June 2006
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From USA TODAY
Superman vs. Jack Sparrow: Who will win?
Updated 6/30/2006 2:14 PM ET
By Scott Bowles, USA TODAY
In Superman Returns, the Man of Steel faces Lex Luthor, world peril
and Kryptonite.
But his biggest challenge may come from Johnny Depp.
That's because Hollywood is still waiting to crown its big-screen king of summer. And with earlier contenders falling by the wayside, the industry buzz is whether Superman, which opened Wednesday, or Depp's Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest will be the box-office titan of the season, and probably the year. Pirates cost an estimated $200 million to produce; Superman cost $250 million.
Early money is on the swashbuckler.
Thus far, no film has dominated summer. Though several movies came out of the gate quickly, including The Da Vinci Code and X-Men: The Last Stand, none has approached $300 million, the gold standard for a summer smash.
Last summer, Star Wars, Episode III: Revenge of the Sith racked up $380 million and was the biggest movie of the year. The year before that, it was Shrek 2 with $441 million.
"It's been a very blah summer so far," says Brandon Gray of Box Office Mojo. "There's no Shrek, no Star Wars, no Finding Nemo. We need something to invigorate audiences."
His bet is on Pirates, out July 7. Gray says the first Pirates, which made $305 million in 2003, built an appetite unrivaled by any other movie.
Gray says ticket sales for the sequel should surpass the original, "and it could very well be the biggest movie of 2006. It's the only one that really stands out."
Early tracking has been so strong that some analysts say it could challenge Spider-Man's record $114.8 million opening in 2002.
"Pirates has become a cultural phenomenon for a young generation," says Chad Hartigan, a box office analyst for the industry-tracking firm Reelsource.
The bow in Superman's quiver, Hartigan says, may be the July Fourth holiday. "He's iconic, all-American and people are off work and out of school. If the movie gets good word of mouth, it could surprise everyone."
Paul Dergarabedian of Exhibitor Relations says that the race could be a tortoise-and-hare matchup. He expects Superman to be buoyed over the long haul by strong reviews, while Pirates will open quickly out of the gates.
Dergarabedian says each could ultimately claim bragging rights. "Superman is so iconic worldwide, he could be the biggest hit internationally, while Pirates may be the biggest movie in the U.S."
And he says Hollywood executives are relieved to be having this argument
over the one last year. "Last summer, we were talking about when the box
office slump would end. This is a lot more fun debate."
From the Courier Mail
Eye of the storm
Johnny Depp had his share of high seas drama on set and off, writes Audrey Smythe-Jones
June 29, 2006
PERHAPS the most dangerous stunt Johnny Depp, as Captain Jack Sparrow, performed in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest was eluding hurricanes during the treacherous tropical storm season in the Bahamas.
"We were evacuated on a daily basis," he reveals. "There was a daily monitoring of the National Hurricane Centre when we were down there in Grand Bahamas.
"You would be watching them closely and you'd see them turn and there were memories of what happened during Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana and Mississippi."
Shooting Dead Man's Chest – the third Pirates instalment set for release next year – back-to-back in the Bahamas and West Indies with a combined budget of $300 million, involved more than 600 people.
"It was really strange," Depp says, "sitting there with (director) Gore Verbinski and (producer) Jerry Bruckheimer and the rest of the producers, watching for the storm. It was really scary, especially shooting in the Bahamas in the middle of hurricane season. Why schedule it then? Is it cheaper during hurricane season? I don't get it."
When the company was ordered to evacuate, they fled the archipelago of 700 islands southwest of Florida, which has been featured in five James Bond films as well as Into The Blue with Paul Walker and Jessica Alba and After The Sunset with Pierce Brosnan and Salma Hayek.
"I went straight to Los Angeles, back to see my kids," Depp says. "Glad to get out of there in time."
But when Depp returned to Los Angeles, he discovered the view from his $5.4 million Hollywood Hills estate would be impaired by a retail development – and decided to fight City Hall.
Depp's attorney filed a lawsuit claiming the West Hollywood City Council violated environmental quality laws with the $10 million project.
Depp lost the case and appointed his sister, Christi Dembrowski, to launch an appeal.
Hurricanes weren't the only disruption on the Pirates of the Caribbean set. When swaggering Captain Jack Sparrow was supposedly captured and roasted alive on a skewer with fruits and vegetables in a cannibal scene, outraged residents, members of the Carib tribe on the island of Bataka, Dominica, accused Disney of insinuating that their ancestors practised such inhumane rituals.
Charles Williams, chief of the 3500 remaining natives, told the Los Angeles Times he was furious the film perpetuated the myth that the Caribs were cannibals, stating: "Today, Disney wants to popularise that stigma one more time, this time through film, and film is a powerful tool for propaganda."
Disney hired about 400 locals to work as extras on Dead Man's Chest for $95 a day, but Williams insists: "A good name is better than riches. Shame on us that for a few dollars we are betraying our flesh and blood."
Producer Jerry Bruckheimer tried to downplay the uproar by insisting the scene is light-hearted and in no way reflects the history of Bataka because in Dead Man's Chest, in addition to the cannibals, there's an interrupted wedding between blissful lovebirds Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) and Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) and bloodthirsty Scottish sea captain Davy Jones (Bill Nighy), ruler of the ocean depths and captain of the ghostly Flying Dutchman.
The hurricane-prone location was chosen because the Bahamas Film Studios at Gold Rock Creek offers one of the few huge water tanks in the world. Described as the size of four football fields, the tank is a V-shaped enclosure accessible to the ocean on a decommissioned US Air Force base in Freeport, Grand Bahama Island.
Along with the tank, there are nine soundstages, production offices, even a 110-room resort hotel.
As for Captain Jack Sparrow, Depp has the last laugh. Apparently, Disney film producers were convinced that his bizarre interpretation of the swashbuckling pirate would ruin the film after he based the slurry-voiced character on Rolling Stones star Keith Richards and laughed off the movie bosses' concerns because he was convinced that children would fall in love with his portrayal of Sparrow.
"Disney gave me such a hullabaloo about what I was doing with the character, the gold teeth, all the beads hanging and the dreadlocks," Depp chortles. "I would get these phone calls from upper echelons, Team Disney, and it would be like, 'OK, OK, what are you doing with your hands? Is he drunk? Is he gay? What is he?'
"Michael Eisner hated it so much the words actually came out of his mouth, 'He's ruining the film'. Which really made me laugh."
Eisner is no longer chairman of Disney – and the new regime is said to be enthusiastic about Depp's characterisation, citing both the $305 million the corporation banked for Curse of the Black Pearl and Depp's Oscar nomination.
It's no secret Depp based the outrageousness of Captain Jack Sparrow on Richards, but what's up for conjecture is whether Richards will pop up unexpectedly as Sparrow's father in a sequel.
With Mick Jagger, 62-year-old Richards has been the backbone of the Rolling Stones since the 1960s, and Depp is such an admirer of Richards he even "breaks in" his shoes, wearing them on film sets before handing them over so they don't look so new when the Stones tour. "Keith doesn't like things to be too new or obvious," the Stones tour manager Robert Cary-Williams says. "Johnny idolises Keith, so he's happy to oblige."
What Depp does reveal is that the upcoming sequels will see more comedy than the first.
"It occurs to me that Captain Jack Sparrow can be very funny," Depp says. "So I'm just going to try to be funny. The idea of sequels and stuff like that was a very odd notion to me. I never quite understood it all."
And the Caribbean's unpredictable weather didn't discourage Depp from paying a reported $3,600,000 for the 16 ha Little Halls Pond Cay, located about 100km south of Nassau.
His slice of paradise lies in the protected Exuma Land And Sea Park and is accessible only by seaplane, boat or helicopter.
Privacy is so important to Depp that he credits his decision to set up home in the tiny French village of Plan de la Tour for allowing him to lead a normal life when he isn't making movies.
"France has given me the opportunity to live a basic and simple life with my kiddies, a life of normalcy," he explains, carefully rolling a cigarette and lighting it.
"I love the simple things: the sunrise, the trees, the countryside. The nearest village has 1500 people.
"I can take a ride into the village and go to the local bar and have a coffee with my girl. I'm not looking round the periphery for the paparazzi. There's no ambulance-chaser mentality, that thing that makes me ill at ease.
"You drive back home and walk in the vegetable garden with your kids and have a nice lunch, some good wine, some pate."
Depp's "girl" is French singer/songwriter/actor Vanessa Paradis, whom he met while he was making The Ninth Gate.
"I met my wife in a bar in Paris. I wasn't brave enough to go over and ask her to join me, so I got a friend to do it for me.
"I have profound respect for her as an actress. When you see Girl on a Bridge, you cannot deny this fact. Her performance was just perfect," he says. "Now we share this incredible life together with our children: Lily Rose Melody Depp and Jack John Christopher Depp III.
"I want to be sure there's never too long a time away from family. The most we've ever gone is 17 days and, by then, I was chewing my hand off.
"When I'm working, she comes with me and brings the kids. When she's working, I go with her and bring the kids.
