Johnny Depp in an interview
For the theatrical release of "Pirates of the Caribbean 4" reveals Johnny Depp, why in private there is an adventurer.
Almost shy
Strikingly casual, Johnny Depp enters the luxury Paris hotel "Le Meurice": he wears a gray shirt with open cuffs, torn jeans and a hat on his long hair.
Photo: Getty Images
But in conversation, the actor comes across very differently than one would expect from one of the biggest Hollywood stars. His eyes - half hidden behind a dark horn-rimmed glasses - seem shy, the voice sounds muffled, almost timid.
JOY: In the new "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie, you slip back into the role of Captain Jack Sparrow. Is not it getting boring to play a pirate for the fourth time now? Johnny Depp: Why should it? After all, that role has changed my life! When we shot the last scenes of the third part at the end of 2006, I was really sad and kept coming up with new takes that we still had to film. When the last word fell I even had tears in my eyes.
Is there a buccaneer who wants to explore the oceans in your private life - much more than today? Thanks to my family, I'm not that restless anymore. When I started in Hollywood, my motto was: Take the rich and give to the poor - so me (laughs). Ultimately, I have always lived a gypsy life. Already as a child I had to move constantly and as a teenager I went on tour with my band regularly. I am still commuting between southern France, our island in the Bahamas and Los Angeles.
Is not that a burden on your two children? For four years our main residence in the US is because Jack and Lily-Rose go to school there. And when I'm on film shoots, they accompany me more often. The travels broaden their horizons, making them more tolerant of things that others find strange.
Do you also react more calmly to paparazzi? Absolutely. Lily-Rose and Jack grew up with it. Also, the photographers are not hunting as aggressively as we used to. Meanwhile, we can go back to restaurants and people mostly respect our privacy. We prefer to be home anyway.
"I think I'm a good father" Her new "Pirates of the Caribbean" colleague Penélope Cruz recently founded a family. Did you give her tips as a father of two? No, I learned something from her - Spanish! I can now ask for the toilet (laughs). When we were shooting in Puerto Rico, she also taught me some phrases, which she then used to test passersby. When people reacted in shock, I realized that she had played a trick on me and taught bad words. What those were, I conceal rather!
Do you find it sexy when a woman proves humor? Yes, I like it when women make me laugh! Sexy, on the other hand, I find a healthy self-confidence - not to be confused with arrogance. If a woman knows exactly what she wants and knows her strengths, then in my eyes she radiates true beauty.
Does that also apply to your partner Vanessa Paradis? Vanessa has the reins in our hands. She has so much power, I admire that. At first she enchanted me but first optically. In 1998, I shot "The Nine Doors" in Paris. As I walked through the lobby of my hotel, I discovered from far away the most beautiful back I had ever seen. Suddenly the woman turned around and it was Vanessa. At that moment, I knew: It had always happened to me!
And what are your strengths? I believe that I am a good father. My children can hopefully confirm that. It was always important for me to stay true to myself. In the meantime, I have achieved everything in life that I ever wanted.
When will we see you again without pirate costume? In the fall I come to the cinema with the drama "The Rum Diary". In it I play a journalist who spends his time in bars rather than at his desk. The role is in my blood. After all, my grandfather was an alcohol smuggler (laughs).
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