Making its entrance with the immensely triumphant The Curse of the Black Pearl, Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean stands tall among the most lucratively earning film franchises in history. Spanning five chapters, the series presently flaunts a collective box office revenue surpassing $4.5 billion. Nevertheless, despite this sustained triumph, there was an era during which neither the franchise nor its captivating lead, Johnny Depp, evoked much optimism from Disney.
Persistently committed to infusing his character, Captain Jack Sparrow, with a distinct yet fantastically idiosyncratic essence, Depp encountered a series of clashes with Disney executives. With a hefty $150 million investment at stake, the studio even began to contemplate the prospect of parting ways with Depp. Consequently, the question arises: How did the star renowned for 21 Jump Street effectively convince the studio that he was the impeccable match for the role?
Johnny Depp Made Producers Question Jack Sparrow’s Sexuality
Throughout his extensive career spanning decades, Johnny Depp has embodied a plethora of genuinely unconventional personas. Whether it’s the eccentric Edward Scissorhands in Tim Burton’s delightfully eccentric gothic romance from the 1990s or the enigmatic Willy Wonka in the 2005 rendition of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Depp, who has now reached 60 years of age, possesses an almost inherent knack for turning the quirkiest characters into captivating on-screen sensations.
Depp boldly infused his portrayal of Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean with such a multitude of idiosyncrasies that even those engaged in the film’s creation remained uncertain about the exact direction he intended for the character.
“They asked me, ‘Is he gay?’ and I answered the question over the phone,” he recalled during his interview with GQ. “It was a lady called Nina Jacobson from Disney at the time, and she asked me a couple of questions and then said, ‘What is it, Johnny? Is he gay?’ My tendency, of course, is to be irreverent so I said, ‘Nina, didn’t you know all my characters are gay?’ That was a pretty abrupt end to the conversation. And I just continued shaping Jack the way I believed was best.”
In the midst of this widespread bewilderment, Depp found himself caught in a cycle of addressing rather uncomfortable inquiries pertaining to the character’s essence.
Disney Wasn’t Sure About Johnny Depp’s Casting
As Depp recounted, Disney expressed dissatisfaction with an array of aspects concerning Captain Jack Sparrow, ranging from the character’s sexual orientation to the number of dangling adornments in his hair.
Depp disclosed, “They were certainly discontented, indeed. I mean, envision sitting in this vast conference room engaged in discussions with grown men about the tally of gold teeth and the number of dangling elements in your hair.”
Yet, Depp remained steadfast in his determination to uphold his creative vision for the character, a stance that led numerous Disney executives to believe that he might imperil the triumph of the franchise’s inaugural installment.
Pirates of the Caribbean is available for streaming on Disney+.
Source: GQ