"My daughter has already visited more countries than I did in my first 25 years, seen more hotel rooms than I have in my entire life," he continues.
"Fatherhood has given me great strength, great calm, great sleep deprivation, and a great perspective of how life should pan out."
Depp – or, officially, John Christopher Depp II – was born on June 9, 1963, in Owensboro, Kentucky, the youngest in a family of four siblings. His father, John Christopher Depp, was a city engineer and his mother, Betty Sue Palmer, was a waitress and homemaker.
Raised in Florida, Depp rebelled early. "School was a torment," he remembers.
"We moved often, lived in more than 20 houses in my first 15 years, and I never felt accepted."
When he was 15, his parents divorced, and he was raised by his mother whose name is tattooed on his left arm.
At age 17, he delved into the world of experimental drugs and became a rock musician.
Depp joined a rock band called The Flame, with whom he toured the Florida nightclub circuit. The Flame evolved into The Kids and that band was hired as the opening act on an Iggy Pop tour.
After the band broke up, Depp decided to try his luck at acting after visiting Los Angeles and marrying make-up artist Lori Allison, who introduced him to Nicolas Cage, who saw star potential.
Thanks to their encounter, Depp made his screen debut in the slasher film, A Nightmare on Elm Street. He then shot to fame in the role of a slick undercover detective on the popular TV series 21 Jump Street.
Up next for Depp is the screen adaptation of Gregory David Roberts' Shantaram. Directed by Peter Weir (Master and Commander), it's the story of an Australian addict who escapes from prison and reinvents himself as a doctor in the slums of Bombay.
Then there's The Rum Diary, still in pre-production with a projected 2008 release. That's the follow-up to Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, based on another of cult writer Hunter S. Thompson's novels.
"It's a tangled love story of jealousy, treachery and violent alcoholic lust in the Caribbean boom town that was San Juan, Puerto Rico, in the late 1950s," Depp says.
"Bruce Robinson, who wrote and directed a film called Withnail and I is adapting the book and is going to direct it, which is very, very exciting."
The Ginger Man is rumoured to be a future Depp project, one in which he would play one of the most famous characters in Irish fiction: Sebastian Dangerfield.
Writer J.P. Donleavy has repeatedly rejected Hollywood's attempts to make a movie out of his novel, but he was impressed by Depp during a meeting in New York.
"Mr Depp is something else," Donleavy said, "bright, extremely intelligent and knowledgeable."
Considered pornographic on its publication in the 1950s, The Ginger Man tells the tale of a feckless, womanising American soldier, supposedly studying law at Trinity College after World War II.
It sparked controversy after being turned into a stage play which was halted after three performances in 1959 due to opposition from the Catholic Church.
That role in the eye of the storm has Depp written large all over it.
Fromm Emma
Jun 29, 2006 (WENN via COMTEX)
Johnny Depp's gold teeth have been a constant pain for the movie star - he once found a dentist's drill bit buried in his gums.
The actor donned the gold teeth for his role as CAPTAIN JACK SPARROW in PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL and has put them back in for the sequels.
And, though he worries about having the fixtures extracted later this year (06), he insists the pain will be nothing compared to his past teeth troubles.
He explains, "I've had many problems over the years with my teeth; several root canals. Once they found an eight-millimetre tip of the drill bit in one of the canals. That was horrible. That was a six-hour ordeal.
"The process of taking the gold teeth off can be ugly too. Sometimes
it just goes `ding' and it shoots off, and other times you got to really
address the issue a little more intensely."
From Emma
NY Daily News
Johnny Depp has turned Capt. Jack Sparrow into a bit of a swishbuckler
in "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest." Depp says he was intrigued
by a scholarly work titled "Sodomy and the Pirate Tradition." "I liked
the idea of [Jack] being ambiguous," he tells Mark Binelli in the new summer
double issue of Rolling Stone. "Because women were thought to be bad luck
on ships. And these pirates would go out for years at a time. So, you know,
there is a possibility that one thing might lead to another. You're lonely.
You have an extra ration of rum. 'Cabin boy!'"…
Photo from eps
From Emma
Close Up with Johnny Depp
Jun 28, 2006
Hollywood's hottest pirate has come to life again.
Captain Jack Sparrow played by Johnny Depp is back in one of the most anticipated films of the year - Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest.
Depp is known for taking dark, challenging roles with characters who tread off the beaten track. But, Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl gave the critically acclaimed actor his biggest ever box office success.
At the premiere of Dead Man's Chest Depp was rushed past screaming fans who had been waiting hours just to catch a glimpse of him. He told Close Up that sort of thing is something he will never get used to.
"For me I want to do everything I can to accommodate the people who've come out to salute, to say hi, and at a certain point there were just so many people...you know the Disney people and the wranglers just grabbed me and pushed me forward to get me in there so they could start the premiere so I felt horrible, I felt horrible that I just kind of had to wave to people," says Depp.
He says the truth is there wouldn't be a second Pirates, film if it weren't for the fans.
The famously private Depp has found himself at the centre of a huge phenomenon, in no small part due to his portrayal of Jack Sparrow.
In Dead Man's Chest Depp - as Sparrow - is once again thrown into the world of the supernatural when he finds out he owes a blood debt to the legendary Davey Jones played by British actor Bill Nighy.
Will Turner, played by Orlando Bloom, and Elizabeth Swann, played by Keira Knightley, are also back for the sequel.
They are forced to join Sparrow on another misadventure, when his problem with Davey Jones wrecks their wedding plans.
A Spoiler-free Review of POTC2
by Kazren
So you've read the book, and you think you know what's coming. Well, maybe, up to a point, but nothing can prepare you for the sheer magnitude of swash and buckle in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest.
If you impressed by the adventure of the first movie, you aint seen nothin' yet! This movie is like getting on a roller coaster that gets faster, with higher and higher rises, and deeper drops as you go along. There are so many things in it to relish.
First off, we get to see Captain Jack being... well... Captain Jack very early on and he's just as loveably, funny, handsome, and mysterious as ever. Through interactions with his crew we learn about what we've missed since the last movie and from the very beginning we see what's happening to Elizabeth and Will.
The sets are incredible. From Davy Jones' ship to the bayou home of Tia Dalma the Voodoo and the white sands beaches of Exuma. The music is jolly, sweeping, mournful, taking you along on the ride seamlessly blending into the action on screen, not taking away but emphasizing it. We all expect the highest and best when it comes to Johnny's acting, and he brings Jack, er Captain Jack Sparrow back, showing us more of the depth of the character who can barter with the devil himself without flinching.
Orlando has also come into his own in this more mature Will Turner role, sword fighting and adventuring with the best of them. A lot more of Will Turner's inner workings and his deep ethics and loyalty are revealed this time around, while Kiera's Elizabeth also shines more brightly. We see her bantering with Jack and holding her own, exchanging dialogue that has double-entendres and seething with sexual innuendo.
Can you tell I loved this movie?
As with any good play, the first act sets up the story, and the second act takes you deeper within, to the darkness and twists and turns, leaving you with a cliff-hanger ending. The ending for this is not exactly what I imagined, but I can tell you, you will realize that the story must go on and be very happy for that.
I have one more thing to say. Captain Jack Sparrow had one of
the most memorable entrances in movie history in Pirates 1. I believe
his exit in Pirates 2 will rank up their with the best, most memorable
exits in movie history, too.
From USA Today
Johnny Depp plays it his way
The defiant one: Johnny Depp has had studio executives squirming over
his interpretations of how characters should be played. But "you've got
to do what you believe in," the actor says.
By Anthony Breznican, USA TODAY
LOS ANGELES — It is dangerous for a rebel to be loved too much.
Defiance is the troublemaker's oxygen, and the surprise of a great big bearhug from the mainstream powers-that-be can be enough to choke it right out. There's a temptation to bite the embracer's ear and wriggle free.
Johnny Depp, one of his generation's most iconoclastic actors, is in that situation now with Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, the sequel to the 2003 blockbuster that earned him his first Oscar nomination and propelled him from cult star to cultural touchstone. The movie opens July 7 and is expected to be one of summer's biggest hits.
A SWASHBUCKLING GOOD TIME: Scenes from the Pirates premiere
He was in more familiar territory four years ago, when the money men of the Walt Disney Co. were hopping from foot to foot in a nervous panic over his performance as a swishy swashbuckler in an expensive pirate movie based on an amusement park ride.
Depp now says he wonders what they expected.
His career is a menagerie of peculiar and inscrutable men: the quivering, comedic Ichabod Crane of Sleepy Hollow, the oblivious B-movie maker Ed Wood, Hunter S. Thompson's drug-crazed alter ego in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and the heartbreaking monster Edward Scissorhands.
"They must be related to me in some way. Not so much that they're outsiders, though it must be. I never considered myself an outsider," the actor says, a devilish smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "But I definitely didn't consider myself an insider."
