Johnny Depp (58) never has the first part of his extremely successful ‘Pirates of the Caribbean series’. The actor confessed this according to ‘Sky News’ on Tuesday during an interrogation in court in the American state of Virginia. Johnny spoke in the lingering libel suit he brought against his ex, Amber Heard (35).
“Suddenly we had to hire security, and I was afraid for my family’s safety”
Johnny told his entire life story in court, including his difficult childhood and the beginning of his career. The actor was immediately intrigued by the role of Captain Jack Sparrow, the recalcitrant pirate he played five times thus far. “Jack Sparrow does things I could never do myself and says things I could never say myself,” said Johnny. “It felt like a big risk to take this part and stretch the extreme character as far as possible. I thought people would accept that, just like they accept Bugs Bunny.”
He himself never saw the first part, he added: “But I think the film did quite well.” The public at the trial had to laugh at this relativization; the film grossed nearly $700 million worldwide. Later parts fared even better.
The actor said that 2003’s Pirates of the Caribbean changed his life. “Me and my family were suddenly confronted with a very different way of life than we were used to,” said Depp. “Suddenly there were people standing in front of the gate of our house in Los Angeles, wanting to see Jack Sparrow. Or climbing over the fence dressed as Jack Sparrow. We suddenly had to hire security, and I was afraid for the safety of my family.”
Johnny confessed that it was very strange to suddenly find that he ‘cannot leave the house for coffee or dinner’. The Hollywood star states that he does not want to complain about his success. “But my life suddenly became a strategic mission. I couldn’t do anything without thinking about it, not even a walk in the park.”
The actor has sued his ex Amber Heard, to whom he was married until 2016, for libel over an article she wrote for The Washington Post in 2018. The actress talks about domestic violence that she has experienced, but does not mention her ex by name. Johnny thinks it’s obvious she’s writing about him and sued her. He denies assaulting Amber.
The case started last Monday and is expected to last several weeks. In their opening statement last week, Johnny’s lawyers said, among other things, that the actor’s reputation has been seriously damaged by Amber’s allegations.
