Raoul Duke is the main character of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Johnny Depp plays the antihero remarkably well, but he’s not quite as likable as some of the other Johnny Depp characters on this list, which is why we are ranking him lower – much lower.
The very strange film was directed by none other than Terry Gilliam, who is known for making rather strange movies but this one was definitely a miss. The surreal film was mostly forgettable, so much so that we really can’t figure out what else to say about it other than we probably won’t bother to rewatch it.
For fans of the original soap opera, the Dark Shadows film adaptation was a bit of a disappointment. But if you are familiar with the work of Tim Burton, you should have seen it coming that he’d take some liberties with the source material. In the film, Johnny Depp plays Barnabas Collins, a vampire.
It was the first Johnny Depp character that was a vampire, which generated anticipation for the film. And while he played it funny, that wasn’t necessarily what people expected from the film, and to that extent, the character was a disappointment to fans. Johnny Depp looked exceedingly strange in the role as well, whereas in the show, Barnabas looks somewhat normal.
Nightmare on Elm Street was Johnny Depp’s film debut, so it would feel wrong not to include his character, Glen Lantz, the boyfriend of Nancy Thomas, the film’s main protagonist. But we have to say that his role in the film is rather short as he ends up being Freddy Krueger’s third victim.
Interestingly, Johnny Depp got the role because Wes Craven's daughter Jessica thought that Johnny Depp was dreamy, and who are we to argue? It was definitely a different role for Depp because in the film, he’s actually a bit of a jock, wearing a Jersey and playing football in high school.
Lerner was another one of Johnny Depp’s earlier film roles, but much like Nightmare on Elm Street, it was a fairly small role. The film stars Charlie Sheen, and Johnny Depp is only a secondary character at best. As an infantryman for Bravo Company, the 25th Infantry Division, he was your typical Vietnam side character.
His role was so small in fact, that there is no closure for the character at all. You never know what happens to him after the events of the film. Of course, that’s mostly because everything is from the perspective of Charlie Sheen’s character, and Johnny’s role is just one of many in the film.
Gene Watson was unlike most other Johnny Depp roles. He wasn’t dark, eccentric, quirky, or seductive in any way. In Nick of Time, also starring Christopher Walken, Johnny Depp plays an ordinary man, a mere accountant caught in a political assassination scheme, hired to unalive a politician to save his kidnapped daughter.
The movie takes place in real time, creating a sense of urgency and immersion. The political action thriller was a first for Johnny Depp and compelling when you are watching it but ultimately not too memorable after it's over. Still, Johnny Depp plays his character well and it's cool to see him butt heads with Mr. Walken.
Don Juan DeMarco was one of Johnny Depp’s best films of the early ‘90s, which also starred Faye Dunaway and the great Marlon Brando. In it, Johnny Depp plays John Arnold DeMarco, who adopts the persona of Don Juan DeMarco, a legendary womanizer. But after an attempt to euthanize himself, he’s sent to see a therapist.
Marlon Brando plays Dr. Jack Mickler, who is DeMarco’s therapist, in one of Brando’s more understated roles. While it may not be one of Johnny Depp’s best films, he plays it well, and you can’t help yourself but fall in love with the illustrious Johnny Depp character and his whimsical fantasies.
Mort Rainey was seemingly another “ordinary man” role for Mr. Depp, but in this psychological thriller, Secret Window (Based on a Stephen King novella), he wasn’t as he seemed. As an unsuccessful mystery writer, Mort Rainey is struggling, accused of plagiarism, while dealing with a slew of personal problems, including dealing with his wife having an affair.
He then becomes involved in a life-threatening mystery. But as the story unravels, we get a complete 180 in terms of storytelling. While we empathize with Mort to an extent, by the end of the story, we realize that Mort Rainey is delusional and has been unaliving people the whole time, burying them under his garden.
In Public Enemies, notorious bank robber John Dillinger, played by Johnny Depp faces off against FBI Melvin Purvis, played by Christian Bale, in a film based on a true story. The exciting thriller shows the exploits of Dillinger and Purvis’s relentless pursuit of Dillinger during the 1930’s, when the great depression was at its height.
During a time when Johnny Depp was known for his exceedingly quirky characters, this was one of the more nuanced Johnny Depp characters in his filmography. While much of the film is fictionalized to an extent, the film has been praised for its historical accuracy to an extent that some parts of the film are a bit slow.
In the film based on a graphic novel by Alan Moore, Johnny Depp plays Inspector Frederick Abberline, a detective who is actively pursuing the infamous Jack the Ripper while being aided by psychic hallucinations due to his poppy addiction. Of course, Jack the Ripper is never caught because he was never caught in real life.
