Throughout his lengthy career in Hollywood, Johnny Depp has been widely regarded as an astounding actor, and he's also made groundbreaking moves as a musician. Before connecting with his long-time pal, Nicolas Cage, who would later convince him to focus his full attention on acting, Johnny had already worked with Iggy Pop. Depp had even recorded a song with Oasis.
His work in music and film earned him a whopping $200 million. Despite his fame and fortune, life hasn't always been easy for Depp. He once battled substance addiction. The A-list star was a troubled teenager and the fact that he managed to get sober in time for his first big shot in Hollywood was impressive, to say the least.
From almost losing his daughter, Lily-Rose, who caught a deadly infection in 2007, to once being known for handing out $50 and $100 to homeless people outside of his L.A. nightclub, The Viper Room...here are some of the most forgotten facts about Johnny Depp and his showbiz career.
20 He Had A Troubled Upbringing
Johnny Depp wasn’t any different from the average teenager growing up, but his life appeared to spiral out of control after his parents divorced. Depp turned to alcohol and drugs to cope with the pain, and self-harm wasn’t out of the question, either. It took the actor a long time before he would break this cycle and focus his attention on sobriety.
19 He Dropped Out Of High School
When Johnny was just 15 years old, he decided to drop out of high school. He had a growing passion for music that he wanted to pursue. And, when he got cold feet about not having an education, he decided to go back to school but school administrators refused to take him back. Fans can see how well that worked out for him.
18 He Once Opened Up For Legendary Rocker Iggy Pop
When Johnny formed his band, The Kids, he relocated to Los Angeles in the hopes of finding success in the City of Angels. There, Depp would go on to perform as the opening act for the punk icon, Iggy Pop. Despite the exposure this brought, Johnny's band never really attained commercial success.
17 Marrying Amber Heard Was His Second Marriage, Not His First
Before Johnny Depp married Amber Heard, he previously tied the knot with Lori Anne Allison, who was the sister of the bass player in one of his bands. The couple tied the knot in 1983, but just three years after getting married, Johnny and Lori were ready to call it quits. They wanted to move on from their relationship.
16 Nicolas Cage Helped Kick Off His Career
It was Nicolas Cage who convinced Johnny Depp that acting was a career path he needed to pursue. The two met through Johnny’s ex-wife, Lori Anne Allison, and from their first get-together, Cage was certain that Depp had enough talent to become an A-lister. The two have remained friends ever since.
15 He Famously Starred In ‘A Nightmare On Elm Street’
Depp’s first major role in a blockbuster hit came in 1984’s, with A Nightmare on Elm Street, and though he didn’t get a leading role in the motion picture, his part was big enough for most people to remember. Of course, Johnny’s younger fans may not be aware that he’s been acting for almost 40 years.
14 He’s Fun To Work With On Set
Unlike some Hollywood stars who are often bashed in the press for their diva demands and bad attitude, Johnny is very low-maintenance and pleasant. He’s the kind of person that likes to have fun on set -- of course, while the work still needs to be done, he believes that the energy on set should be positive.
13 He Used To Hand Out Money To Homeless People Outside His Nightclub
When Johnny co-owned a nightclub out in Los Angeles, he was known for handing out $50 and $100 bills to homeless people who weren’t hoping for more than a few bucks. One can only imagine how happy they were when they received such generous amounts of money from none other than Johnny Depp!
12 Disney’s ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ Producers Almost Gave Up On Johnny Depp
When Johnny Depp was screen-tested to play Captain Jack Sparrow in the ever-so-popular “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise, Disney studios reportedly weren’t impressed with the actor’s flamboyant walk or his shambolic performance. They even considered passing on Johnny and finding another actor. In the end, though, Depp remained, and the “Pirates” movies have earned the studio billions in revenue.
11 He Runs His Own Production Company
Following years of acting in front of the camera, Johnny opened his very own production company titled, Infinitum Nihil. For those who don’t know what it means, it translates from Latin as, “Nothing is Forever.” Upon launching the business, Depp positioned himself as actor, producer, and CEO of his own production company.
10 He Loves Getting New Tattoos
Johnny loves his tattoos and he’s always open to getting more. He’s explained in the past that all of his tattoos have a particular meaning and each one reminds him of a certain phase in his life. He even has a sparrow tattoo in honor of his late friend, Hunter S Thompson, in addition to dozens of other tattoos.
9 He Has A Big Heart
In 2007, his daughter, Lily-Rose, fell ill when she caught an E. coli infection. The illness caused her kidneys to fail, and many feared she wouldn’t be able to make a recovery. Fortunately, thanks to the doctors at Great Ormond Street in London, Lily-Rose survived the ordeal.
To say thank you for saving his daughter’s life, Johnny surprised the hospital staff and patients later in the year. by visiting while dressed up as Captain Jack Sparrow. He spent four hours reading and talking to sick children. In 2018, he donated £1 million to show his gratitude.
8 He Owns An Island In The Bahamas
Johnny was so wealthy (he's run into money problems recently) that he once spent a whopping $3.6 million to purchase Little Hay’s Pond Cay Island in the Bahamas. He made the splurge back in 2004, and from what’s been gathered, it is a fun vacation spot for Johnny and his children.
It is a go-to spot whenever the family requires a tropical getaway. Johnny makes good use of the island, that's for sure.
7 He Once Recorded With UK Rock Band Oasis
Johnny has also had the opportunity to record music with the UK rock band, Oasis. On their album “Be Here Now,” which came out in 1997, Depp played slide guitar on their song, "Fade In-Out", which is a pretty big deal considering how massive Oasis was back in the ‘90s. Needless to say, Depp went on to form a close friendship with Oasis band members.
6 His Principal Told Him To Pursue A Career In Music
When Johnny decided he wanted to return to school just weeks after dropping out, it was believed that his principal was the person who refused to let him come back. Johnny was told that he should follow his dreams and pursue his career in music instead. While everything ended up working out for him, Depp was never fond of not having an education.
5 He’s Never Won An Oscar
Despite his long list of credentials in Hollywood (he's starred in some of the biggest movies over his lengthy career), Johnny has yet to bag himself an Oscar at the Academy Awards. As shocking as it sounds, Johnny, who has been nominated three times, has never found himself winning the prize which every actor hopes to be presented with at some point in their career.
4 He Paid Amber Heard $7 Million In Their Divorce Settlement
When Amber Heard and Johnny Depp finally reached a settlement to try and end their divorce turmoil once and for all, the actor reportedly paid his ex-wife $7 million. Heard, who claimed she didn’t want the money, said she planned to donate that amount to charity, which added further insult to injury as the divorce was finalized.
3 He Was Infamously Arrested For Trashing His Hotel Room
In 1994, Johnny found himself behind bars after being arrested for trashing his hotel room in New York. Interestingly enough, however, Depp claimed that the damage to the room was caused by an armadillo. He said that the animal was hiding in his closet before it tore everything to pieces. Hilarious.
2 … And He Was Arrested Again For Assault A Few Years Later
And by 1999, Johnny was back in the slammer when he was once again arrested… but this time, it was for a different reason. Depp has never been fond of photographers, so when a particular group of men started photographing the actor during an outing in London, he allegedly got into things with several photogs.
1 He Was Once Considered To Play Neo In 'The Matrix'
Johnny has passed on a lot of movies during his long career, but he’s also been attached to projects that he would end losing out on. The father-of-two was supposed to have played Neo in 1999’s “The Matrix” (Will Smith was tied to the same movie at one point). In the end, it was Keanu Reeves, instead of Johnny or Will, who landed the part.