Many of the biggest stars in the world of acting have other artistic endeavors they take part in. Robert Downey Jr. has made music, Brad Pitt does pottery, and other stars have also taken to unique ways to express themselves.
Johnny Depp is a star with a passion for music. He has a band called The Hollywood Vampires, but this love has made its way to the big screen by way of Depp being featured in multiple musicals.
In the '90s, Depp starred in Cry-Baby, a musical that's become a cult classic. Depp was great in it, but did he do his own singing? We have the answer below!
Johnny Depp Is A Huge Star
The 1980s was the decade that brought Johnny Depp into the mainstream. During that decade, Depp was a featured actor on TV, starring on 21 Jump Street early in his career. He was also in A Nightmare on Elm Street, one of the most iconic horror movies of all time. It was a great start, but Depp wanted more.
The 1990s saw the actor ditch TV work for film, and in due time, Depp blazed a trail that few could follow. He was more than willing to take on oddities on the big screen, and his character work showed the world that he was far more than just that guy from 21 Jump Street.
Over time, Depp continued finding success on the big screen. This, in turn, helped him become a bankable star that major studios wanted to work with. Eventually, Disney cashed in with the star.
Depp helped thePirates of the Caribbean franchise set sail from Disneyland to the big screen, and the franchise remains a classic of its era. He also helped propel the first Alice in Wonderland film the massive box office numbers.
People have long been familiar with Johnny Depp the actor, as they've only gotten glimpses of Johnny Depp the musician.
Depp Has A Musical Side
Like most movie stars, Johnny Depp has an artistic side to him that has manifested in the music sphere. Depp is by no means a major musician, but he has flashed his abilities a few times through the years.
When it comes to cranking out tunes, Depp is the guitarist for The Hollywood Vampires, a star-studded band featuring the likes of Alice Cooper and Joe Perry of Aerosmith.
Alice Cooper previously spoke about the group, saying, "That’s a very odd thing about this. You’ve got three alpha males who are used to running the show, and all of a sudden, three guys are sitting there with zero arguments. The whole thing is, ‘OK, let’s try that.'"
On the big screen, Depp has acted in couple musicals. In the '90s, he starred in Cry-Baby, and years later, he starred in Sweeney Todd, which was directed by Tim Burton.
Cry-Baby is a cult classic and fan favorite, and for years now, people have wondered if Depp was actually singing in the movie.
Did He Actually Sing In 'Cry-Baby'?
So, did Johnny Depp actually do his singing in Cry-Baby all those years ago? Hate to break it to you, folks, but Depp was not the one singing in the cult classic.
"I actually did do a musical many years ago with John Waters called Cry-Baby, but technically it was only half me - it wasn't me singing," he told IGN.
Depp did, however, tell IGN that he was the one singing in Sweeney Todd, something that proved difficult at first.
"Tim's the only person brave enough to actually let me try to sing. It was the first time I'd ever sung - I'd never even sung in the shower, I'm too mortified. But once I got over the initial fear it was kind of enjoyable. Sondheim's melodies and lyrics are a real pleasure to tromp around in, it's really beautiful stuff," Depp said.
It's a bummer that he didn't get to sing in Cry-Baby, but kudos to Tim Burton for getting Depp to showcase his singing abilities in their musical venture.
During that same interview, the actor was asked if he would be okay with doing another musical in the future.
"Would I ever do it again? No, I doubt it," he said.
Johnny Depp did a great job singing and performing in Sweeney Todd, one of his most underrated films to date. While Cry-Baby is solid to this day, we do have to wonder how much better it would have been if Depp got to sing in the movie.