Penélope Cruz
Cruz promoting Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival.
Born	Penélope Cruz Sánchez (1974-04-28) April 28, 1974 (age 38) Alcobendas, Madrid, Spain
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1989–present
Spouse	Javier Bardem (2010–present)
Children	1

Penélope Cruz Sánchez (Spanish pronunciation: [peˈnelope kruθ ˈsantʃeθ]) (born April 28, 1974) is a Spanish actress. Signed by an agent at age 15, she made her acting debut at 16 on television and her feature film debut the following year in Jamón, jamón (1992), to critical acclaim. Her subsequent roles in the 1990s and 2000s included Open Your Eyes (1997), The Hi-Lo Country (1999), The Girl of Your Dreams (2000) and Woman on Top (2000). Cruz achieved recognition for her lead roles in Vanilla Sky and Blow. Both films were released in 2001 and were commercially successful worldwide.

In the 2000s she has appeared in films from a wide range of genres, including the comedy Waking Up in Reno (2002), the thriller Gothika (2003), the Christmas movie Noel (2004), the action adventure Sahara (2005), the animated G-Force and the musical drama Nine. Her most notable films to date are Volver (2006), for which she earned Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations, and Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008), for which she received an Academy Award. She was the first Spanish actress in history to receive an Academy Award and the first Spanish actress to receive a star at the Hollywood Walk of Fame.^[1][2]

Cruz has modeled for companies such as Mango, Ralph Lauren and L'Oréal. Penélope and her younger sister Mónica Cruz have designed items for Mango. She has donated both her time and money to charities. Cruz has volunteered in Uganda and India, where she spent one week working for Mother Teresa; she donated her salary from The Hi-Lo Country to help fund the late nun's mission.

Early life[link]

Penélope Cruz Sánchez was born in Alcobendas, Madrid, Spain, the daughter of Encarna Sánchez, a hairdresser and personal manager, and Eduardo Cruz, a retailer and auto mechanic.^[3][4] She was raised Roman Catholic.^[5] Throughout her childhood, Cruz lived in Alcobendas, a working-class town, although she spent "a lot" of time at her grandmother's apartment.^[4] Cruz is the oldest of three siblings;^[4] she has a younger brother, Eduardo, who is a singer, and a younger sister, Mónica, who is an actress.^[6] She has said that she had a happy childhood, and Charlie Rose of 60 Minutes described Cruz's childhood as a "simple life."^[4] In a foreshadowing way, Cruz remembers when she was four years old, "playing with some friends and being aware that I was acting as I was playing with them—I would think of a character and pretend to be someone else."^[7]

Initially, Cruz had no ambition to be an actress and focused on dance,^[4] having studied classical ballet for nine years^[6] at Spain's National Conservatory.^[8] She received three years of Spanish ballet training and four years of theater at Cristina Rota's New York school.^[9][10] She commented that "I used to take my toenails—they would die from dancing—so I would just take the whole toenail and throw it away, and not feel anything," however, ballet instilled in her discipline that would be important in her future acting career.^[11] She became a fan of movies at age 10 or 11. With no movie theaters nearby, her first relationship with cinema was watching movies on Betamax. Her father bought this "[Betamax] machine", of which Cruz recalls that it was very rare to own one in her neighborhood at the time.^[7]

When Cruz was a teenager, she began having an interest in acting after seeing the film Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! by Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar.^[4][12] She began doing casting calls for an agent, but was rejected multiple times because the agent felt that she was too young.^[4][13] Cruz commented on the experience that "I was very extroverted as a kid. [...] I was studying when I was in high school at night, I was in ballet and I was doing castings. I looked for an agent and she sent me away three times because I was a little girl but I kept coming back. I'm still with her after all these years."^[13] In 1989, at the age of 15, Cruz won an audition at a talent agency over more than 300 other girls.^[8] In 1999, Katrina Bayonas, Cruz's agent, commented, "She was absolutely magic [at the audition]. It was obvious there was something very impressive about this kid. [...] She was very green, but there was a presence. There was just something coming from within."^[8]

Acting career[link]

Early work, 1989–1996[link]

Cruz with her agent, Katrina Bayonas

In 1989, 15 year-old Cruz made her acting debut in a music video for the Spanish pop group Mecano's song "La Fuerza del Destino". Between 1990 and 1997, she hosted the Spanish TV channel Telecinco's talk show La Quinta Marcha, a program that was hosted by teenagers, aimed at a teenage audience.^[8] She also played in the Elle et lui episode of an erotic French TV series called Série rose in 1991, where she appeared totally naked.^[14] In 1992, Cruz made her feature film debut at 18 as the lead female role in the comedy drama art house film, Jamón, jamón.^[8] In the film, she portrayed Silvia, a young woman who is expecting her first child with a man whose mother does not approve of the relationship and attempts to sabotage it by paying Javier Bardem's character to seduce her. People magazine noted that after Cruz appeared topless in the film, she became "a major sex symbol."^[8] In an interview with the Los Angeles Daily News in 1999, Cruz commented that "it was a great part, but...I wasn't really ready for the nudity. [...] But I have no regrets because I wanted to start working and it changed my life."^[8] Charlie Ross of 60 Minutes noted that Cruz "became an overnight sensation as much for her nude scenes as for her talent."^[11] When Ross asked Cruz if she was concerned about how she would be perceived after her role in the film, Cruz replied, "I just knew I had to do the complete opposite."^[11]

Jamón, jamón received broadly favorable reviews,^[15] with Chris Hicks of the Deseret News describing Cruz's portrayal of Silvia as "enchanting."^[16] Writing for the Chicago Sun-Times, film critic Roger Ebert wrote "[The film] stars actors of considerable physical appeal, most particularly Penelope Cruz as Silvia."^[17] For her performance, Cruz was nominated for a Spanish Actors Union Newcomer Award and a Goya Award for Best Actress. The same year she appeared in the Academy-Award winning Belle Epoque as the virginal Luz.^[8] People magazine noted that Cruz's role as Luz showed that she was versatile.^[8] From 1993 to 1996, Cruz appeared in ten Spanish and Italian films.^[18] At 20, she went to live in New York for two years at Christopher and Greenwich to study ballet and English between movies. She recalls learning English "kinda of late" only knowing the dialogue she had learned for the casting beyond that, she could only say, “How are you?” and “Thank you.”^[7]

Early critical success, 1997–2000[link]

Cruz at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival.