It was a dark role for Mr. Depp, but he handled it excellently, even if the movie overall was only so-so. The film also starred Heather Graham, as well as the late Ian Holm and Robbie Coltrane, but of course, it was Johnny Depp who stole the show. The film has only a 57% score on Rotten Tomatoes, which is, in part, why it ranks lower on our list.
One of the few animated Johnny Depp characters, Victor Van Dort, is the main protagonist in Tim Burton’s stop-motion animated film. Set in Victorian London, Johnny Depp’s voice acting brings the character to life, giving him the charm and wit that we’ve come to expect from the veteran actor.
The film was based on a Jewish folktale from the 17th century. And while the whimsical fantasy might not have been a classic like A Nightmare Before Christmas, but fans of Tim Burton’s aesthetic got plenty of enjoyment from the film, nonetheless. It was even nominated for Best Animated Feature at the 78th Academy Awards.
In the 2017 adaptation of Agatha Christie’s novel, starring Kenneth Branagh as Hercule Poirot and a huge ensemble of major film actors, Johnny Depp plays Edward Rachet, the victim in the film, giving the actor only a seemingly small part to play, but through flashbacks, we learn the truth. Spoilers ahead!
In reality, Edward Rachet was just an alias and his real name is revealed to be Lanfranco Cassetti, a known criminal, making him actually the main antagonist of the film. Johnny Depp played the character so well, you understood by the end of the film just why everyone wanted to unalive him.
One of the most memorable Johnny Depp characters in recent years was his portrayal of notorious Boston gangster James "Whitey" Bulger in the 2015 film Black Mass. Depp's transformation into the ruthless criminal was nothing short of remarkable, as he completely immersed himself in the role while terrifying audiences - showing a side of Depp we'd never thought we'd see.
With his receding hairline, piercing blue eyes, and chilling demeanor, Depp captured the essence of Whitey Bulger, delivering a performance that really showcased his versatility as an actor. His transformation as a real-life figure was nothing short of terrifying, as you never knew what Whitey Bulger would do next.
William Blake was easily the quirkiest of Johnny Depp characters in his early career. An accountant making his way to the old west, Blake turns outlaw after discovering the job position he was after has already been filled. Of course, a lot happens between then, but that’s the gist of it.
The experimental arthouse film is strange to be sure, but if you love Johnny Depp, or westerns in general, it sure is a blast. And as you would expect from the character’s name, the film includes numerous references to William Blake’s poetry, so it’s a film for poet lovers too!
The look that launched 1000 hearts beating is by far the easiest. Banking on his movie star good looks and smoldering appeal, producers didn’t want to change much about Johnny for 21 Jump Street. The premise of the series is that all of the officers have such youthful appearances that they’re able to do undercover work in high schools or colleges, where they investigate drug abuse or hate crimes.
As Depp’s’ first role, he even introduced an odd character quirk--the character’s obsession with peanut butter. While it didn’t make it into the TV show, the movie producers were more than happy to oblige. Johnny Depp made a surprising return to his role in the 2012 film version of 21 Jump Street starring Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill.
In the first of their legacy of collaborations, Tim Burton and Johnny Depp teamed up to bring this character to life that has scissors for hands. The studio wanted Gary Oldman or Tom Hanks (both turned down the role), which is lucky for audiences and Burton, who saw Depp connect with the character both personally and emotionally. Depp studied Charlie Chaplin films in order to create sympathy without dialogue.
The character is based on a drawing from a teenage Tim Burton that reflected his feelings of isolation. Perhaps the most telling of all was the intensity of the physical transformation--makeup took a little over 2 hours with 2 artists working daily. The scissor hands were a mash-up of different techniques until they figured them out and then proceeded to make them into prosthetics. Costuming presented a challenge as much of the costume was pulled from the 19th century with old bits and pieces of vinyl and leather. In the end, they only had two costumes because materials were limited.
In his portrayal of an illiterate, eccentric fellow who falls in love with a schizophrenic girl, Depp invoked the ghost of Buster Keaton to create the character of Sam. If you don’t know what that is, Google it and make sure you watch. Depp takes the physical comedy to a 12 on a scale of one to ten.
Depp intensely studied the films of Buster Keaton, from his arrival on a train to the manner of speech that he uses. While the film is largely out of circulation now, it's still worth watching to enjoy the physical, often silent, comedy that Johnny Depp character embodies. Also, he looks adorable in the porkpie hat.
What's Eating Gilbert Grape is one of those movies that surprised us all with its heart and made us all sob uncontrollably. The story of a family mourning their dad, dealing with their brother's handicap, and trying to earn enough money even though their mother can't leave the house, ends up completely destroying us all. “It was a hard time for me, that film, for some reason. I don’t know why,” Depp said.
When it came to his relationship with co-star 19-year-old Leonardo DiCaprio, Depp said, “I tortured him.” Depp also admitted to having a difficult time saying ugly things to actress Darlene Cates and apologized after each take. Johnny Depp may have played just an ordinary guy from a small town, but he was extraordinary nonetheless.
