Along with numerous nominations for Academy Awards and British Academy Film Awards, Depp has won a number of honours, including a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award.
Before becoming well-known for his work on the TV series 21 Jump Street, Depp made his acting debut in the 1984 horror film A Nightmare on Elm Street. Depp played eccentric characters frequently in independent films during the 1990s. He also started working with Tim Burton, appearing in his films Sleepy Hollow (1999), Ed Wood (1994), and Edward Scissorhands (1990).
During the 2000s, Depp’s role as Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series helped him establish himself as one of the most financially lucrative movie stars.
Finally, with earnings of $75 million, he was recognised as the highest-paid actor in the world by Guinness World Records. In the 2010s, Depp founded the rock supergroup Hollywood Vampires with Joe Perry and Alice Cooper. He also started producing films through his company Infinitum Nihil. Depp has undoubtedly taken on ground-breaking roles over the years. His top works are listed below.
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Black Mass (2015):
Based on the true story of FBI informant and Irish Mob godfather James “Whitey” Bulger (Depp), who struck a “secret trading” deal with his brother William “Billy” Bulger (Benedict Cumberbatch), as well as FBI agent John Connolly (Joel Edgerton). Their plans to take down the Boston mafia and the Italian mob went awry, and things became extremely violent.
In general, reviews were favourable, and the $53 million budgeted production brought in $99 million. Depp’s leading role is both spooky and endearing, giving him yet another juicy role to add to his filmography that completely changes the way he appears physically.
Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003):
The acclaimed director Robert Rodriguez immediately released one for the adults after the success of Spy Kids. There was a fantastic ensemble film set in Mexico before Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood. In the movie Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Depp co-stars as a cunning CIA agent who will use any pretext to further his goals.
You should watch this one just for the chilling scene where he kills a chef because the food is too good and he needs to “restore balance” by doing so. Rodriguez’s movie, which also stars Salma Hayek and Antonio Banderas, is suspenseful from start to finish, as evidenced by the screenshot above of the equally terrifying third-act scene where he wanders the streets blinded.
The Lone Ranger (2013):
Even though it might not be Depp’s most well-known movie, this one is still well worth seeing. One man is compelled to seek justice outside the law during the time when gangs and gunslingers ruled the American West. Depp plays Tonto, an American Indian who works with the Lone Ranger (Armie Hammer) to track down the person responsible for the Ranger’s brother’s murder in the film The Lone Ranger.
Depp did extensive research into the culture he was portraying in the movie, despite the fact that there may have been some controversy surrounding his casting. Depp not only deserves praise for his endearing and humorous interpretation of this iconic character, but he also demonstrated his commitment to acting both on and off camera.
Finding Neverland (2004):
Depp stars in the funny and moving movie Finding Neverland alongside Kate Winslet and Freddie Highmore. Depp portrays Sir James Matthew Barrie, the author of the play that became Peter Pan. Sir Barrie meets Sylvia (Winsel) and her four young sons after struggling to write a successful play. He eventually develops into a father figure for the family, engaging in creative games with the kids and making everyone smile. The boys, in particular Peter (Highmore), don’t want to grow up and realise that their mother has a terminal illness and that their father has passed away. Playing with the kids on numerous afternoons is what spurs Sir Barrie to write his masterpiece.
Anyone could get teary-eyed watching the movie’s plot, but Depp’s performance and that of his talented cast mates are enough to bring anyone to tears. Depp truly captures what it’s like to be free as a child who never really grew up, but he also makes everyone laugh with the movie’s characters.
Minamata (2020):
In 1971, New York. W. Eugene Smith (Depp) is now a recluse who is cut off from society and his career after his illustrious days as one of the most renowned photojournalists of World War II. However, a covert assignment from Life magazine editor Robert Hayes (Bill Nighy) directs him to Minamata, a coastal city in Japan that has been devastated by mercury poisoning. Smith becomes fully absorbed in the local culture there.
Minamata, which will be released in the United States in February 2022, is a must-see movie, with Depp carrying the emotional load as Smith with his loving, selfless performance. He posted on social media about the premiere of Minamata, which indicates that he is genuinely excited about the movie.
Additionally, it’s a sweet gesture on the part of his followers to support the movie in the newly established Oscars Fan Favourite category.
What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (1993):
Who Is Eating A young Leonardo DiCaprio appears in the 1993 American coming-of-age drama Gilbert Grape in an Oscar-nominated performance. It centres on Gilbert (Depp), a 24-year-old grocery store clerk who lives in a sleepy Iowa town with his obese mother (Darlene Cates) and his younger brother (DiCaprio), who has intellectual disabilities.
The screenplay was written by Lucas Hedges’ father, Peter Hedges, and is based on his 1991 novel of the same name. Several locations in Texas were used for the filming. The fictional working-class one-street town of Endora serves as the setting for this beautifully shot film, which also incorporates relatable themes of tenderness, caring, and self-awareness.
Although the 19-year-old DiCaprio received his first Academy Award and Golden Globe Award nominations for the well-received movie, Depp equally carried the picture. It was captivating to watch him play the conflicted older brother.