In 1997, Cruz appeared in the Spanish comedy film Love Can Seriously Damage Your Health. She portrays Diana, a fan of The Beatles band member John Lennon; she tries unsuccessfully to meet him. Years later, after multiple failed relationships, Diana re-unites with an acquaintance under unusual circumstances.^[19] Also in 1997, she appeared in the opening scene of Pedro Almodóvar's Live Flesh as a prostitute who gives birth on a bus^[8] and in Et hjørne af paradis (A Corner of Paradise) as Doña Helena. Cruz's final appearance in 1997 was the Amenabar-directed Spanish sci-fi drama, "Abre Los Ojos"/ Open Your Eyes. She plays Sofia, the love interest of Eduardo Noriega's lead character. Open Your Eyes received positive reviews,^[20] and was later remade by U.S. director Cameron Crowe as "Vanilla Sky" (who cast Cruz in the same role and Tom Cruise in Noriega's role), but "Open Your Eyes" was not commercially successful.^[21] Kevin N. Laforest of the Montreal Film Journal commented in his September 2002 review that Cruz "has been getting some really bad reviews for her recent American work, but I personally think that she's a more than decent actress, especially here, where she's charming, moving and always believable. [...] There's one shot in particular, where Cruz enters a room in a greenish glow, which is right out of Hitchcock's picture [Vertigo]."^[22]

The following year, Cruz appeared in her first American film as Billy Crudup's consolation-prize Mexican girlfriend in Stephen Frears' western film, The Hi-Lo Country.^[8] Cruz stated that she had difficulties understanding people speaking English while she was filming The Hi-Lo Country.^[8] The film was critically and commercially unsuccessful.^[23][24] Kevin Lally of the Film Journal International commented in his review for the film that "in an ironic casting twist, the Spanish actress Penelope Cruz [...] is much more appealing as Josepha [than in her previous roles]."^[25] For her performance in the film, she was nominated for an ALMA Award for Best Actress. Also in 1998 Cruz appeared in Don Juan and The Girl of Your Dreams.

In The Girl of Your Dreams, Cruz portrayed Macarena Granada, a singer who is in an on-and-off relationship with Antonio Resines's character, Blas. They are part of a movie troupe that moved from Spain to Berlin (Germany) for a joint production with UFA during the years of Nazis. Cruz's performance in the film was praised by film critics, with Jonathan Holloland of Variety magazine writing "if confirmation is still needed that Cruz is an actress first and a pretty face second, then here it is."^[26] A writer for Film4 commented that "Cruz herself is the inevitable focus of the film" but noted that overall the film "looks great."^[27] Cruz's role as Macerna has been viewed as her "largest role to date."^[8] For her performance, Cruz received a Goya Award and Spanish Actors Union Award, and was nominated for a European Film Award.^{[citation needed]} In 1999, Cruz worked with Almodóvar again in All About My Mother, playing Sister María Rosa Sanz, a pregnant nun with AIDS.^[8] The film received favorable reviews,^[28] and was commercially successful, grossing over $67 million worldwide, although it performed better at the box office internationally than domestically.^[29]

In 2000, she appeared in Woman on Top in the lead female role as Isabelle, a world-class chef who has suffered from motion sickness since birth, her first American lead role.^[8] Lisa Nesselson of Variety magazine praised the performances of both Cruz and her co-star, Harold Perrineau, saying they "burst off the screen," and added that Cruz has a charming accent.^[30] BBC film critic Jane Crowther said that "Cruz is wonderfully ditzy as the innocent abroad" but remarked that "it's Harold Perrineau Jr as Monica who pockets the movie."^[31] Annlee Ellingson of Box Office magazine wrote "Cruz is stunning in the role—innocent and vulnerable yet possessing a mature grace and determined strength, all while sizzling with unchecked sensuality."^[32] Also in 2000, she played Alejandra Villarreal, who is Matt Damon's love interest in Billy Bob Thornton's film adaptation of the western bestselling novel, All the Pretty Horses.^[8] Susan Stark of the Detroit News commented that in the film Thornton was able to guide Damon, Henry Thomas and Cruz to "their most impressive performances in a major movie yet."^[33] However, Bob Longigo of the Atlanta Journal Constitution was less enthusiastic about Cruz and Damon's performance, saying that their "resulting onscreen chemistry would hardly warm a can of beans."^[34]

Breakthrough, 2001–2005[link]

2001 marked a turning point when Cruz starred in the feature films Vanilla Sky and Blow. In Vanilla Sky, Cameron Crowe's interpretation of Open Your Eyes, she played Sofia Serrano, the love interest of Tom Cruise's character. The film received mixed reviews^[35] but made $200 million worldwide.^[36] Her performance was well received by critics, with BBC film critic Brandon Graydon saying that Cruz "is an enchanting screen presence,"^[37] and Ethan Alter of the Film Journal International noting that Cruz and her co-star Cruise were "able to generate some actual chemistry."^[38] Her next film was Blow, adapted from Bruce Porter's 1993 book Blow: How a Small Town Boy Made $100 million with the Medellin Cocaine Cartel and Lost It All. She had a supporting role as Mirtha Jung, the wife of Johnny Depp's character. The film received mixed reviews,^[39] but made $80 million worldwide.^[40] Nina Willdorf of the Boston Phoenix described Cruz as "multi-talented"^[41] and Mark Salvo of the Austin Chronicle wrote "I may be one of the last male holdouts to join the Cruz-Rules camp, but her tour de force performance here sucks you right in."^[42]