So Depp came to expect anxiety from the studio brass when he set to work. "I'm so used to those calls now that I wait for them, where they say: 'Now, what exactly are you doing?' "
The actor is 43 but doesn't look battle-hardened. His boyish face is shaded by the wide brim of a well-worn gray Borsalino hat and a necklace jangles around the frayed collar of his white T-shirt as he recalls the internal uproar over the original Pirates, which came principally from former Disney CEO Michael Eisner.
"They did come to me and say, you know, 'What's going on? What does this mean? Is he gay, is he drunk? We can't understand what you're saying. It sounds like you're slurring your words. None of it makes any sense.'
"They were really worried and, in a lot of ways, rightly so. They had a lot of dough invested in the thing and here comes this really weird guy doing something they never experienced before from a human being. I did understand it, but it didn't change anything. I still had to do what I had to do, even when the threat was to potentially be fired."
Pirates producer Jerry Bruckheimer, the powerhouse behind movies such as Top Gun, Armageddon and Pearl Harbor, talked down the hostility. "You protect him by giving confidence to the studio. We all agreed to hire Johnny Depp, and the fact that he's interpreting the character in a unique way is why you hired him. Otherwise you hire anybody."
Depp, of course, wasn't fired, and his wobbly buccaneer, Jack Sparrow (inspired by Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards), launched the movie to a worldwide gross of $653.9 million.
Then came the best-actor Oscar nomination and an order for two back-to-back sequels. (The third Pirates movie, which is still shooting, arrives next summer.)
Among certain audiences, Depp always had a degree of loyalty, but suddenly his appeal was much broader. It was no longer just the gothically inclined who got him — it was the so-called regular folks.
Since then he has had three smaller successes —Finding Neverland (which earned him a second Oscar nomination), the offbeat murder thriller Secret Window and the action-comedy Once Upon a Time in Mexico— and one blockbuster, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which brought in $475 million worldwide last year.
His performance in Charlie as the somewhat menacing, slightly androgynous, saccharine-free candy tycoon Willie Wonka reportedly rankled Warner Bros. executives — as he often did.
But it proved, once again, that Depp's brand of cheerful weirdness and dark poetry strikes a chord with people.
And in resurrecting his Sparrow character, Depp found himself in strange territory: acceptance.
"On Pirates 2 and 3, we didn't get the calls — 'My God, you're ruining the movie!'
"In a lot of instances they kind of were beyond supportive to the degree where it's, 'Keep doing it! Make some more stuff up! Add some more weirdness!' But we did hit a couple of places that made them nervous ..."
Depp pauses for a long time. That devil's smile returns. "And it does feel good. It does," he says. "If you don't sort of tread in the arena of fear, you won't move forward somehow."
Locked in that mainstream embrace, Depp did not bite the ear of those doubters who now celebrate him. Instead, he nibbled on a toe.
Gore Verbinski, director of the Pirates movies, says he and Depp were trying to find a way to "one-up each other" to avoid playing it safe the second time around. At one point in the sequel, when Sparrow is captured by cannibals, Verbinski had the savages drape a necklace of severed toes around his neck.
Sparrow then does something outrageous. (We won't spoil the joke.) "People were like, 'You can't put that in the movie,' " Verbinski says. "Well, who's going to stop us?" Not the suits. Not this time.
The scene gets a big groan, followed by laughter, from preview audiences. "It's a sort of gambit," Verbinski says. "We're both really uncomfortable if other people are comfortable. You worry, 'Are we phoning it in?' If executives are going to sleep well at night, well, you don't want that."
Depp explains that the anxiety level of businessmen is simply a good way to gauge your balance on the high wire. "It's not like you get a thrill out of worrying them. But if they're freaked out about it, that means it's different. Let's keep going in that direction."
Frustrating times early in his career on the 1980s TV drama 21 Jump Street made him vow never to perform solely for the sake of a job again.
It's about "pushing yourself to the absolute brink of failure, in terms of like, 'Boy, if this don't work, it's going to be real bad. And if it does work, it might be great,' " Depp says. "When I'm about to pop my clock I want to be able to say, 'From this particular period to this particular period, I was solid and I was honest and there were no compromises.'
"I could be wrong," he adds. "I might have been wrong many times."
Movies like last year's The Libertine, about a debauched aristocrat, misfired with critics and were ignored by the masses. Occasionally, the daredevil breaks a leg. And some day, Depp knows, the daredevil could break his neck.
"There was always the chance that maybe you'd get away with (taking risks) for one or two movies, and then you'd get deep-sixed and you're out on your ear. And I was OK with that. I figured, I pumped gas before, I worked construction before. So I could do it again, what the heck. It's still kind of miraculous to me that I was able to stick around after all these years."
Memories of two important figures in his life — Marlon Brando, his co-star in 1995's Don Juan DeMarco, and Thompson, the iconic crazed journalist of Fear and Loathing— guide his tastes.
"I wouldn't do anything that I thought could disappoint them or make them ashamed. Even if I'm alone — even if I'm going down this road and I feel it's really what this character is and everyone in the world thinks I'm wrong — you've got to do what you believe in."
But, like many creative enigmas, Brando's life was full of personal grief and emotional and social exile, and Fear and Loathing was not just a title for Thompson, it was a lifestyle. Slowed by declining health, he committed suicide last year — his final act of defiance.
Depp is testing whether it's possible to follow their fearsome creative path and still have happiness. He says his personal life has mellowed because of his longtime romance with model/actress Vanessa Paradis, and their two children, daughter Lily-Rose, 7, and son Jack, 4.
That's when he says he let go of what "freaks me out or bothered me or confused me" along with the "boozing" that helped him deal with it.
"It took kind of meeting that right girl, her getting pregnant, and that whole beauty of nine months waiting for the kid and then BOOM — there's your baby and you go, 'My God, there is my life.' The same moment your child is born, you're born. You're brand-new, because you are revealed finally to yourself. You're meeting yourself for the first time. And it's about being OK with yourself, not hating yourself anymore."
So, maybe there is danger for a rebel like Depp in being loved too much,
but he seems willing to sacrifice some of that defiance. He has found ways
to fill that void.
From the L.A. Times
Too many fans, too little time
Disney Studio's publicity department had a very full Monday morning, fielding questions about Saturday’s “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” PR nightmare at Disneyland.
Disney's head of publicity Dennis Rice was busy making amends to disenchanted print, internet, radio and TV press who’d waited for five hours on the premiere red carpet and never got to interview the film's main star, Johnny Depp.
“I had a big fallout with the press and I’m prepared to deal with it today,” Rice confirmed.
What Disney was simply not prepared for was the overwhelming number of fans who bought tickets to the park to see their favorite stars arrive for Saturday's premiere.
“We knew Johnny Depp had a huge fan base but we were simply not prepared
for the number of fans who showed up,” Rice admitted. And for Johnny, it’s
all about the fans."
Johnnydepp_charb_9185037_600According to Disneyland sources, five thousand
fans camped out Friday night outside the park in order to get in at 6:30
a.m. to stake out spots on the carpet so they could see – and possible
shake hands with - the “Pirates” star.
“Unlike some stars, Johnny Depp is very appreciative of and loyal to his fans and he always makes time for them at his public appearances,” says a Depp source. “They all know this and that's why they show up in droves. He started signing autographs for fans in the front of the park around 6:45 and spent two hours doing it. He didn’t even do his first interview with ET until 8:45.”
Unfortunately, his two hours of devotion to his fans up front left scant time for the countless others lining the carpet further inside the park. Or the patiently waiting reporters further down the line who were not told until after 9 p.m. that Depp would not have time to talk.
But the tremendous turn-out is proof that Depp’s popularity with fans of all ages and both genders has now hit superstar status. And he didn’t even have to jump on Oprah’s couch to get up there.
And it turns out that Depp had an even fuller plate on Saturday than most people knew. He arrived at the park at noon with his family to do press photos on the updated Pirates of the Caribbean ride.
Then, according to inside sources, he spent several hours more on a “personal obligation” that Disney has refused to confirm or comment on in order to respect the actor’s privacy.
But a Hollywood Bytes investigation has uncovered that Depp’s time-consuming “obligation” was actually an unpublicized lengthy lunch/meeting with several children with life-threatening illnesses whose dream was to meet the actor. Depp's publicist Robin Baum's office confirmed the report. Depp has worked with the Make-a-Wish Foundation since his days on the late 80's TV series, "21 Jump Street."
Well, this totally defuses any annoyance about Depp's subsequent truncated
time on the red carpet. Choosing to make seriously ill kids happy over
inane pointless press interviews? Hard to argue with that.
From Emma
'PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN' PREMIERE
The happiest place on earth, Disneyland held the L.A. premiere of 'Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Man's Chest'. The arrivals line stretched from the entrance of the park, through main street and lead right to the newly renovated Pirates of the Caribbean ride.
The film's stars, Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley all divided themselves as best they could on the arrivals line between the fans and the media.
Guest celebrity attendees included California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Martin Landau, Lynda Carter, Jennifer Love Hewitt, James Cameron and many more.
The Pirates are back in an all new epic tale chronicling the further mis-adventures of Captain Jack Sparrow are back for more. Jack sets sail on an all new adventure - filled with more intrigue, more spectacular special effects and more comedy - in July 2006.
