Before the widely infamous Heard vs Depp trials, Johnny Depp had made headlines for his spectacular performance as Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean. His portrayal of Sparrow as a drunk, bull-headed leader of the ship won him many awards and fans, and the films soon became famous worldwide. However, the actor had a difficult time convincing the Disney heads that his interpretation of the character was to the point.
Johnny Depp made all his characters Gay
In an interview with Vanity Fair, Johnny Depp takes us through some unpleasant interactions he had during the filming of Pirates of the Caribbean. The actor recalls that the shooting was on but Disney was not happy with his interpretation of the character. Describing the reaction of Disney executives to the character, he said,
“They couldn’t stand him. They just couldn’t stand him. I think it was Michael Eisner, the head of Disney at the time, who was quoted as saying, ‘He’s ruining the movie.'”
These comments by the head of Disney could not pierce through Depp’s thick skin, so he continued his performance and remained unfazed.
However, the executives at Disney were still not happy, Depp revealed,
“Upper-echelon Disney-ites, going, What’s wrong with him? Is he, you know, like some kind of weird simpleton? Is he drunk? By the way, is he gay?”.
This opened a window for Depp who promptly replied, “But didn’t you know that all my characters are gay?”, Depp added saying, “Which made her really nervous.”
The bold move by the actor is true to his on-screen and off-screen characters. Depp like Jack Sparrow is bullheaded when it comes to it, and purposefully says things that spite others. It reveals a lot about Disney’s inclusivity and tolerance, even though after numerous allegations the franchise has been trying to push its limits and be inclusive, it is not nearly enough. The actor is known and loved for his quirky roles in films like Alice in Wonderland playing the Mad Hatter, Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.
Johnny Depp plans to make a comeback
After the infamously televised trial, Depp will appear on screen with La Favorite, where the actor will be seen as Louis XV, the King of France, alongside his beloved mistress, Jeanne du Barry, played by Maïwenn. La Favorite follows the story of Jeanne du Barry who was Louis XV’s last mistress. She was born poor but climbed the social ladder using her wits and looks, becoming the perfect companion for the king of France.
The actor plans to make a more silent return to the theatres, contrary to what his diehard fans want, which is for him to reprise his role as Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. Pirates producer Jerry Bruckheimer has not ruled out the possibility altogether, but for now, Depp is taking small steps.
La Favorite will be followed by Johnny Puff Secret Mission, an Italian film.
Source: TheAtlantic