In 2001, she also appeared in Don't Tempt Me, playing Carmen Ramos. The film received negative reviews.^[43] Jeff Vice of the Deseret News commented that "unfortunately, casting Cruz as a tough girl is a hilariously bad [idea]..."^[44] and Michael Miller of the Village Voice writing that "as Satan's helper Carmen, Penélope Cruz doesn't hold a candle to her cocaine-huffing enabler in Blow."^[45] Cruz's last film in 2001 was Captain Corelli's Mandolin, film adaption of the novel of the same name. She played Pelagia, who falls in love with another man while her fiancé is in battle during World War II. Captain Corelli's Mandolin was not well received by critics,^[46] but made $62 million worldwide.^[47] In 2002, she had a minor role in Waking Up in Reno. It had negative reviews^[48] and was a box office failure, making $267,000 worldwide.^[49] The following year, Cruz had a minor role in the horror film Gothika, as Chloe Sava, a patient at a mental hospital. David Rooney of Variety wrote that Cruz "adds a serviceably malevolent edge to Chole's apparent madness."^[50] Cruz's performance in Fanfan la Tulipe, also in 2003, was not well received, Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian commenting that Cruz "deserves a special Cannes Razzie for a performance of purest teak."^[51]

In 2004, Cruz appeared in the Christmas film Noel as Nina, the girlfriend of Paul Walker's character^[52] and as Mia in the romantic drama, Head in the Clouds, set in the 1930s.^[53] Head in the Clouds performed poorly at the box office.^[54] For Head in the Clouds, Bruce Birkland of Jam! Canoe said, "The story feels forced and the performances dreary, with the notable exception of Cruz, who seems to be in a different film from the rest of the cast."^[55] Desson Thompson of the Washington Post was more critical; his comment about the character's "pronounced limp" was that "Cruz (hardly the world's greatest actress) can't even perform without looking fake."^[53] She also starred in Sergio Castellitto’s melodrama Don’t Move.^[56] Cruz, who learned Italian for the role, earned critical acclaim for her performance and won the David di Donatello.^[57] She was also awarded the European Film Award for Best Actress for the film in 2004.^[58]

In 2005, Cruz appeared as Dr Eva Rojas in the action adventure Sahara. She earned $1.6 million for her supporting role.^[59] The film grossed $110 million worldwide but did not recoup its $160 million budget. Moviefone dubbed the film "one of the most famous flops in history" and in 2007, listed it at 24 on its list of "Biggest Box-Office Turkeys of All Time".^[60] Lori Hoffman of the Atlantic City Weekly felt Cruz put her "considerable [acting] skills on cruise control as Dr Eva Rojas"^[61] and James Berardnelli of ReelViews described Cruz's performance as a "black hole," that she "lacks screen presence."^[62] Also in 2005, Cruz appeared in Chromophobia, screened at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival and released the following year. Mathew Turner of View London said Cruz's character Gloria, a cancer-riddled prostitute, is "actually more interesting than the main storyline"^[63] while Time Evan's of Sky Movies wrote, "The Cruz/Ifans storyline – featuring the only two remotely sympathetic characters – never really fuses with the main plot."^[64] Her final 2005 film was Don't Move playing Italia. Eric Harrison of the Houston Chronicle noted that Cruz "goes all out" with her appearance^[65] and Patrick Peters of Empire magazine commented that the film's director, who also appears in the film, was able to draw a "sensitive performance" from Cruz.^[66]

Worldwide recognition, 2006–present[link]

Cruz with Volver director Pedro Almodovar at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival.

Cruz appeared alongside her good friend Salma Hayek in the 2006 Western comedy film, Bandidas. Randy Cordova of the Arizona Republic said the film "sports" Cruz and her co-star Salma Hayek as the "lusty dream team" and that they were the "marketing fantasy" for the film.^[67] Also in 2006, Cruz received favourable reviews for her performance as Raimunda in Pedro Almodóvar's Volver. Carina Chocano of The Los Angeles Times wrote, "Cruz, who has remarked that in Hollywood she's rarely allowed to be anything more than pretty, instills her with an awesome resoluteness and strength of character."^[68] She shared a Best Actress award at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival with five of her co-stars, as well as receiving a Goya Award and European Film Award, and was nominated for the Golden Globe, the Screen Actors Guild Award, the BAFTA Award, and the Academy Award for Best Actress in a leading role. She was the first Spaniard to ever be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress.^[12]

In 2007, Cruz appeared in the lead female role in Manolete, a biopic of bullfighter Manuel Laureano Rodríguez Sánchez, playing Antoñita "Lupe" Sino. She also appeared in The Good Night, playing two characters, Anna and Melody.^[69][70] TV Guide film critic Maitland McDonagh noted that in the film Cruz "expertly mines the contrast between chic, compliant, white-clad Anna and funky, street-smart Melody, who treats [Martin Freeman's character] Gary like the world-class drag he is."^[71] In 2008, Cruz appeared in Isabel Coixet's film Elegy, which was based on the Philip Roth story The Dying Animal, as the lead female role, Consuela Castillo.^[72] Ray Bennett of the Hollywood Reporter described Cruz's performance as being "outstanding in an otherwise lame male fantasy [film]."^[73]