In this masterpiece by Tim Burton, Depp took on the real-life role of the world’s most terrible film director. Johnny Depp shows that his greatest gift was a perpetually sunny indifference to the plain facts of real life. Depp plays Wood as a man deliriously happy to be making movies. He rarely makes two takes of the same shot because the first one always looks great to him.
Depp earned his first Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor thanks to the role. Depp said that to capture the voice of Wood, he tried to merge Ronald Reagan’s “blind optimism” with the “vocal attack” of Casey Kasem, the long-serving disc jockey who voiced Shaggy on the original Scooby-Doo cartoon series. Further inspiration was drawn from Jack Haley’s performance as the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz.
Based on the 1988 book by Joseph Pistone about his time embedded with the Bonnano crime family, Depp embraces undercover agent Donnie Brasco. Playing opposite Al Pacino, Depp created a sharp, clever character that both embraced and overturned the genre expectations. These two great actors playing off each other made for a great film.
Critic Roger Ebert said,“Donnie Brasco was rare in exploring "two men who grow to love each other, within the framework of a teacher-student relationship.” Depp’s adept portrayal of a man who lives a double life that blurs with every additional scene was mesmerizing. For his role, Depp worked extensively with Pistone about his undercover experience and the tics that made the character famous.
Tim Burton ended up helming this delicious remake of a well-known fable, and with Johnny as his muse, things evolved. As with most movies that Depp makes, he had his own version of the character written in his head. "I always thought of Ichabod as a very delicate, fragile person who was maybe a little too in touch with his feminine side, like a frightened little girl," Depp explained.
Modeling the personality of Ichabod on Basil Rathbone in Sherlock Holmes, Depp took Ichabod to the next level in terms of creating a seemingly sympathetic character. The star of the show, however, was the stunning set and cinematography. The set and exteriors ended up being created and shot at Leavensden Film Studios in London, due to the need for Dutch colonial housing. Once again, the film garnered award nominations for art direction, cinematography, and costume design.
In only 17 minutes onscreen, audiences fell in love with the devastatingly handsome river gypsy Roux. Depp created Roux as a gypsy used to living on the water, taking his home with him wherever he went. Johnny chose to play guitar because of his fascination and interest in playing at age 12.
Deppaholics will note that this role is probably the earliest version of his pirate-like Johnny Depp characters, where Depp sported his own long hair and affinity for beautiful women. And women everywhere were dying to replace Juliette Binoche’s Vianne Rocher. His sultry ponytail/braid made him seem all at once both exotic and stylish. And while this role was a tiny one for Depp, it left an indelible mark on the audience. And when one has both chocolate and a delicious leading man, one has a great movie.
When playing a real-life person, Depp takes the role more seriously and tries to portray them with as much honesty and sincerity as possible. This is evident in his role as George Jung, cocaine smuggler extraordinaire. Jung’s career was based solely on the importation of cocaine from the jungles and cartels of Bolivia. Ironically, Depp’s career was in a nosedive at the time due to partying and drug usage, which he cleaned up with the birth of his daughter Lily-Rose.
True to form, Johnny dove into the role and immediately visited Jung in prison to get a feel for his life, attitude, and observations. Depp notes, “Jung was doing what he knew best. He learned from his upbringing to be a greedy person. I wanted to turn him into a real man that you could relate to.” Depp succeeded in giving the character depth and sincerity. On a sad note, George Jung passed away at the age of 78 in May 2021.
Much has been written about Depp’s character and the methodology of his approach as Captain Jack Sparrow, one of the most iconic Johnny Depp characters ever brought to the big screen. You would think that being one of the nine pirate lords of the Seven Seas of the Brethren Court would be a rather fancy thing to dress, but you’d be wrong. The initial sketches of Depp’s character had him as a rather plain-looking, understated pirate.
However, Johnny envisioned something entirely different, borrowing from research about nomads (use of kohl around his eyes), adding gold teeth, and of course, Keith Richard's swagger and habit of collecting souvenirs on his travels. Depp also wanted the dreadlocks, as pirates don’t bathe, and insisted on a tricorne for a hat. Sadly, none of the official costumes from the original movie survived. The weapons were genuine 18th-century pieces, and Depp included 2 of his personal rings in costuming. Depp also created a backstory for every single thing he wore--embracing the character quite personally.
With an all-star cast that included Kate Winslet, Julie Christie, and Dustin Hoffman, Depp had competition for screen time. However, Johnny earned another Best Actor nomination for his portrayal of the man who created Peter Pan. Because of his youth at the time, Rolling Stone said, “it’s not too early to call him [Depp] a great actor”. Depp felt drawn to the role because of the author’s insistence on staying in touch with his childlike imagination. Depp notes, “children don’t have an agenda.”
