The Fame of Johnny Depp

Johnny Depp's fan base cannot be summed up into a tidy category, since it spans across all age groups, economic backgrounds, political affiliations, and religious (and non-religious) backgrounds. Despite his clear connections with unconventional people, he enjoys a multitude of fans that his friends often do not share with him. What is his secret?

Johnny typically does not voice his views, and he maintains a diplomatic attitude toward all of his co-workers and people with which he acquaints himself. He is polite, cordial, and mild mannered in all interviews and public appearances. He is decidely handsome, by most standards, and clearly, this plays some role in the public attitude toward him.

Johnny Depp first drew attention for his role on 21 Jump Street in the 1980's. He was an immediate heartthrob, and material for teenage girl magazines. Instead of capitalizing on his appearance, Johnny took another route and decided to play enjoyable roles. Perhaps another reason people like Johnny is because of his decision to maintain a sense of integrity, and to play roles that actually mean something to him.

Johnny's next role, which was also one of his most memorable, was Edward Scissorhands. Johnny played an unfortunate misfit with scissors for hands who is doomed to a tragic life from the very beginning. Throughout the next several years, he played several more memorable roles, including Sam in "Benny and Joon", Gilbert Grape, Ed Wood, Cry Baby, Don Juan, Ichabod Crane, Raoul Duke, George Jung in "Blow", and Jack Sparrow. In many of Johnny's roles, he manages to breathe life into the characters in such a profound way that the audience falls in love with them. Others are misses, and only diehard fans express any appreciation for them.

Sam from Benny and Joon is a quirky performer who becomes enamored with a girl who is very likely mentally ill, but nonetheless deserving of love.

Gilbert Grape is a young man with a mentally retarded brother and a very overweight mother, and he learns to see life in a different way when he meets a beautiful and unusual stranger played by Juliette Lewis.

Ed Wood is an eccentric filmmaker who enjoys crossdressing and films his movies with little care for realism or preciseness.

Cry Baby is a musical about an unlikely pairing between a squeaky clean good girl and a guy from the "other side of the tracks".

Don Juan, is the alleged identity of Depp in Don Juan Demarco, and he is forced to see a psychiatrist after attempting suicide.

Raoul Duke, the drug addled alter-ego of Hunter S. Thompson, travels to Las Vegas with his lawyer on a crazy road trip. 

Ichabod Crane is a skeptical scientist who comes to the town of Sleepy Hollow after an alleged haunting begins and bodies began to pile up. 

As George Jung, Depp acts out the life of a man who first wanted to live comfortably through the small time sale of pot. George quickly becomes very greedy, and spirals downward from there. 

Jack Sparrow the pirate, needs no introduction and is a fantastic character that has brought Johnny massive fame.

Johnny has spent the majority of his life in the spotlight and has somehow managed to not only maintain fame, but to increase it as he grew older. Johnny, now married and with children, still films a few movies a year. He is a vocal supporter of The West Memphis Three, three men who were wrongly accused of murder when they were teenagers. He collects bugs, plays guitar, and he owns his own island. Despite my knowledge of these things, Johnny appears to be a deeply private person, and that is the biggest key to his success.