"The sort of horizon has been broadened ever so slightly," noted Johnny Depp. "We were able to put a few new things in. Bits and bobs."
Rumor has it, Keith Richards is said to act in the next, "Pirates of the Caribbean 3" which is currently under production.
Depp commented, "They are talking about it. Yeah, they are talking about it."
Aside from the 200 crews who awaited Depp's arrival, were fans lined up for hours waiting to desperately get a glimpse, wave picture or autograph with the man of the night, Johnny Depp.
"It's always kind of overwhelming but it's also nice to meet these people," Depp explained. "They came out to support us. It's very touching."
Heartthrob Orlando Bloom also had his share of screaming fans as he swept through the carpet.
"It means a lot. You can't make movies like this without fans like that," explained Bloom. "When it's a huge movie you just hope they love it and go see it. You know I've never been on this ride, Pirates of the Caribbean. I've never done it. So this time last year suddenly I was like, it's such a part of the establishment, you know. You see how grandparents take their kids, and father take their sons. You sort of go, ' Wow this is what it's about.' Because I was like, ' What was the fuss about. But it's so part of the history of the institution. Yeah, exactly Johnny in it, and Jeffrey and Davey Jones. It's awesome. It's really awesome. "
It seems none of the actors were willing to break off any pieces of information of what fans could expect in the third pirates film, however Keira Knightley did quickly point out what the best part of one and two have been.
"No I'm not giving you any snippets of Pirates three and you have to
see Pirates two before you get any of that," noted Knightley. "And best
part? Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom. Marvelous."
From Jan from The Orange County Register
Sunday, June 25, 2006
'Pirates' sets sail at Disneyland
Fans get a glimpse of cast members and other Hollywood stars strolling down the red carpet on Main Street.
By SARAH TULLY
The Orange County Register
By 5:30 a.m., Shelley Thompson and Caitlin Bruffey were already on a mission at Disneyland - to see Johnny Depp.
The 17-year-old Orange girls, sporting yellow T-shirts stating: "Captain Jack is Back," camped out all day on a blanket along the red carpet for the world premiere of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" sequel at Disneyland. The park opened early, at 6:30 a.m., because it closed early for the premiere festivities.
"At first we were scared we weren't going to get in," Bruffey said. The girls were among thousands of fans who lined Main Street for a chance to see their favorite stars of the movie, including Depp, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley.
Some came from out of state for the chance. "It's a premiere inside the park. How could you not do it?" said Ken Williamson, 37, of Washington D.C.
When Martin Landau heard some screaming girls, the actor quipped, "They think I'm Johnny Depp." Landau co-starred with Depp in the 1994 film Ed Wood.
Bill Nighy, who plays Davy Jones in the movie and came down the red carpet before him, jokes that he was just a warm-up for Johnny Depp. "It's a nice feeling. It's a nice vibe," he said. "They dig the movie and there's a warm feeling for it."
When the first "Pirates" movie premiered at Disneyland in June 2003, it featured the longest red carpet in history at the time, stretching 900 feet down Main Street to New Orleans Square. Saturday's premiere also sported a lot of red.
"To have a movie premiere here is amazing," said skateboarder Tony Hawk. "I can't believe they have a red carpet this long."
Musician Mark Hoppus of the band Blink 182 said he grew up at Disneyland because he has family in Orange County. His wife's parents met while working at Disneyland, he said.
Hoppus also went to the first movie premiere at Disneyland. "It's the best thing that ever happened from being in a band."
To accommodate the big event, Disneyland had shortened hours Saturday - 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. - so the park could clear out for the premiere. Parades were canceled for the day.
Disney's California Adventure offered extended hours to accommodate guests.
After the stars had arrived, viewers were set to watch the movie from bleachers set up in New Orleans Square on a screen erected on Tom Sawyers Island.
The interest was intense: about 200 media outlets were set to come, compared with the usual 50 or 60 for a standard premiere.
Before the movie was shown, the revamped Pirates of the Caribbean ride made its private debut, allowing invited guests and stars, such as Johnny Depp and his family, to try it out first. Disney Imagineers have integrated movie characters Capt. Jack Sparrow and Barbossa into classic scenes along the route.
The official public opening for the ride is set for Monday when the
theme park opens at 8 a.m. But today, Disneyland patrons are expected to
get an unofficial sneak peak."Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest"
moves to theaters on July 7.
From the L.A. TImes
"Pirates" premiere is a long, wild ride
Keiraknigh_cohen_9184895_600The most popular ride at Disneyland Saturday afternoon was the red carpet for the “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” world premiere.
And the longest. The red carpet was over 1,000 ft. long, rolling down Main Street, snaking by Fantasy Land and stopping at Frontier Land. But for hundreds of international TV, radio and print reporters – not to mention thousands of fans - who'd come to see “Pirates” stars Johnny Depp, Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom, it was a bit disappointing.
Fans staked out their spots on the carpet since the park opened early at 6:30 A.M. The press arrived at 3 P.M. to prepare for the stars arrivals from 5-6 P.M. But by 6:30 P.M., only a few non-famous guests start trickling in.
Since the premiere invite stressed ‘pirate garb,’ there were more eye patches, head bandanas, gold earrings, skull n crossbones, puffy shirts, and pirate hats, -not to mention dark sooty Jack Sparrow eyeliner - than you could shake a saber at.
Early on, the throng of hopeful fans – most wearing “Pirates” T’s and mouse ears (gold hoop earring in one ear) – were still hopeful and enthusiastic, shouting, screaming, holding up banners and photos of Depp and Bloom and ‘We Love You Johnny!’ posters. They happily jumped and screamed to create B-roll color for the camera crews and applauded the professional Disneyland pirates, singing, playing accordions, juggling balls and knives, walking on stilts up and down the carpet.
Johnnydepp_cohen_9182013_600There was a pre-party with grog and grub at the Blue Bayou and Café Orleans for all the arriving premiere guests. They could ride the new Pirates ride that features characters from the film: Jack Sparrow, his nemesis Captain Barbossa, and the squid-faced Davy Jones and then fill three huge red, yellow and green bleachers to view the film, projected on an outdoor screen around 9 P.M.
But by 7:30, the fans on the carpet were getting hungry and hoarse, children began whimpering and the press was turning surly.
“We’ve been standing here 4 1/2 hours and we’ve not seen a single lead actor from the film,” groused a KTLA reporter. “This is insane. Why would they make us stand out here this long?” Even a befuddled German reporter asked, “Is this normal?”
“Is Johnny here?” reporters pestered the nervous Disney publicists. “Where’s Keira?” Has anyone seen Orlando?” Will they talk to us?”
“They’re here,” one publicist promised. “Johnny’s doing the new Pirates of the Caribbean ride and they’re taking photographs. But he’ll be here. Just be patient.”
So reporters relaxed and started chatting up non-Pirate people to kill time. “Entourage” star Kevin Dillon told press that his fans scream “Drama!” and “Viking Quest!” wherever he goes. James Cameron, who has a cameo on “Entourage,” plugged his new film “Avatar,” a sci-fi flick set on another planet that will be released next year in 3-D HD. But he admitted he’d probably do better with a real “Aquaman” since it’s got built-in buzz from the show.
Jon Voight stammered when a reporter asked if he’d seen his new grandchild. The answer was “No” but he’s, um. “very proud of Angie and all the work she's doing.” And he hasn’t sent a baby gift. And he’d really rather not talk about it, if you don’t mind.
Holly Robinson Peete was very popular with press because she actually
knew Depp from his “21 Jump Street Days.” “Who would you like to
have a pirate adventure with?” queried a TV reporter. “Well, not Johnny.
He’s a friend. Unlike every other woman in the world, I just don’t feel
that way about him,” Robinson-Peete explained.
Marilyn Manson – dressed not like a pirate but like Marilyn Manson
– was also a hot interview once word spread on the line that he actually
knows Depp, who may star in a movie he’s making about Lewis Carroll.
“I’m just here to see Johnny. He’s my friend. He’s a real pirate. I’ve
got absinthe in my boots and I’m a pirate too.”
Arnoldschw_degui_9183869_600Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed autographs, talked to a few TV reporters and tried to ignore the smattering of loud “boos” from the crowd. His wife Maria Shriver told a fashion scribe that her T-shirt - emblazoned with Michelangelo’s David with a sequin fig leaf - was designed by Dolce & Gabbana.
Finally, around 8 P.M., a few actors who are actually in “Pirates” made their way down the press line. Bill Nighy, who plays the octo-pussed Davy Jones, said it was surreal having to play piano with his face tentacles. Vanessa Branch, who plays the wench Giselle, revealed how much fun she had slapping Depp in all three films.
All three?...
Photo Credit: Johnny Depp signs autographs at the Disneyland Premiere
of "Pirates."
Wire Image
Seems the third “Pirates” is already shot. The actors have shot their scenes and there’s just location filming left. The film crew will be home in a few weeks, which is how long this red carpet was starting to feel.