Cruz at the 81st Academy Awards

Later that year, she starred in Woody Allen's Vicky Cristina Barcelona as María Elena, a mentally unstable woman. Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian praised Cruz's performance in the film.^[74] Cruz received a Goya Award and her first Academy Award and BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actress. She also received a Golden Globe and SAG nomination. Cruz was the first Spanish actress to ever be awarded an Academy Award in that category^[75] and the sixth Hispanic person to ever receive the award.^[76]

Cruz's next film was the kid-friendly G-Force^[77] voicing a guinea pig spy named Juarez.^[77] G-Force was a commercial success, making over $290 million worldwide.^[78] Also in 2009, she appeared in the film Broken Embraces as Lena. Stephanie Zacharek of Salon.com noted in her review for the film that Cruz "doesn't coast on her beauty in Broken Embraces, and she has the kind of role that can be difficult to flesh out."^[79] Cruz received nominations from the Satellite Awards and European Film Awards for her performance in Broken Embraces.

Cruz's final 2009 film was the film version of the musical Nine, playing the character Carla Albanese, the lead character's mistress. Variety reported that Cruz had originally auditioned for the role of the film within a film's star,^[80] Claudia, which eventually went to Nicole Kidman. Cruz said that she trained for three months for the dance routine in the film.^[75] Claudia Puig of USA Today commented that while Cruz "does a steamy song and dance," her "acting is strangely caricatured."^[81] Cruz's performance as Carla garnered her nominations for Best Supporting Actress from the Academy Awards, Golden Globes and SAG Awards.

In 2010, Cruz appeared in the film Sex and the City 2, the sequel to the 2008 film, in a cameo role.^[82][83] Cruz appeared in her biggest Hollywood turn to date,^[56] in the fourth Pirates of the Caribbean film, as Angelica. On 1 April 2011, prior to the film's release, Cruz received the 2,436th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in front of the El Capitan Theatre. She became the first Spanish actress to receive a Star.^[1][84]

Her upcoming roles include Woody Allen's To Rome with Love,^[85] and she is set to reunite with Italian director Sergio Castellitto in his war tale Venuto al Mondo as Gemma.^[56] After being shelved since 2007, Cruz's film Manolete (originally shot in 2005^[86]) released on demand via cable, satellite, telco and online in June 7, 2011 under the title A Matador’s Mistress.^[87][88]

Public image[link]

Cruz at a ceremony to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in April 2011

In 2006, Cruz became spokesmodel for the French beauty company, L'Oréal, to promote products such as the L'Oréal Paris hair dye Natural Match^[90] and L'Oreal mascara products.^[91] She receives $2 million a year for her work for the company.^[8] Cruz has appeared in print ads for Mango^[92] and had a contract with Ralph Lauren in 2001.^[8][93] Cruz and her sister designed their second collection for Mango in 2007.^[13] It was inspired by Brigitte Bardot and summers in St Tropez.^[13]

Cruz ranked as No. 58 in Maxim's Hot 100 of 2007 list, and was chosen by Empire magazine as being one of the 100 Sexiest Movie Stars in the world.^[89][94] Cruz was also ranked on Askmen.com's Most Desirable Women of 2008 at No. 26, in 2009 at No. 25,^[89] and in 2010 at No. 7.^[95] In April 2010, she replaced Kate Winslet as the new face and ambassador of Lancôme's Trésor fragrance.^[96] Lancôme has signed Cruz as the brand’s third superstar spokesmodel, along with Julia Roberts and Winslet. The campaign was shot by Mario Testino at Paris's Hotel de Crillon and debuted in the fall 2010.^[97]

In 2010, Cruz was a guest editor for the French Vogue magazine, focusing on larger-size models in a provocative photo shoot.^[98] Vanity Fair asked them to pose for a Hollywood issue in 2010.^{[citation needed]} Almodovar described her as his muse.^[99] On the cover of Spanish Vogue's December 2010 issue, she agreed to be photographed by fashion photographer Peter Lindbergh only if her pregnancy was not shown.^[100] In 2011, The Telegraph reported the most sought after body parts of the rich and famous revealed by two Hollywood plastic surgeons who carried out a survey among their patients to build up the picture of the perfect woman. Under the category of the most sought after body shape, Penelope Cruz, known for her voluptuous figure, was voted as having the top body.^[101] Men's Health ranked her at No. 32. on their "100 Hottest Women of All-Time" list.^[102]

Philanthropy[link]

Cruz has donated money and time to charity. In addition to work in Nepal, she has volunteered in Uganda and India, where she spent a week working for Mother Teresa that included assisting in a leprosy clinic.^[103] That trip inspired Cruz to help start a foundation to support homeless girls in India, where she sponsors two young women.^[103] She donated her salary from her first Hollywood movie, The Hi-Lo Country, to Mother Teresa's mission.^[93][103] In the early 2000s, she spent time in Nepal photographing Tibetan children for an exhibition attended by the Dalai Lama. She also photographed residents at the Pacific Lodge Boys' Home, most of whom are former gang members and recovering substance abusers.^[103] She said: "These kids break my heart. I have to control myself not to cry. Not out of pity, but seeing how tricky life is and how hard it is to make the right choices."^[103] A pregnant Cruz showed her support for the battle against AIDS by lighting up the Empire State Building with red lights in New York City December 1, 2010 on International AIDS Day, as part of (RED)'s new awareness campaign, 'An AIDS Free Generation is Due in 2015,' which aims to eradicate the HIV virus from pregnant mothers to their babies.^[100] In 2012, she posed for an ad supporting PETA's anti-fur campaign.^[104]

Personal life[link]

