Meet the new Candy Man, Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp and chocolate - two of the finer things in life and a recipe for sweet success if ever there was one. But if you know Depp as an actor and Tim Burton as a filmmaker, you'll know that this is dark chocolate - very dark and it's just how Johnny likes it. Here he talks about his past struggles, his road to happiness and introduces us to the new Willy Wonka 'Regardless of what one thinks of the 1971 film, Gene Wilder's persona stands out,' says Depp on playing the magical chocolatier Willy Wonka. Comedy actor Gene Wilder brought Wonka to the big screen in 1971 but his portrayal and the film as a whole infuriated Dahl, who refused the studio sequel rights. Depp believes his Wonka would please the legendary writer - if only he had lived to see it.
'He scares the hell out of you. Those are big shoes to fill. So the first thing I did was to go back to the book and try to figure out what Roald Dahl had in his head.'
The film is based on Roald Dahl's classic novel about a boy named Charlie Bucket who wins a candy bar contest to be one of five children allowed a tour of the amazing chocolate factory run by the eccentric Willy Wonka and his staff of Oompa-Loompas.
Depp's interpretation of the character is even weirder and darker than the original version. Sporting giant glasses and oversized dentures he recites his one-liners such as 'Chewing gum is really gross - chewing gum I hate the most' with as much threat as humour.
'I play him as a kind of game-show host cum bratty child,' says Depp. 'It's Tim's version of the book and the character, really. Tim and I had had a couple of meetings, sat down and had some talks about where he wanted to go, where we needed to go. And I think it's turned out great. We've taken the character of Willy Wonka and gone somewhere completely different.'
Depp previously collaborated with Burton on Edward Scissorhands, Sleepy Hollow and Ed Wood, so jumped at the chance of working with him again. 'It was great to be back with Tim - like coming home,' he says of the director now married to Helena Bonham Carter. 'We had a great time.' And that sums up life for Depp right now. No more is he the troubled wild man of Hollywood. At 42 he's more mellow than ever , thanks to life in France with wife Vanessa Paradis and their two children, Lilly (six) and Jack (three).
His contentment shines through in his work and it is no surprise that his performances have won him praise of late. 'I went through a lot of fear and self-loathing in my twenties and thirties until it finally got through to me that there wasn't any point in poisoning myself and feeling miserable anymore,' says Depp of his difficult past.
'I can only tell you that once you escape that kind of mindset, you have absolutely no desire to go back there. It's not that I wake up mornings screaming, 'Oh God, things are so beautiful...', but just being with my girl and our kids makes me feel pretty good.'
Depp met French singer and actress Paradis while making the Ninth Gate in 1999. 'We share this incredible life together and our children,' he smiles. 'You can't plan that kind of deep love or the feeling parenthood brings.
'It was part of the wonderful ride. It was kismet, destiny. Now I have become a perfect example of all the paternity clichés I laughed at for years. I look forward to having more children. I'd have 100 if Vanessa were willing. For me, family is the most important thing in the world. It's your foundation, your roots. It's the only unconditional love you'll ever get.'
Depp offers a whimsical smile and a shake of his head at mention of his formerly rebellious self. 'That was the dark side of me and a pretty dismal time in my life,' he recalls. 'When I was 30 I wasn't that convinced I would make it to 40, but maybe I had to go through all the crap that had built up inside me to get to a point where I could start enjoying life.
'When I met Vanessa, I was still drifting. But being with her has just blown me away and made me a better man. Ten years ago I never would have believed in the kind of life I have now as a father, although I still wonder if it's OK to be this happy.'
1 | 2 | next
printer friendly
send to a friend
Created: 28/07/2005 Updated: 28/07/2005
Delicious
Digg
reddit
Facebook
StumbleUpon
Horoscopes| Message Boards | Quizzes | Newsletters | Join
iVillage Ltd is a UK company registered in England & Wales (3837269) at 80-110 New Oxford Street, London WC1 1HB
