Depp v News Group Newspapers Ltd, which Depp agreed to the request and resigned.[12] Regardless, his contract stipulated that he be paid regardless of whether the film was completed or not.[13] Depp's salary was reportedly somewhere between $10–16 million.[14] Jude Law stated in an interview with Entertainment Tonight that Johnny Depp shot a day's worth of scenes for Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, speculating it was on his own.[15]

On 25 November, Warner Bros. announced that Mads Mikkelsen would replace Johnny Depp in the role of Gellert Grindelwald.[16] On replacing Depp, Mikkelsen noted that it would be a "creative suicide" to copy Depp's "masterful" portrayal as Grindelwald, having developed his own take on the character, and admitted that a "bridge" should be needed between Depp's performance and his own,[17] having been a fan of Depp since his early films.[18] Despite the release of The Secrets of Dumbledore, Mads Mikkelsen believed that Johnny Depp could return as Grindelwald in another film.[19][20]

Selective filmography[]

Year Work Award Category Result
1990 Edward Scissorhands Golden Globe Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy Nominated
1993 Benny & Joon Golden Globe Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy Nominated
MTV Movie Best Comedic Performance Nominated
1994 Ed Wood Golden Globe Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy Nominated
1999 Sleepy Hollow Satellite Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy Nominated
Saturn Best Actor Nominated
2001 From Hell Saturn Best Actor Nominated
2003 Once Upon a Time in Mexico Satellite Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Comedy or Musical Nominated
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl Academy Best Actor Nominated
BAFTA Film Best Actor in a Leading Role Nominated
Empire Best Actor Won
Golden Globe Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy Nominated
IFTA Best International Actor Won
MTV Movie Best Male Performance Won
Best Comedic Performance Nominated
Satellite Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy Nominated
Saturn Best Actor Nominated
Teen Choice Choice Movie: Fight Won
Choice Movie: Liar Won
2004 Finding Neverland Academy Best Actor Nominated
BAFTA Film Best Actor in a Leading Role Nominated
Golden Globe Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama Nominated
Satellite Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama Nominated
Saturn Best Actor Nominated
Teen Choice Choice Movie Actor: Drama Nominated
2005 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Golden Globe Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy Nominated
IFTA Best International Actor Nominated
Teen Choice Choice Movie Actor: Comedy Won
2006 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest Golden Globe Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy Nominated
MTV Movie Best Performance Won
Teen Choice Choice Movie Actor: Action Won
2007 Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End MTV Movie Best Comedic Performance Won
Teen Choice Choice Movie Actor: Action Won
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Academy Best Actor Nominated
Golden Globe Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy Won
MTV Movie Best Villain Won
Saturn Best Actor Nominated
Teen Choice Choice Movie: Villain Won
2009 Public Enemies Satellite Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama Nominated
Teen Choice Choice Summer Movie Star: Male Nominated
2010 Alice in Wonderland Golden Globe Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy Nominated
The Tourist Golden Globe Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy Nominated
Teen Choice Choice Movie Actor: Action Won
2011 Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides Teen Choice Choice Movie Actor: Sci-Fi/Fantasy Nominated
Rango Teen Choice Choice Movie: Voice Won
2014 Into the Woods Satellite Best Ensemble – Motion Picture Won
2015 Black Mass Satellite Best Actor Nominated
2016 Alice Through the Looking Glass N/A
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
2017 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales Teen Choice Choice Movie Actor: Action Nominated
Murder on the Orient Express N/A
2018 Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald Teen Choice Choice Movie: Villain Nominated

Behind the scenes[]

External links[]

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Notes and references[]

  1. IMDb favicon Johnny Depp at the Internet Movie Database
  2. 2.0 2.1 "Johnny Depp Debuts Bold New Haircut, Gushes About Daughter Lily-Rose's Chanel Modeling: 'She's Killing It'" at Entertainment Tonight Online
  3. "Johnny Depp Joins J.K. Rowling’s ‘Fantastic Beasts’ Sequel — And May Even Be In The First Film" at ETCanada.com
  4. ‘Fantastic Beasts 2’: Johnny Depp Confirmed as Grindelwald; Setting Revealed
  5. Davids Yates and Heyman Spill Fantastic Beasts Secrets: Paris, Dumbledore, Depp, Credence and more!
  6. JK Rowling addresses Johnny Depp casting in Fantastic Beasts for first time
  7. Grindelwald casting - J.K. Rowling - Archived
  8. Johnny Depp Surprises Comic-Con as His Dark Fantastic Beasts Character: 'The Moment Has Come' - People.com
  9. Johnny Depp invades Fantastic Beasts 2 Comic-Con panel dressed as Grindelwald - Digital Spy
  10. Johnny Depp breaks silence on Fantastic Beasts sequel role - Entertainment Weekly
  11. Johnny Depp on 'The Crimes of Grindelwald' and His Most Iconic Roles - Collider - Archived
  12. Johnny Depp Forced to Exit 'Fantastic Beasts' Franchise - Variety - Archived
  13. Behind Warner Bros.' Decision to Sever Ties With Johnny Depp - The Hollywood Reporter - Archived
  14. "He's Radioactive": Inside Johnny Depp's Self-Made Implosion - The Hollywood Reporter - Archived
  15. Jude law talking about Johnny Depp in Fantastic Beasts 3
  16. Johnny Depp Leaves Role Of Grindelwald For Fantastic Beasts 3
  17. Mads Mikkelsen on Replacing Johnny Depp in 'Fantastic Beasts 3': "You Have to Make It Your Own" - Collider - Archived
  18. Fantastic Beasts 3's Mads Mikkelsen Just Compared His Grindelwald To Johnny Depp's - CinemaBlend - Archived
  19. Johnny Depp could return as Grindelwald in future Fantastic Beasts film,says Mads Mikkelsen - Marca
  20. Mads Mikkelsen on Why Johnny Depp Might Return to Fantastic Beasts - GameRant
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