Cruz is friends with Pedro Almodovar, whom she has known for almost two decades and with whom she has worked on films.^[99] Cruz is known to friends as Pe.^[10][13] Cruz owns a clothing store in Madrid and designed jewelry and handbags with her younger sister for a company in Japan.^[6]

Cruz had a three-year relationship with Tom Cruise after they appeared together in Vanilla Sky. It ended in January 2004.^[103][105] In April 2003, she filed a lawsuit against the Australian magazine New Idea for defamation over an article about her relationship with Cruise.^[106] Her lawyers claimed that "the proceedings state that the article contains a number of false and defamatory statements concerning Ms. Cruz" and she is seeking "substantial damages and is confident that legal proceedings will vindicate her reputation."^[106]

Cruz dated actor Matthew McConaughey from February 2005 to June 2006.^[107] In April 2007, Cruz told the Spanish edition of Marie Claire that she would like to adopt children.^[108]

Cruz began dating co-star Javier Bardem in 2007.^[109] They married in early July 2010 in a private ceremony at a friend's home in the Bahamas.^[110][111] Cruz gave birth to her first child, a son named Leonardo, on January 22, 2011 at the Cedars Sinai Hospital.^[110]

Filmography[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Penélope Cruz

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Penélope Cruz

• Penélope Cruz at the Internet Movie Database

Johnny Depp
Depp in October 2011
Born	John Christopher Depp II (1963-06-09) June 9, 1963 (age 49) Owensboro, Kentucky, U.S.
Occupation	Actor, screenwriter, director, producer, musician
Years active	1984–present
Spouse	Lori Anne Allison (1983–1985)
Partner	Sherilyn Fenn (1985–1988) Winona Ryder (1989–1993) Kate Moss (1994–1998) Vanessa Paradis (1998–present)
Children	2[1]

John Christopher "Johnny" Depp II (born June 9, 1963) is an American actor, producer and musician. He has won the Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild award for Best Actor. Depp rose to prominence on the 1980s television series 21 Jump Street, becoming a teen idol. Dissatisfied with that status, Depp turned to film for more challenging roles; he played the title character of Edward Scissorhands (1990) and later found box office success in films such as Sleepy Hollow (1999), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), Rango (2011) and the Pirates of the Caribbean film series (2003–present). He has collaborated with director and friend Tim Burton in eight films, most recently with Dark Shadows (2012).

Depp has gained acclaim for his portrayals of people such as Ed Wood, in Ed Wood, Joseph D. Pistone in Donnie Brasco, Hunter S. Thompson in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, George Jung in Blow, and the bank robber John Dillinger in Michael Mann's Public Enemies. Films featuring Depp have grossed over $3.1 billion at the United States box office and over $7.6 billion worldwide.^[2] He has been nominated for top awards many times, winning the Best Actor Awards from the Golden Globes for Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street and from the Screen Actors Guild for Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. He also has garnered a sex symbol status in American cinema, being twice named as the "Sexiest Man Alive" by People magazine^[3] in 2003 and 2009. He has been listed in the 2012 Guinness Book of World Records as the highest paid actor, with $75 million.^[4]

Early life[link]

1960s–1970s[link]

Depp was born in Owensboro, Kentucky, the son of John Christopher Depp, Sr., a civil engineer, and his wife, the former Betty Sue Wells, a waitress.^[5] He has one brother and two sisters. His brother Daniel is a novelist and his sister Christie works as his manager. Depp is descended from a French Huguenot immigrant, Pierre Deppe or Dieppe, who settled in Virginia around 1700,^[6] part of a refugee colony situated above the falls on the James River. Depp has surmised that he is part Native American, saying in 2011, "I guess I have some Native American [in me] somewhere down the line. My great-grandmother was quite a bit of Native American, she grew up Cherokee or maybe Creek Indian. Makes sense in terms of coming from Kentucky, which is rife with Cherokee and Creek."^[7][8]

The family moved frequently during Depp's childhood, and he and his siblings lived in more than 20 different locations, settling in Miramar,^[9] Florida, in 1970. In 1978, Depp's parents divorced.^[9] His mother married, as her second husband, Robert Palmer (died 2000), whom Depp called "an inspiration to me".^[10] Depp engaged in self-harm when he was young, due to the stress of dealing with family problems, which resulted in several self-inflicted scars. In a 1993 interview, he reflected on his self-injury by saying "My body is a journal in a way. It's like what sailors used to do, where every tattoo meant something, a specific time in your life when you make a mark on yourself, whether you do it yourself with a knife or with a professional tattoo artist".^[11]

1980s[link]

With the gift of a guitar from his mother when he was twelve, Depp began playing in various garage bands.^[9] A year after his parents' divorce, Depp dropped out of high school to become a rock musician.^[9] He attempted to go back to school two weeks later, but the principal told him to follow his dream of being a musician.^[9] He played with The Kids, a band that enjoyed modest local success. The Kids set out together for Los Angeles in pursuit of a record deal, changing their name to Six Gun Method, but the group split up before signing a record deal. Depp subsequently collaborated with the band Rock City Angels^[12] and co-wrote their song "Mary", which appeared on Rock City Angels' debut for Geffen Records titled Young Man's Blues.

