Work - Part 1
- Johnny has described his first acting job as selling ball point pens over the phone - he did this to earn some extra money.
- His first wife, Lori, introduced him to Nicolas Cage. Cage advised Depp to pursue a career in acting and contact his agent.
- Depp’s first major film role - which he obtained by accident - was in the 1984 horror A Nightmare on Elm Street.
- Johnny always chose acting roles which he found interesting rather than those that were huge box office earners.
- Johnny’s second film role was initially going to be the 1986 film Thrashin’, where he was cast alongside then-fiancé Sherilyn Fenn. However, Johnny was dropped by the film’s producer, a decision he probably came to regret!
- Ironically, the role went to Josh Brolin - who later turned down the role that rocketed Johnny’s profile in 21 Jump Street.
- One of Johnny’s many collaborations with Tim Burton first came in 1990, when Johnny played the lead role alongside girlfriend Winona Ryder in Edward Scissorhands.
- Johnny has a naked scene fifteen minutes into his role in the mostly-forgotten film Private Resort - but not even that was enough for the movie to warrant good reviews.
- Just when Johnny was about to give up on acting, a script for platoon was posted through his door, advising him to audition for the role of Lerner. He was in fact originally considered for the lead role - however, he was too young and at the time unknown.
- Johnny refused to appear in an episode of 21 Jump Street about a high school student who is murdered because of moral issues.