Donnie Brasco (1997):
Donnie Brasco, a true story-based film, follows FBI agent Joe Pistone (Depp) as he infiltrates the New York mafia. Pistone is able to ensconce himself in a mafia faction headed by Sonny Black (Michael Madsen) by befriending Lefty Ruggiero (Al Pacino) under the guise of Donnie Brasco. As the group proceeds with the money collection, Ruggiero and Pistone become closer. Pistone continues to gather proof covertly throughout. Pistone, however, is unable to handle the demanding undercover work.
Bruno Kirby, James Russo, and Anne Heche all played supporting roles in the 1997 movie, which was helmed by Mike Newell. It was written by Paul Attanasio and is based on Joseph D. Pistone and Richard Woodley’s nonfiction bookDonnie Brasco: My Undercover Life in the Mafia, published in 1988.
The movie received favourable reviews from critics and was a box office hit, earning $124.9 million against its $35 million budget. The movie received a well-deserved Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. Furthermore, considering Depp’s 1990s trend of portraying otherwise bizarre characters, it was refreshing to see him in this juicy role and playing it straight.
Ed Wood (1994):
Ed Wood, a director, was an outcast in Hollywood due to his odd habits and bizarre productions. However, the director was able to realise his cinematic visions with the aid of the formerly well-known Bela Lugosi and a dedicated cast and crew of show business misfits. Ed and his friends produced a series of oddly endearing films on a very small budget, despite neither receiving positive reviews nor finding much success in the box office.
Ed Wood, a biographical dramedy that Tim Burton both directed and produced, starred Johnny Depp as the eminent filmmaker. The movie follows Wood’s relationship with actor Bela Lugosi (played by Oscar winner Martin Landau) during the time when he made some of his most well-known films.
The supporting cast includes Bill Murray, Patricia Arquette, Jeffrey Jones, and Sarah Jessica Parker.
Although the movie was a financial failure, making only $5.9 million on a $18 million budget, it was well received by critics upon release, with praise for Depp and Landau’s performances in particular. It eventually earned two Academy Awards and became a cult classic. Depp was hilarious and endearing as an inexperienced filmmaker making an effort in Hollywood.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005):
Depp collaborated with director Tim Burton, actor Freddie Highmore, and others once more on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Chocolate maker Willy Wonka (Depp) runs a fantastic, fantastical candy factory. He invites five kids to come over, and whoever is the least rotten will be his successor in order to find someone he can trust to inherit the factory.
Wonka, a giant man-child who essentially lives alone, is one of Depp’s more outlandish characters. It’s challenging not to like this social outcast because Depp endows him with so much charm and humour. He knew that his performance would be compared to Gene Wilder’s earlier portrayal of Willy Wonka, so he had some big shoes to fill.
Although Wilder’s portrayal of the character was legendary, Depp reimagined the role for the 2005 remake. In the Wonka of 2023, it will be interesting to compare Timothee Chalamet’s performance to that of the two notorious actors who came before him.
Edward Scissorhands (1990):
Here’s yet another incredible tale about a totally different “Ed.” In the astonishing 1990 picture Edward Scissorhands, directed by Tim Burton, we encounter an inventor’s greatest creation: Edward, a nearly perfect human being. The designer, however, went away before he could finish creating Edward’s hands, leaving only scissors. Since then, he has been living alone, but a lovely woman named Winona Ryder discovers him and invites him into her home. At first, everyone welcomes him into the neighbourhood, but soon, things start to go south.
In Burton’s fantasy romance film, Depp portrays the title role. Vincent Price, Kathy Baker, Alan Arkin, and Anthony Michael Hall all had supporting parts.
Before Depp was cast, several actors, including Tom Cruise, Tom Hanks, and Gary Oldman, were linked to the lead role of Edward.
When Edward Scissorhands was released, it received favourable reviews from critics and was a commercial success, earning more than $20 million more than it cost. The movie was nominated for numerous Oscars, Saturn Awards, and British Academy Film Awards, and it also won the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation. Edward Scissorhands continues to be regarded as Burton and Elfman’s most recognisable and favourite work.
Despite the fantastical aspects of the story, Depp made Edward such a likeable and relatable protagonist who merely wanted to fit in.
Pirates of the Caribbean (2003):
Then there is Captain Jack Sparrow, also known as Jack Sparrow. Who would have imagined that producer Jerry Bruckheimer could transform a thrilling ride at Disney World into a film that was nominated for an Oscar? The action-packed story follows the search for the governor’s kidnapped daughter (Kiera Knightley) by a shrewd pirate and a cunning blacksmith (Orlando Bloom).
Gore Verbinski, who also directed The Ring and Rango, was the director of the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. The movie exceeded everyone’s expectations at the box office, earning $654.3 million worldwide to rank fourth in 2003 despite having low expectations. Critics gave it generally favourable reviews, praising Depp’s performance across the board.
After many years as a cult movie star, it has been widely acknowledged that this was the movie that made Depp a box office success. Depp was recognised with the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role and received nominations for Best Actor at the Golden Globes, BAFTAs, and Academy Awards.
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