On December 24, 1983, Depp married Lori Anne Allison, the sister of his band's bass player and singer. During Depp's marriage, his wife worked as a makeup artist, while he worked a variety of odd jobs, including a telemarketer for pens. His wife introduced him to actor Nicolas Cage, who advised Depp to pursue an acting career.^[9] Depp and his wife divorced in 1985. Depp later dated and was engaged to actress Sherilyn Fenn (whom he met on the set of the 1985 short film Dummies). Both Fenn and Depp auditioned for the 1986 film Thrashin' and they were both cast, with Depp being chosen by the film's director to star as the lead, which would have been Depp's second major role. Depp was later turned down by the film's producer, who rejected the director's decision.^[13][14]

Acting career[link]

Johnny Depp at the 1992 Cannes Film Festival

Television[link]

Depp starred in a lead role on the Fox television series, 21 Jump Street, which premiered in 1987.^[9] Depp accepted this role to work with actor Frederic Forrest, who inspired him. Depp's long time friend Sal Jenco joined the cast as a semi-co-star as the janitor named Blowfish. The series' success turned Depp into a popular teen idol during the late 1980s.^[9] Despite this success, Depp felt "forced into the role of product."^[15] Depp subsequently decided to appear only in films that he felt were right for him.^[15] Depp and his co-stars, Peter DeLuise and Holly Robinson, briefly reprised their roles in cameo appearances in the series' 2012 feature film adaptation, which featured a much more comedic tone than the series.

Film roles[link]

Depp's first major role was in the 1984 classic horror film A Nightmare on Elm Street, playing the boyfriend of the heroine, Nancy Thompson (played by Heather Langenkamp) and one of Freddy Krueger's victims.^[9] Depp was the first choice and was cast to star in the 1986 American skater drama film Thrashin', chosen and cast by the director but ultimately rejected by the film's producer.^[13][14] In 1986, he appeared in a secondary role as a Vietnamese-speaking private in Oliver Stone's Platoon. In 1990, he undertook the quirky title role of the Tim Burton film, Edward Scissorhands. The film's success began his long association with Burton.^[9]

Depp, a fan and long-time friend of writer Hunter S. Thompson, played a version of Thompson (named Raoul Duke) in 1998's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, based on the writer's pseudobiographical novel of the same name. Depp accompanied Thompson as his road manager on one of the author's last book tours.^[16] In 2006, Depp contributed a foreword to Gonzo: Photographs by Hunter S. Thompson, a posthumous biography published by ammobooks.com. In 2008, he narrated the documentary film Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson. Depp paid for most of Thompson's memorial event, complete with fireworks and the shooting of Thompson's ashes by a cannon, in Aspen, Colorado, where Thompson lived.^[17] He returned to Thompson's work with a film adaptation of the novel The Rum Diary, released in 2011.

Critics have described Depp's roles as characters who are "iconic loners."^[18] Depp has noted this period of his career was full of "studio defined failures" and films that were "box office poison,"^[19] but he thought the studios never understood the films and did not do a good job of marketing.^[18] Depp has chosen roles which he found interesting, rather than those he thought would succeed at the box office.^[18]

Depp wearing a mustache and goatee similar to the style used in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

The 2003 Walt Disney Pictures film Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl was a major success,^[18] in which Depp's performance as the suave but shambling pirate Captain Jack Sparrow was highly praised. Studio bosses were more ambivalent at first,^[20] but the character became popular with the movie-going public.^[18] According to a survey taken by Fandango, Depp was a major draw for audiences.^[21] The film's director, Gore Verbinski, has said that Depp's character closely resembles the actor's personality, but Depp said he modeled the character after The Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards.^[22] Depp was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for the role.

In 2004, he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor, for playing Scottish author J. M. Barrie in the film Finding Neverland. Depp next starred as Willy Wonka in the 2005 film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, a major success at the box office and earning him a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy.^[22][23]

Depp returned to the role of Jack Sparrow for the sequel Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, which opened on July 7, 2006 and grossed $135.5 million in the first three days of its U.S. release, breaking a box office record of the highest weekend tally.^[24] The next sequel to Pirates of the Caribbean, At World's End, was released May 24, 2007. Depp has said that Sparrow is "definitely a big part of me", and he wants to play the role in further sequels.^[25] Depp voiced Sparrow in the video game, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Legend of Jack Sparrow.^[26] Johnny Depp's swashbuckling sword talents as developed for the character of Jack Sparrow, were highlighted in the documentary film Reclaiming the Blade. Within the film, Swordmaster Bob Anderson shared his experiences working with Depp on the choreography for The Curse of the Black Pearl. Anderson described in the film Depp's ability as an actor to pick up the sword to be "about as good as you can get."^[27]

Depp and Gore Verbinski were executive producers of the album Rogues Gallery, Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs and Chanteys. Depp played the title role of Sweeney Todd in Tim Burton's film adaptation of the musical, for which he won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy. Depp thanked the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and praised Tim Burton for his "unwavering trust and support."^[28]

Depp played the former Heath Ledger character in the 2009 film, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus along with Jude Law and Colin Farrell. All three actors gave their salaries from the film to Ledger's daughter, Matilda.^[29] He portrayed the Mad Hatter in Burton's Alice in Wonderland, and the titular character in Rango.

In 2007, Depp accepted Warner Bros.' proposal to make a film of the gothic soap opera Dark Shadows, a series that aired on ABC from 1966 to 1971. He had been a fan as a child. Depp and Graham King produced the movie with David Kennedy, who ran Dan Curtis Productions inc. until Curtis died in 2006.^[30]

Future roles[link]

Depp will film a documentary about Keith Richards. Depp will star in and produce an adaptation of the comic book Rex Mundi.^[31][32] Depp will collaborate with Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides director Rob Marshall again to create a remake of The Thin Man.^[33] Depp also showed interest in starring in the next Sin City films, with Robert Rodriguez wanting him to star as Wallace.^[34] Depp was going to star as Tonto in an upcoming Lone Ranger film, but the project had been shelved due to budgetary concerns as well as a lacklustre response to a recently-released Western-genre film (Cowboys & Aliens).^[35] The project was revived and the film will be released on May 31, 2013.^[36] Depp plans to star as Carl Kolchak in the project Night Stalker,^[37] and has bought rights to the comic book The Vault^{[disambiguation needed ]}.^[38]

Collaborations with Tim Burton[link]

