Johnny Depp is one of the most recognized stars in Hollywood, but it was not always like that. Before Depp reached the fame that he has today, he had a job that may surprise you. It involved Depp having to make up fake names for himself, and he didn’t care much. Let’s take a closer look at Depp’s career, the roles that made him famous, and the pre-fame work he had that he called “just awful.”
Depp’s first breakout role was in the television drama 21 Jump Street. Since then, he has become one of the most recognized protagonists in the world.
Depp’s career has spanned more than three decades. He has been a versatile actor, capable of delivering solid performances in comedies, dramas, and big-budget movies alike.
Depp has appeared in some major franchises (more on that below), but cinematically speaking, it was his collaboration with Tim Burton that brought him into the mainstream. Burton directed Depp in Edward Scissorhands. The quirky movie was a huge success and made Depp a huge star.
He has performed consistently excellent performances. Not all of his movies are hits, but Depp hasn’t been long in his career without one.
The roles that made Johnny Depp famous
As noted above, Depp’s had a long and successful career. He has done a few smaller movies, but has also appeared in many blockbusters.
In the early 2000s, Depp was making great performances in movies like Blow, but his A-List status was fading a bit. That’s when Disney came along. They cast Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow in the adventure film Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl. The film was a huge box office success, spawning an entire franchise of which Depp was the central star.
Moved Depp into a new stratosphere. He used to be a highly respected superstar. Now? He can call himself one of the biggest box office draws of all time.
However, that wasn’t the only franchise Depp joined. Disney also cast him as The Mad Hatter in two Alice in Wonderland films. He would later appear in the Harry Potter universe as the evil wizard Grindelwald in the series The Fantastic Beasts.
Depp’s time in Hollywood has been delightful for the most part, although he has had his fair share of setbacks, challenges, and negative headlines. But it’s safe to say that Depp wouldn’t trade his current acting job for the one he had before he became famous.
In a conversation with Iggy Pop for Interview Magazine, Depp talked about one of the jobs he had before becoming a famous movie star. He held a less than glamorous position as a telemarketer.
According to Depp, he had to invent new identities for himself on a daily basis.
“I sold pens, over the phone. But the beauty of the concert was that you had to call these strangers and say, “Hi, how are you?” You made up a name like, “Hey, I’m Edward Quartermaine from California. You’re eligible to receive this grandfather clock or a trip to Tahiti.” You promise them all these things if they buy a bunch of pens. It was horrible. But actually I think that was the first experience I had with acting. ”
To say that Depp had a humble beginning would be an understatement. But the experience clearly gave Depp a chance to pretend that he was someone he wasn’t. While that’s a far cry from prancing around like Jack Sparrow, it’s what got him started on his path to stardom.