Composer Hans Zimmer had just ridden the new updated “Pirates” ride and called it “a thrill” to hear snippets of his “Pirates” score during it. Disney chairman Dick Cook revealed plans to update the ride again for the premiere of the third film, Pirates 3, skedded for Memorial Day 2007.
Johnnydepp_wirei_9178955_600 At 8:30 P.M., frenzied screaming erupts at the carpet entrance. Down the line, cameramen on step ladders report seeing the tops of Depp, Knightley and Bloom’s heads. The actors are said to be posing for photos, zig-zagging down the carpet, talking to TV crews, then running over to shake hands and sign autographs for fans. That’s why it’s taking so long.
But the carpet is long and it’s late, almost 9 P.M., and the very real fear is that the actors will be yanked away by publicists and taken to the party so the film can start. This will leave reporters unhappy and fans miserable.
“One question! We only have time for one question!’ A Disney publicist warns reporters as Knightley is ushered over. Unruffled, the actress tries to break the palpable tension. Told she looks comely in her white chiffon Chanel frock, she wrinkles her nose. “Comely? I look comely? That sounds a bit rude,” she says with that famous winning grin. When she's asked to translate 'snogging' for another reporter, she laughs, “Snogging is kissing in British!” “What do you like about Australia,” shouts an Australian journalist. “I don’t know. I’ve never been!" Knightley replies as she’s yanked away by the Disney pub.
Bloom’s publicist pulls him past a pack of frantic reporters thrusting microphones and tape recorders. A TV reporter shouts the same question she’s asked everyone, “Who would you like to have a pirate adventure with?” Bloom grins and shouts, “The giant squid!,” as he disappears down the carpet. “
Desperate reporters start to break ranks. USA Today, People and Us Weekly scribes climb over the metal bars and walk down the carpet to get close enough to talk to Depp, who is surrounded by Disney publicists and his personal pub, Robin Baum, and roughly two dozen uniformed security guards.
”If you have movie tickets, go take your seats,” warns a stern guard. We’re taking him in. The movie has to start!”
It’s becoming an official red carpet mob scene. Guards are getting nervous. Reporters are begging with publicists. Cameras keep flashing. Fans are screaming, "Joooohnnnyyy!". Suddenly the tense situation explodes as the guards surrounding Depp start rushing their celebrity charge down the carpet.
Reporters and cameramen run ahead of the Depp Delta Force, as if trying to outrun a molten lava flow. “Keep moving, keep moving, keep moving!,” the guards shout.
Just a few frenzied minutes, it’s all over. Depp is gone. After waiting for six hours, most reporters pack up and leave with empty notebooks and tape recorders. After waiting all day, most fans got only a split-second glimpse of Depp’s fedora.
The only good news is that fans can see Depp on the new Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland.
There are three amazingly life-like animatronic Jack Sparrows: one hiding at the dunking scene, another popping up from a barrel and the third counting his treasure on the ride.
If only they’d made one that signs autographs.
Photo Credits: Depp and his look-a-like animatronic double on the new
Pirates ride
WireImage/ Lester Cohen
Found by DeepInDepp on Noticias
Microsoft : MSN and Disneyland Resort to Webcast the “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” Red Carpet World Premiere Live From Southern California
MSN and Disney will give fans around the world an opportunity to watch
the celebrity arrivals and red carpet interviews from the world premiere
ANAHEIM, Calif. — June 21, 2006 — MSN® Video will broadcast live
the world premiere of Disney’s “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest”
on Saturday, June 24, from 7–8:30 p.m. PDT to a worldwide audience on MSN
Video at http://movies.msn.com/movies/pirates_webcast.
Lots of Press Junket info for Dead Man's Chest over on the Pirate pages
From Emma
June 23, 2006
Inside with Johnny!
His performance as the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow in 'Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,' not only earned Johnny Depp an Academy Award® nomination, but the memorable role also helped make the action-adventure flick a worldwide box office sensation.
Now, Johnny is getting ready to set sail once again in the highly-anticipated sequel 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest,' out July 7, and on tonight's "Insider" our own PAT O'BRIEN manages to anchor the actor down to talk about reprising the quirky character.
In this follow-up to the 2003 hit, Johnny reunites with ORLANDO BLOOM and KEIRA KNIGHTLEY for more high-seas action.
This time around, Jack Sparrow must settle a blood debt to the legendary Davey Jones (BILL NIGHY), captain of the ghostly Flying Dutchman, or be cursed to an afterlife of eternal servitude and damnation! Of course, Jack's new predicament throws a serious wrench into the wedding plans of Will Turner (Orlando) and Elizabeth Swann (Keira), who must help their friend out of his latest supernatural jam!
Also returning for the fun is GEOFFREY RUSH as the boney Captain Barbossa, and director GORE VERBINSKI ('The Weather Man') returns to helm the back-to-back sequels (Yes, 'Pirate' fans, there will be a third one!).
Be sure to catch Pat's interview with Johnny on tonight's "Insider"!
http://insider.tv.yahoo.com/celeb/4301/
Check our Latest Updates page for all the tv listings for Johnny and POTC
You can sign a petition to bring back Agent Sheldon Jeffrey Sands HERE
E! will have the "Johnny Depp True Hollywood Story" on at 6pm Sunday followed by "Live from the Red Carpet the Premiere of Dead Man's Chest" at Disneyland at 7pm (PDT).
From Contact Music
DEPP ENJOYS BEING MR MOM
JOHNNY DEPP is happy to stay at home with his two children if it means
his actress girlfriend VANESSA PARADIS can further her own career. The
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN star lives with Paradis and their kids LILY-ROSE
and JACK in her native France. He says, "I don't mind being the dad around
the house and looking after the kids if she wants to work on her career
more. "I'd do anything to make her happy - she's given so much to me.
From Life Style Extra
Keira Knightley: Depp better snog than Bloom
Wednesday, 21st June 2006, 12:44
LIFE STYLE EXTRA (UK) - Keira Knightley claims Johnny Depp is a better
kisser than Orlando Bloom.
The stunning actrView the profile for Johnny Depp on Celebrity Spotlightess gets to smooch both of the heartthrob actors in their new film 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest' - the sequel to the first instalment of the swashbuckling franchise, 'The Curse of the Black Pearl'.
Earlier this week, Orlando praised Keira for her fantastic kissing technique, saying: "She's a great kisser and a lovely and very funny person. She's absolutely gorgeous."
It seems the 21-year-old actress is not as impressed with her co-star's smooching View the profile for Orlando Bloom on Celebrity Spotlightskills as he is with hers.
When quizzed on who she thought was the best kisser out of the two actors, she told InStyle magazine: "Johnny Depp certainly wasn't bad."
Despite Orlando's gushing praise for Keira's kissing technique, he did admit he found it "peculiar" locking lips with the 'Pride and Prejudice' star, because they are such good friends.
He said: "Kissing scenes are a bit peculiar. It's like you play at it."
From Life Style Extra
Johnny Depp: I never talk work at home
Wednesday, 21st June 2006, 12:40
LIFE STYLE EXTRA (UK) - Johnny Depp claims the secret to his happy
relationship with Vanessa Paradis is thView the profile for Johnny Depp
on Celebrity Spotlightat they never speak about Hollywood.
The actor - who has two children, daughter Lily-Rose and son John Christopher, nicknamed Jack, with the French star - insists neither of them ever speak about work and have virtually banned the 'H' word at home.
He said: "We have a miraculous understanding of one another - and we don't ever talk about the business. We don't talk aboView the profile for Kate Moss on Celebrity Spotlightout her work or my work. So our life in that sense is very simple."
Depp - who has previously dated a number of famous beauties, including supermodel Kate Moss - also claims the reason he and Vanessa are so happy is because they are best friends as well as lovers.
He added: "We are great, great friends and are very much in love.
Found by Emma at Billboard
Bono, Sting, Lou Reed Fill 'Rogue's Gallery'
June 21, 2006
Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.
Bono, Sting, Lou Reed and Nick Cave are just a handful of the artists
who have lent their voices to "Rogue's Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs
& Chanteys," due Aug. 22 via Anti-. The double-disc, 43-song set was
produced by Hal Willner, working from an idea hatched by director Gore
Verbinski and actor Johnny Depp in the midst of shooting "Pirates of the
Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest."
"I slowly became fascinated by the idea of a contemporary reinterpretation of the sea chantey," Verbinski says. "I imagined the artists that I listen to and respect doing their take on this age-old music: the song of the sea."
Willner wrangled the talent for the project, which also features contributions from Richard Thompson, Bryan Ferry, Lucinda Williams, Rufus Wainwright, Joseph Arthur, Bill Frisell, Jarvis Cocker and actor John C. Reilly. Sessions took place in London, Dublin, New York, Los Angeles and Seattle.
"One day we did eight songs with eight different artists in one day," Willner enthuses. "Two of those artists didn't know they were going to be in the studio that day. I just loved working this way because you wouldn't do that with an artist normally."
Indeed, 17 additional songs were recorded for "Rogue's Gallery" and will likely see the light of day on a future companion album. "Usually in the past I've always found that the secret weapons on these records are any new artists because you're coming at it without expectations," Willner says.