Depp has collaborated with director and close friend Tim Burton in eight films, beginning with Edward Scissorhands (1990), opposite Winona Ryder and Vincent Price. His next role with Burton was in the 1994 film, Ed Wood.^[9] Depp later said that "within 10 minutes of hearing about the project, I was committed."^[39] At the time, the actor was depressed about films and filmmaking. This part gave him a "chance to stretch out and have some fun"; he said working with Landau "rejuvenated my love for acting".^[39]

Producer Scott Rudin once said, "Basically Johnny Depp is playing Tim Burton in all his movies,"^[40] although Burton personally disapproved of the comment. Depp, however agrees with Rudin's statement. According to Depp, Edward Scissorhands represented Burton's inability to communicate as a teenager. Ed Wood reflected Burton's relationship with Vincent Price (very similar with Edward D. Wood, Jr. and Béla Lugosi).

Depp's Hollywood Walk of Fame star received on November 19, 1999

Depp's next venture with Burton was the role of Ichabod Crane in Sleepy Hollow (1999), opposite Christina Ricci. Sleepy Hollow reflected Burton's battle with the Hollywood studio system.^[41] For his performance, Depp took inspiration from Angela Lansbury, Roddy McDowall and Basil Rathbone.^[40] Depp stated, "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."^[42]

Depp did not work with Burton again until 2005 in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, in which he played Willy Wonka. Depp modeled the character's hair on Anna Wintour.^[43] The film was a box office success and received positive critical reception.^[44][45] Gene Wilder, who played Willy Wonka in the 1971 film, initially criticized this version.^[46] Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was released in July, followed by Corpse Bride, for which Depp voiced the character Victor Van Dort, in September.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) followed, bringing Depp his second major award win, the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy as well as his third nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor. Burton first gave him an original cast recording of the 1979 stage musical in 2000. Although not a fan of the musical genre, Depp grew to like the tale's treatment. He cited Peter Lorre in Mad Love (1935) as his main influence for the role, and practiced the songs his character would perform while filming Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End.^[47] Although he had performed in musical groups, Depp was initially unsure that he would be able to sustain Stephen Sondheim's lyrics. Depp recorded demos and worked with Bruce Witkin to shape his vocals without a qualified voice coach. In the DVD Reviews section, Entertainment Weekly's Chris Nashawaty gave the film an A minus, stating, "Depp's soaring voice makes you wonder what other tricks he's been hiding... Watching Depp's barber wield his razors... it's hard not to be reminded of Edward Scissorhands frantically shaping hedges into animal topiaries 18 years ago... and all of the twisted beauty we would've missed out on had [Burton and Depp] never met."^[48] In his introduction to Burton on Burton, a book of interviews with the director, Depp called Burton "...a brother, a friend,...and [a] brave soul".^[49] The next Depp-Burton collaboration was Alice in Wonderland (2010). Depp played the Mad Hatter alongside Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway and Alan Rickman. In 2012, he starred in the Burton-directed Dark Shadows, a film based on the 1966-1971 gothic soap opera of the same name, alongside fellow Tim Burton regular Helena Bonham Carter, as well as Michelle Pfeiffer and Eva Green.

Production company[link]

In 2004, Depp formed his production company Infinitum Nihil to develop projects where he will serve as actor and/or producer. Depp is the founder and CEO, while his sister, Christi Dembrowski, serves as president.^[50] The company's first production came in 2011 with The Rum Diary, adapted from the novel of the same name by Hunter S. Thompson. The film is written and directed by Bruce Robinson. Also in 2011, Hugo, directed by Martin Scorsese, was released. Dark Shadows, directed by Tim Burton, was released in 2012.

Other interests[link]

During the Paris premiere of Public Enemies in July 2009

Music[link]

As a guitar player, Depp has played slide guitar on the Oasis song "Fade In-Out" (from Be Here Now, 1997), as well as on "Fade Away (Warchild Version)" (b-side of the "Don't Go Away" single). He also played acoustic guitar in the movie Chocolat and on the soundtrack to Once Upon a Time in Mexico. He is a friend of The Pogues' Shane MacGowan, and performed on MacGowan's first solo album. He was also a member of P, a group featuring Butthole Surfers singer Gibby Haynes, Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea and Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones. He has appeared in Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers' music video "Into the Great Wide Open" and The Lemonheads "It's a Shame About Ray" music video. He made a cameo as the Mad Hatter in the music video for Avril Lavigne's "Alice" in 2010. He performed lead guitar and drums for a cover of Carly Simon's "You're So Vain", which appeared as a bonus track on some editions of Marilyn Manson's 2012 album Born Villain.^[51][52], also performing live with Marilyn Manson in the Revolver Golden Gods Awards 2012, performing various songs of Marilyn Manson.^[53] He also appeared in the music video of "My Valentine" from the album Kisses on the Bottom by Paul McCartney released in February 2012, along with Natalie Portman.^[54]

Winemaker and restaurateur[link]

Depp and Paradis grow grapes and have wine making facilities in their vineyard in Plan-de-la-Tour north of Saint-Tropez.^[55][56][57] He is known for a fondness of French wines: among Depp's favorites are the Bordeaux wines Château Calon-Ségur, Château Cheval Blanc and Château Pétrus, and the Burgundy wine Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. Interviewed in Madame Figaro, he stated, "With those wines, you reach nirvana".^[58] Along with Sean Penn, John Malkovich and Mick Hucknall, Depp co-owned the French restaurant-bar Man Ray, located near the Champs-Élysées.^[59]

Personal life[link]

Family and relationships[link]

Depp in April 2011

Depp was married to Lori Anne Allison from 1983 to 1985. He became involved with Sherilyn Fenn in 1985; this relationship also lasted 3 years. Depp met Winona Ryder at the Great Balls of Fire! premier in July 1989, and became engaged to her for three years beginning in July 1990.^[60] The relationship was highly publicized and received much scrutiny by the media and tabloid press.