It’s also interesting to note that screenwriter David Magee wrote the role specifically with Johnny in mind and noted that he possessed “a strong degree of underlying sadness” that imbued the character with such poise and grace. Buttoned up Depp has never looked so good.
You have to have pretty big stones to take on one of the most beloved children’s characters in cinematic history, and Johnny Depp rose to the occasion, creating one of his most divisive Johnny Depp characters ever. In his fourth collaboration with Tim Burton, Depp signed on without reading the script, intentionally believing that his take on the character would be the polar opposite of Gene Wilder in the original film. Depp found his inspiration in thinking about what a stoned George Bush might do, a somewhat bizarre but lasting impression.
For his famous hairstyle, he turned to Vogue magazine editor Anna Wintour. Depp’s Wonka, however, wasn’t a fan of kids--drawing more heavily on Howard Hughes, who was reclusive and controlling. Depp’s Wonka was dapper yet freaky with his high voice. It was a far cry from the Gene Wilder version and a little harder for fans of the older version to love.
As you might imagine in this Tim Burton remake, Depp was the first one cast, even before he sang a note. Depp got his inspiration for his performance as Sweeney Todd from Peter Lorre, Boris Karloff, Anthony Newley, and Iggy Pop. Depp won a Golden Globe for his portrayal of Sweeney Todd and nabbed an Oscar nomination as well.
Depp was deeply involved with the look and feel of his character. Heavy purple and brown make-up was applied around his eyes to suggest fatigue and rage, as if "he's never slept". Depp said of the character, "He makes Sid Vicious look like the innocent paper boy. He's beyond dark." Depp had difficulty handling real razors so the prop department created a mechanical one for him that he could open with a press of a button.
Burton explained that Depp "tried to find a grounding to the character ... as opposed to just being mad. [Depp's] goal was to try and bring out a human side to the strangeness of the character." Depp’s orange hair color was carefully considered as an allusion to mercury poisoning, suffered by milliners who used mercury to cure felt; Depp believes that the character "was poisoned".
The other unique thing about Depp’s portrayal was both the gap-tooth grin as well as the thrift-store costumes, which changed according to his emotions throughout the film. People keyed in on the accent, which seemed both indulgent and lazy at the same time. Still, the lingering image of a nut in an orange wig with outlandish costumes remains.
In the Disney adaptation of The Lone Ranger, Depp took on an old character that he was familiar with from his childhood. "But even at the ripe old age of 5 or 6 or 7, watching that on TV, I had the very distinct feeling that there was something very wrong," he said. Depp wanted to play Tonto as the Lone Ranger's equal partner. "In my own small way, it was my attempt to right the wrongs of what had been done with regards to the representation of Native Americans in cinema."
Depp played Tonto as a stoic spirit warrior instead of the ‘dumb’ sidekick that audiences had seen. However, the media was dissatisfied because the role didn’t go to a person of Native American heritage--regardless of the months that both Depp and Disney courted the Navajo nation. Depp, for his look, took it from a painting by artist Kirby Sattler, which featured a bird flying behind the warrior’s head. However, in true Depp fashion, the bird became part of the warrior Tonto himself.
In his portrayal of the Big Bad Wolf, Johnny could only see himself wearing a zoot suit from the Tex Avery cartoons. Depp’s inspiration was decidedly less Grimm’s Red Riding Hood and more 50s animation edge, wanting “a hip, big, bad wolf with a fedora and a monochrome suit and a cat chain,” he said, "And the second I mentioned my idea to Colleen she got very excited.”
His longtime costume collaborator, Colleen Atwood, rationalized the look, which strays slightly from the rest of the costume aesthetic by figuring, “The idea with the Wolf is that he is the Wolf of Little Red Riding Hood’s imagination, so we didn’t want to put Johnny in a wolf suit or give him a fur collar.” The overall effect is that the Wolf seems more of a menacing humanistic villain than the furry predator of our imaginations, a theme that Atwood employed down to Depp’s very fingernails, gluing them to gloves rather than using a prosthetic.
In portraying one of the most powerful and dangerous dark wizards of all time, Johnny Depp took on the Harry Potter fandom. Grindelwald was a complex figure, highly idealistic and talented, dedicated to achieving his ends at any cost, which made for a menacing yet mesmerizing Johnny Depp character. Depp had helped design Grindelwald’s unique look (a pasty-faced, platinum-haired vision of fascistic extremism).
Depp explains: “To me, there’s something almost childlike in [Grindelwald]. His dream is for the wizard world to stand tall and above. It’s a fascistic element, and there’s nothing more dangerous than somebody who is a dreamer with a specific vision that’s very strong and very dangerous, and he can make it happen.” Depp also realized the seriousness of the character: “The Potter fans are like scholars of this stuff, which I find incredibly impressive. They know that world inside and out. I hope to give them something they haven’t seen before.”