Here is the track list for "Rogue's Gallery":
| Disc one:
"Cape Cod Girls," Baby Gramps "Mingulay Boat Song," Richard Thompson "My Son John," John C. Reilly "Fire Down Below," Nick Cave "Turkish Revelry," Loudon Wainwright III "Bully In The Alley," Three Pruned Men "The Cruel Ship's Captain," Bryan Ferry "Dead Horse," Robin Holcomb "Spanish Ladies," Bill Frisell "High Barbary," Joseph Arthur "Haul Away Joe," Mark Anthony Thompson "Dan Dan," David Thomas "Blood Red Roses," Sting "Sally Brown," Teddy Thompson "Lowlands Away," Rufus Wainwright & Kate McGarrigle "Baltimore Whores," Gavin Friday "Rolling Sea," Eliza Carthy "The Mermaid," Martin Carthy & the UK Group "Haul On The Bowline," Bob Neuwirth "Dying Sailor to His Shipmates," Bono "Bonnie Portmore," Lucinda Williams "Shenandoah," Richard Greene & Jack Sh*t "The Cry Of Man," Mary Margaret O'Hara |
Disc two:
"Boney," Jack Sh*t "Good Ship Venus," Loudon Wainwright III "Long Time Ago," White Magic "Pinery Boy," Nick Cave "Lowlands Low," Bryan Ferry with Antony "One Spring Morning," Akron/Family "Hog Eye Man," Martin Carthy & family "The Fiddler/A Drop of Nelson's Blood," Ricky Jay & Richard Greene "Caroline and Her Young Sailor Bold," Andrea Corr "Fathom The Bowl," John C. Reilly "Drunken Sailor," David Thomas "Farewell Nancy," Ed Harcourt "Hanging Johnny," Stan Ridgway "Old Man of The Sea," Baby Gramps "Greenland Whale Fisheries," Van Dyke Parks "Shallow Brown," Sting "The Grey Funnel Line," Jolie Holland "A Drop of Nelson's Blood," Jarvis Cocker "Leave Her Johnny," Lou Reed "Little Boy Billy," Ralph Steadman |
From Sci Fi
21-JUNE-06
Depp Wants More Pirates
Johnny Depp said he's looking forward to capping his teeth gold again and reprising the role of Captain Jack Sparrow for future Pirates of the Caribbean movies, according to Newsweek. "He's a blast to play. I'll be in a deep, dark depression saying goodbye to him," Depp told the magazine. "I'll keep the costume and just prance around the house, entertain the kids. Maybe Pirates 4, 5 and 6. If they had a good script, why not? I mean, at a certain point, the madness must stop, but for the moment, I can't say that he's done."
The second and third parts of Pirates were filmed back-to-back, and the first box office hit, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl in 2003, earned five Academy Award nominations, including Depp's first best-actor nomination for playing Sparrow.
The next installment, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, is
scheduled for release on July 7, along with original cast members Depp,
Orlando Bloom, Geoffrey Rush and Keira Knightley, as well as Rolling Stones
legend Keith Richards as the father of Depp's character.
From multiples sources
The simple life
NEW YORK
— Johnny Depp says the media’s perception of him as a European wannabe
has been exaggerated, and that he just likes the anonymity of living in
France.
In this week’s issue of Newsweek, the 43-year-old actor says life is simpler there.
“I’ve always loved it there,” he said. “The phones don’t ring as much. Movies are never brought up in conversation. I’ll take the kids, and we’ll go out to the trampoline and the swing set, and we’ll stop by the garden and see how our tomatoes are doing. You know, old-fart stuff. Good stuff.”
It’s a sharp contrast to his early acting days when he became a teen idol starring on the TV series “21 Jump Street.”
“Suddenly, you go into restaurants, and people are pointing at you and whispering,” he said. “You feel spooked by it because that freedom of anonymity is gone. You never get used to that. You’d leave the hotel to go to dinner and there’d be tons of cameras and flashbulbs.”
In 2003, Depp gave an interview to the German magazine Stern in which he was quoted as criticizing Washington’s confrontation with France over the war in Iraq.
Depp was quoted as saying that “America is dumb, is something like a dumb puppy that has big teeth — that can bite and hurt you, aggressive.”
He later said he intended no anti-American sentiment and called it an “inaccurate and out of context misquote.” The magazine stood by its story.
Depp, French actress-singer Vanessa Paradis and their two children split their time between homes in France and Los Angeles.
Depp says his life changed dramatically when daughter Lily-Rose was born in 1999. His son, Jack, was born three years later.
“I was never horribly self-obsessed or wrapped up in my own weirdness,
but when my daughter was born, suddenly there was clarity,” he said.
Thanks to Emma and AnaMaria
Johnny has made the cover of NEWSWEEK magazine! Drinks all around!!
Huge
version
and another incredibly beautiful photo from AnaMaria
and from Emma found at MSN
A Pirate's Life
He wasn't looking for superstardom, so superstardom came looking for him. Johnny Depp on family, 'Pirates of the Caribbean 2'—and how he got a chest of gold without selling his soul.
By Sean Smith
Newsweek
June 26, 2006 issue - Fatherhood has a way of changing people, even iconoclasts. "When I became a dad for the first time, it was like a veil being lifted," Johnny Depp says, as he leans forward, rolling loose tobacco into dark brown paper and using his knee as a table. "I've always loved the process of acting, but I didn't find the occupational hazards particularly rewarding." Occupational hazards like being stalked by paparazzi, mauled by strangers, packaged to sell bubble gum and other side effects of fame. "I can't use the word 'fame' with myself, but yeah," he says. "I just ... there was a long period of confusion and dissatisfaction, because I didn't understand any of it. There was no purpose to it." He leans back, lights the cigarette, exhales. "I was never horribly self-obsessed or wrapped up in my own weirdness, but when my daughter was born, suddenly there was clarity. I wasn't angry anymore. It was the first purely selfless moment that I had ever experienced. And it was liberating. In that moment, it's like you become something else. The real you is revealed."
The Real Johnny Depp. How long have we searched for him? No one in Hollywood, it's fair to say, has worked harder at not being a movie star than Depp has, and yet he has evolved into one of the most adored actors of his generation not in spite of that persistence but because of it. "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" may have grossed $653 million worldwide, made Depp a $20 million man and earned him an Oscar nomination, but he still seems an unlikely addition to the A-list. Top-tier stars, even those who are great actors, stay on top by being true to their personas. We pay $10 to see Will Smith or Julia Roberts precisely because they don't surprise us. It's not that they're playing themselves. It's just that the force of their personalities swamps everything else. They're more than actors. They're brands. Depp, 43, is almost pathologically unpredictable. He can be bizarre, hilarious, unsettling—even annoying. But he is never the same. He's the anti-Tom Cruise. "Nothing against Tom, but Johnny may be a bigger star now," says director John Waters, who cast Depp in 1990's "Cry-Baby." "Nobody is sick of Johnny Depp."
"Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest," which opens on July 7, will likely be the highest-grossing movie of the summer. And judging from NEWSWEEK's first look in the editing room, it also promises to be a welcome blast of sunshine in a season when Cruise has crashed and burned, and "The Da Vinci Code" has proved to be a joyless blockbuster. In this second leg of the "Pirates" trilogy—the third installment will be released next summer—lovebirds Will (Orlando Bloom) and Elizabeth (Keira Knightley) are arrested on their wedding day for aiding the escape of Depp's louche Narcissus, Capt. Jack Sparrow. To win freedom for his bride and himself, Will must find Captain Jack, get him to hand over his mysterious compass and give it to the wormy Lord Beckett, who plans to use it to rid the world of pirates forever. Jack, meanwhile, has more immediate problems. He owes his soul to undersea Capt. Davey Jones, is in danger of being destroyed by a giant sea creature called a kraken and has landed on an island of cannibals who have made him their god. Which would be great if the natives didn't make a habit of eating their gods.
Returning director Gore Verbinski, producer Jerry Bruckheimer and team have cranked up the action this time around. One huge set piece includes an elaborate three-way sword fight on a massive water wheel that has snapped off its frame and is rolling at top speed through the jungle. ("It's those moments when you realize how absurd your job is," Depp says. "It's great fun, but it was a bastard to shoot.") Luckily, they've also given Depp plenty of playtime, too. Even more than in the first film, Depp's exaggerated expressions and unexpected line deliveries turn "cute" moments into hilarious ones. At one point, Elizabeth tells Jack, "You're a good man." Depp replies, sloppily, under his breath, "All evidence to the contrary."