Since 1998, following a four year relationship with British supermodel Kate Moss, Depp has been in a relationship with Vanessa Paradis, a French actress and singer whom he met while filming The Ninth Gate.^[61]

The couple have two children. Daughter Lily-Rose Melody Depp was born May 27, 1999, and son John "Jack" Christopher Depp III was born April 9, 2002.^[1] In 2007, his daughter recovered from a serious illness, an E. coli infection that began to cause her kidneys to shut down and resulted in an extended hospital stay.^[62] To thank Great Ormond Street Hospital, Depp visited the hospital in November 2007 dressed in his Captain Jack Sparrow outfit and spent 4 hours reading stories to the children. In 2008 he donated £1 million (about $2 million) to the hospital.^[63]

Although Depp has not remarried, he has stated that having children has given him "real foundation, a real strong place to stand in life, in work, in everything."^[25] "You can't plan the kind of deep love that results in children. Fatherhood was not a conscious decision. It was part of the wonderful ride I was on. It was destiny; kismet. All the math finally worked." The family divides its time between their home in Meudon, located in the suburbs of Paris, 2 homes in Los Angeles^[64], an island he bought in The Bahamas, and their villa in Le Plan-de-la-Tour, a small town 20 km from Saint-Tropez, in the south of France.^[65][66] Depp also acquired a vineyard estate in the Plan-de-la-Tour area in 2007.^[55] Several reports indicated Depp bought Burnham Westgate Hall in Norfolk, England, a 13-bedroom Georgian country house, in June 2011.^[67][68][69]

Legal issues[link]

In 1994, Depp was arrested and questioned by police for allegedly causing serious damage to a New York City hotel suite.^[70]

He was arrested again in 1999 for brawling with paparazzi outside a restaurant while dining in London with Paradis.^[71]

Tattoos[link]

Depp has around 13 tattoos, many of them signifying important persons or events in his life. They include a Native American in profile and a ribbon reading "Wino Forever" (originally "Winona Forever", altered after his breakup with Winona Ryder) on his right biceps, "Lily-Rose" (his daughter's name) over his heart, "Betty Sue" (his mother's name) on his left biceps, and a sparrow flying over water with the word "Jack" (his son's name; the sparrow is flying towards him rather than away from him as it is in Pirates of the Caribbean) on his right forearm.

Controversy[link]

Comments on U.S.[link]

In 2003, Depp's comments about the United States appeared in Germany's Stern magazine: "America is dumb, is something like a dumb puppy that has big teeth — that can bite and hurt you, aggressive."^[72] Although he later asserted that the magazine misquoted him and the quotation was taken out of context, Stern stood by its story, as did CNN.com in its coverage of the interview. CNN added his remark that he would like his children "to see America as a toy, a broken toy. Investigate it a little, check it out, get this feeling and then get out."^[73] The July 17, 2006 edition of Newsweek reprinted the "dumb puppy" quotation, verbatim, in the context of a Letter to the Magazine. Depp has also disagreed with subsequent media reports that perceived him as a "European wannabe", saying that he likes the anonymity of living in France and his simpler life there.^[72]

In 2011, Depp became a U.S. resident again, because France wanted him to become a permanent resident, which he said would require him to pay income tax in both countries.^[74]

Comanche Adoption[link]

Depp was adopted as an honorary son by LaDonna Harris, a member of the Comanche Nation, on May 22, 2012; this makes him an honorary member of Harris's family, but not an enrolled member of the Nation.^[75] Harris, president of Americans for Indian Opportunity, invited him to join her family after hearing he would be reprising the role of Tonto as a Comanche in the movie version of The Lone Ranger. The ceremony took place at Harris’s home; Comanche Nation Tribal Administrator Johnny Wauqua was in attendance. Depp was presented with gifts by the family, which he then presented to the attendees, as per tradition.^[75] This adoption, and Depp's portrayal of a Native American character, has not been without controversy.^[75] Depp was not raised in any Native American community, nor has any ancestry from these communities been confirmed, but has said he "guesses" he may have some distant Cherokee or Creek ancestry.^[7] In the original Radio Broadcast, Tonto was identified as being from the Potawatomi Tribe.

Awards and nominations[link]

Some of the awards that Depp has won include honors from the London Film Critics Circle (1996), Russian Guild of Film Critics (1998), Screen Actors Guild Awards (2004) and a Golden Globe for Best Actor. At the 2008 MTV Movie Awards, he won the award for "Best Villain" for his portrayal of Sweeney Todd and "Best Comedic Performance" for Jack Sparrow. Depp has been nominated for three Academy Awards, in 2004 for Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, in 2005 for Finding Neverland, and in 2008 for Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Depp won his first Golden Globe for his portrayal of Sweeney Todd in 2008.

Filmography[link]

References[link]

Bibliography[link]

• Burton, Tim; Salisbury, Mark (2006). Burton on Burton (Second Revised ed.). Faber. ISBN 0571229263. http://books.google.com/?id=-GY9R1c_kKgC&lpg=PP1&pg=PP1#v=onepage. Retrieved July 27, 2010. 

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Johnny Depp

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Johnny Depp

• Johnny Depp at the Internet Movie Database
• Johnny Depp at People.com
• Johnny Depp at Yahoo! Movies
• Johnny Depp on Charlie Rose
• Johnny Depp collected news and commentary at The Guardian
• Johnny Depp collected news and commentary at The New York Times
• Works by or about Johnny Depp in libraries (WorldCat catalog)
• Johnny Depp at the Notable Names Database