Sitting in a bungalow at the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles, Depp flashes a bit of Captain Jack every time he opens his mouth. Those gold pirate teeth are bonded onto his own. With the shoot for the third "Pirates" resuming in August, Depp figured it was just easier to keep them. "They don't come off until the ride stops," he says, and smiles. "It's a horrible process. I didn't want to go through yanking them off and putting them back on. And it leaves some residue of the character behind." Time slows down when you're with Johnny Depp. He seems like a man who has never rushed to, or from, anywhere in his life. He is chronically late for interviews—sometimes four or five hours, sometimes days—but this time around just a gentlemanly 50 minutes. And once he's with you, he never seems in a hurry to leave. His voice is a soft, low mumble. His body is in almost constant motion—rolling those cigarettes, rubbing an elbow, reaching for a glass—but the rhythm is tranquil and fluid, like a cat licking its paw. He's a calm, almost hypnotic presence. "He's always been true to who he is," says director Tim Burton, who has made five films with Depp, including last year's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." "He's never been ruled by money, or by what people think he should or shouldn't do. Maybe it's just in America, but it seems that if you're passionate about something, it freaks people out. You're considered bizarre or eccentric. To me, it just means you know who you are."
Depp arrived in Hollywood in the early '80s. Despite a physical beauty that had studio executives slobbering to make him into a Romantic Leading Man and hordes of teenage girls (and a few boys) dreaming of touching his hair just once, Depp escaped from the Hollywood star machine around 1990, and managed to elude capture for almost two decades. He hid out in strange, sometimes beautiful films, playing unforgettable characters—Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood, Hunter S. Thompson, Gilbert Grape—in movies that rarely made a dent at the box office. Of the 20 films Depp starred in before 2003, only one, Burton's "Sleepy Hollow," squeaked past the $100 million mark. Depp got a reputation for being outré and unbankable. "Oh, yeah," he says, then rolls off the list of his crimes: " 'That guy can't open a film. He does all those weird art movies. He works with directors whose names we can't pronounce'." He smiles. "But there are worse things they could say."
When news hit years ago that Depp was going to make the first "Pirates," the buzz around town was that he must be broke, and that after years of taking the artistic high road, he had finally sold out. Depp says he never worried about that. "Never, not once, and I don't know why, because one would think that I would have," he says. "I suppose it's because I feel like I have a voice. The idea of commercial success never bothered me necessarily. What bothered me was striving for that, and lying to get that. If I was going to do something, it had to be on my terms—not because I'm some hideous control freak—but because I don't want to live a lie. You really don't want to look back on your life and go, 'I was a complete fraud'."
When news hit years ago that Depp was going to make the first "Pirates,"
the buzz around town was that he must be broke, and that after years of
taking the artistic high road, he had finally sold out. Depp says he never
worried about that. "Never, not once, and I don't know why, because one
would think that I would have," he says. "I suppose it's because I feel
like I have a voice. The idea of commercial success never bothered me necessarily.
What bothered me was striving for that, and lying to get that. If I was
going to do something, it had to be on my terms—not because I'm some hideous
control freak—but because I don't want to live a lie. You really don't
want to look back on your life and go, 'I was a complete fraud'."
Story continues below ? advertisement
That battle to remain authentic has been long and bloody, and it made Depp an angry young man for most of his 20s. Born in Kentucky, the youngest of four kids, and raised in Florida by parents who fought and finally divorced when he was 15, Depp's dream was to play guitar in a band. By 16 he had dropped out of school and was doing just that, his group opening for acts like Iggy Pop. "It was wonderful," he says. "I couldn't have been happier." But after the band arrived in Los Angeles, Depp found himself broke. A musician he was briefly married to at the time introduced Depp to Nicolas Cage, who suggested that he give acting a try. On little more than a whim, he did, and ended up with a supporting role in "A Nightmare on Elm Street" and a small part in "Platoon." Still struggling financially, he signed up for "21 Jump Street," a slick TV series about young cops going undercover in high schools. It made Depp a teen idol, and made him miserable just as fast. "Everything flips," he says. "Suddenly, you go into restaurants and people are pointing at you and whispering. You feel spooked by it because that freedom of anonymity is gone. You never get used to that. You'd leave the hotel to go to dinner and there'd be tons of cameras and flashbulbs. " 'Smile, Johnny! Smile!' " He looks annoyed by it, even now. "I thought, 'Jesus, I just want to go home.' But there was no home."
Depp was locked into a multiyear contract with the Fox network. "They turned me into this product, and I didn't have a say in it," he says. "You have no voice, you know? I felt like I was a captive." So he lashed out, becoming a disruptive force on the "Jump Street" set in the hope that the network would fire him. "I was the only one who confronted him on what an a--hole he was being," says costar Holly Robinson Peete. "I totally understood his position, but I was over the moon to be a part of this show, and it's hard to come to work every day with someone who is p---ing all over it. So I went into his dressing room and told him how I felt, and right after that he trashed his Winnebago." Peete doesn't have any hard feelings toward Depp, and chalks it up to youth and inexperience. "He's got a really great heart, but he was frustrated," she says. "He just hated the idea of being on a lunch box or some teenage girl's wall."
Finally freed from "Jump Street," Depp played a succession of iconic loners and dreamers for visionary, unconventional directors, such as Waters, Burton, Jim Jarmusch and Terry Gilliam. But the anger, which Depp calls his "hillbilly rage," never quite dissipated. He was famously arrested for trashing a New York City hotel room in 1994, and while Depp says the incident was blown out of proportion—"I wasn't the Wild Man of Borneo"—he still believed that his fame and success lacked a point, meaning. "I had these sort of self-destructive periods," he says. "We all go through times where we poison ourselves a bit. Looking back on it now, it was simply a waste of time, all that self-medicating and boozing."
Depp was rescued, in part, by Marlon Brando. The two worked together on 1995's "Don Juan DeMarco," and hit it off at the first rehearsal. "Within minutes, Johnny was in Marlon's lap with, I think, a bottle of gin," says director Jeremy Leven. "And I think he stayed there the whole time." It's easy to imagine the bond between the two men, both actors with unconventional visions, talent to burn and a disdain for art compromised by commerce. "Marlon was a pioneer," Depp says, quietly. "So I wouldn't even put myself in the same thought bubble with him, but he understood a lot of things about me, and was incredibly generous and helpful and caring. Very rarely did we talk about movies or acting, so it wasn't that. He saw me going through stuff that he had been through—my weird hillbilly rage—so yeah, the connection was strong and deep."
But it wasn't until Depp met and fell in love with French actress-singer Vanessa Paradis that everything seemed to fall into place for the actor. After a series of highly public, long-term romances—Sherilyn Fenn, Jennifer Grey, Winona Ryder, Kate Moss—his relationship with Paradis seemed to anchor him. The couple's daughter, Lily-Rose, was born in 1999; their son, Jack, in 2002. Being a father released him from the pressure of finding meaning and identity exclusively in his work. "I think it softened him on one level, and then invigorated him on an artistic one," says Burton. "It's an interesting juxtaposition." Depp himself puts it more directly: "Now I know where home is."
It was Depp's desire to make a movie for his kids that led him to "Pirates." In a visit to the Disney lot about five years ago, he mentioned to studio chairman Dick Cook that he'd been watching a lot of Disney movies with his daughter, loved them and was hoping to voice a character in a Pixar movie. Cook mentioned that the studio was developing a movie based on the theme-park ride "Pirates of the Caribbean." "And he got very excited," Cook recalls. "He said, 'Like a real pirate movie? With swords?' And I said, 'Yeah—with swords.' And he said, 'I'm in'."
As is now well known to "Pirates" fans, studio executives were nonplused when they began to see the footage of Depp in character. Whereas Capt. Jack Sparrow was initially conceived as a young Burt Lancaster, Depp had re-imagined him as a debauched, vain, slightly fey rock star, inspired by Rolling Stones icon Keith Richards and cartoon skunk Pepe Le Pew. "The studio was, like, 'Is he gay? Is he drunk? We don't know what he's doing!'" says producer Bruckheimer. "It took a little while to calm everybody down." For his part, Verbinski, the director, loved it. "You know, there's a lot of conspiring that goes on between actors and directors that I think is very healthy," he says. "You should be a little concerned as a director if you're not making the studio nervous."
Depp's off-kilter performance, of course, was the very thing that catapulted "Pirates" into a cultural phenomenon. "First of all, Johnny is a pirate in real life," says John Waters. "It's the closest part he's ever played to his real self, but the fact that he played it kind of nelly was a big risk." Pause. "If only real gay pirates were that much fun." After decades of being daring and unexpected in daring and unexpected little films, Depp was now staying true to himself in a big summer blockbuster. He didn't have to be an outsider on the outside. He could be an outsider on the inside. "You feel like you have infiltrated the enemy camp, like you got in there somehow and chiseled your name in the castle wall," he says. The huge success of the film "made perfect sense to me on the one hand, and at the same time, it made no sense at all, which I kind of enjoyed." He takes another drag, exhales. "Yeah, it just felt right. Even now, with the dolls and the cereal boxes and snacks and fruit juices, it all just feels fun to me, in a Warholian way. It's absurd. It doesn't get more absurd." Depp's not ready to let go of Captain Jack just yet. "He's a blast to play," he says. "I'll be in a deep, dark depression saying goodbye to him." He laughs. "I'll keep the costume and just prance around the house, entertain the kids." Or the rest of the world. "Maybe 'Pirates 4, 5 and 6'," he says. "If they had a good script, why not? I mean, at a certain point, the madness must stop, but for the moment, I can't say that he's done."
These days, Depp and his family divide their time between homes in Los
Angeles and France, when they're not on some movie set or other. He says
the media perception of him as an expat and wanna-be Frenchman has been
overstated. "But, yeah, I love it there," he says. "I've always loved it
there. The phones don't ring as much. Movies are never brought up in conversation.
I'll take the kids and we'll go out to the trampoline and the swing set,
and we'll stop by the garden and see how our tomatoes are doing. You know,
old-fart stuff. Good stuff." At last, Depp has learned to quit fighting
fate/fame/whatever. "I think everything happened the way it was meant to
happen, but I don't know why," he says. "I remember every bump in the road,
and I still don't know how I got here. But who am I to ask why? The fact
is, this is where I am. So I enjoy it, salute it and keep moving forward."
He smiles, a flash of gold. "None of it makes any sense to me, but then,
why should it?"
From Volvo Yacht Race
(excerpt)
A FINAL ACT OF PIRACY
Pirates of the Caribbean - winners of Leg 9 from Rotterdam to Gothenburg ©Oskar Kihlborg
Photos: L ©Oskar Kihlborg R ©Paul Todd
Sat, 17 Jun 2006 19:25:00 UTC
Paul Cayard was apologetic afterwards for his final act of Piracy, but his crew did what they had to do to win the final leg of the 2005/2006 Volvo Ocean Race, stealing away what would have been a fairytale final victory for ABN AMRO TWO.
Snared like a hapless fly in a spider's web as the arachnid sucked out
its bodily fluids, there was simply nothing the youngsters on the white
boat could do as they watched, windless, as the Black Pearl arrived from
over the horizon and inexorably passed on the wings of a new breeze.
Most news these days is over on the pirate pages
At the bottom right HERE E! online has a video of Johnny clips you can see. Rumor has it (not confirmed) that E! will cover the Dead Man's Chest Premiere Red Carpet event at Disneyland June 24th.
Teen Choice award nominations include POTC: Dead Man's Chest - check it out HERE
From Forbes
Johnny Depp
Pay $29 million
Power Rank 27
D 2005 Rank: 7
E-Score Rank 10 Top Attributes Talented, Interesting
E-Score is a celebrity appeal ranking, comprised of 46 separate personality attributes. E-Score evaluations are provided by E-Poll Market Research, which has a database of more than 2,800 celebrities.
He wowed audiences worldwide with his quirky, if somewhat creepy, portrayal
of Willy Wonka in "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," which grossed almost
$500 million worldwide. The one-time indie film prince has emerged as one
of Hollywood's biggest draws and is set to star in this summer's highly
anticipated sequel to "Pirates of the Caribbean."
From Emma
Johnny is to be presented with the Grande Médaille de vermeil de la ville de Paris
A medal for Johnny Depp will be presented July 6th within the framework
of the 4th edition of the Paris Cinema festival. Gore Verbinski's
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest of will be previewed. The will
present an opportunity for the mayor of Paris, Bertrand Delanoe, to present
to the American actor Johnny Depp the Grande Médaille de vermeil
de la ville de Paris , an honorary reward for act of devotion. The actor
is a lover France, where he lives with his partner and mother of their
two children, the actress Vanessa Paradis.
June 13, 2006
From Disney Spokesperson:
I can now confirm for you that the images(Jack in Asian costume) are not from the second or third film and that there have been no scenes filmed with Jack in Asian Togs
CNN Confirms the Sweeny Todd news
'Demon Barber,' meet 'Wonka' director
Tim Burton to direct 'Sweeney Todd'
Tuesday, June 13, 2006; Posted: 1:34 p.m. EDT (17:34 GMT)
(excerpt)
LOS ANGELES, California (Hollywood Reporter) -- Paramount Pictures Chairman Brad Grey has decided to exchange one big-budget Tim Burton movie project for another.
Grey has sent "Believe It or Not," based on exploits of adventurer and oddities collector Robert Ripley, back into development while Stacey Snider, chief of Paramount's DreamWorks studio, is putting "Sweeney Todd" on the fast track with Burton at the helm.
DreamWorks will now need to assemble and cast that movie, which is being adapted by John Logan ("The Aviator") from the Stephen Sondheim Broadway musical. The stage production of "Sweeney Todd" just won John Doyle the Tony Award on Sunday night for best director of a musical.
Burton already is talking with actor Johnny Depp about taking
the lead role in the feature film version as the Demon Barber of Fleet
Street, Paramount sources said.
June 12, 2006
VOLVO’S WORLDWIDE “PIRATE” TREASURE HUNT
FOR A BURIED SUV BEGINS TODAY
Visit www.volvocars.us/thehunt today to participate in Volvo’s promotion with Disney for Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest
HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (June 12, 2006) — Ever wanted to experience the ways of a true buried treasure-seeking pirate? Volvo Car Corporation will support its official promotion of Disney's upcoming Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest with a global, multi-media treasure hunt for a Volvo XC90 V8 that has been buried somewhere in the world.
Here’s how she blows, me hearties: beginning today, June 12, through July 11, individuals nationwide can visit their local Volvo retailer to pick up a free treasure map. Once online, they are asked to go to www.volvocars.us/thehunt to register for the world’s first hunt for a buried vehicle. Treasure hunters then will participate in a challenging, engaging and fun-filled online adventure to solve a series of online clues and puzzles.
The buried one-of-a-kind, pirate-themed Volvo XC90 features a variety of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest-inspired elements, including menacing graphics from the film, black leather seats, custom painted 20 inch wheels and more.
Once registered online, individuals will have puzzles emailed to them on a regular basis. Those who solve the puzzles correctly will continue to receive clues. Individuals can join at any time though July 11, and can catch up with other participants if they correctly answer the puzzles posted online as they are emailed to participants. As the contest progresses, the puzzles will become increasingly harder to solve, with the final online clue e-mailed July 12. Volvo Car Corporation will then select seven finalists from around the world who correctly guess the answer to the final online clue.
In August, those finalists will be flown with a guest to the secret car burial location. Each finalist will then set-off on a manic on-the-ground search for the buried vehicle. The first treasure hunter to unearth the SUV gets to keep it.
To participate, individuals must visit a Volvo retailer to pick up a treasure map. Winners will only be eligible if they can produce the original treasure map upon conclusion of the hunt.
In addition to the United States, other Volvo regions participating in the hunt include the United Kingdom, Japan, Spain and Austria.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest opens in U.S. theaters July
7.
From InTooDepp
This is from the New York Post - so take it with some skepticism
June 9, 2006
JOHNNY Depp, who's part Cherokee, has upset some tribe members by wearing what appears to be a cheap knockoff of the popular "Homeland Security" T-shirt created by Cherokee designer Colleen Lloyd, who donates proceeds to Native American charities. The shirt shows Geronimo and three other braves with the caption: "Fighting terrorism since 1492." Lloyd blamed "white rednecks" for the bootlegging and said Depp didn't realize he'd bought a fake. "Johnny got ripped off," she said.
Biography - at Amazon June 24th:
A mean-spirited response of Liz Snead to a fan's letter about Johnny is HERE The same Liz Snead previously put up an article about the art exhibition Johnny hosted at the Trigg Ison Gallery (see previous news) and Johnny's law suit against the city of West Hollywood - this is the article that sparked the fan (Linda) to write in.
Elizabeth Snead: Styles & Scenes
"Pirate" Johnny Depp battles City Hall
Okay, if I was an unknown French artist and Johnny Depp arranged a special showing of my work at a West Hollywood gallery, I’d look a lot happier about it. But maybe this is what a happy French artist looks like.
The two-time Oscar nominee and his amour Vanessa Paradis showed up at their South of France pal Gravleur’s exhibit at the Trigg Ison Gallery in West Hollywood June 1. In case you missed it, his decidely disturbing pastel portraits will hang through June 20.
Depp's been chilllin' in LA, waiting for the humongous June 24th Disneyland premiere of “Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man’s Chest.” But he’s also been fighting the West Hollywood City Council over a retail project that threatens to block the view of the Sunset Strip from his Hollywood Hills home.
Depp’s first filed a lawsuit claiming that city council violated environmental quality laws by approving a $10 million prosed project in 2004. He lost the case but the legal scuffle did delay the project for a year. Now his sis - Christi Dembrowski - is appealing on his behalf.
The suit says the retail shops, restaurant and parking structure planned below his $5.4 million estate will ruin the view for his two children while they play outside. The developers - who must be true blue fans to know this – insist that Depp's son (4) and daughter (6) don’t actually live here year-round and are being raised by their parents in France.
Well, yeah, okay. But like they do visit occasionally.
From Syakura translated from an article in a Spanish online source.
Bryan Ferry will record a duet with Anthony and The Johnsons
The collaboration betwen them could be included in “Chanteys and Sea Songs”, the albums of sailors’ songs that have been produced by Hal Willner and whose executive producer is Johnny Depp. The albums will be included in the marketing campaign of the sequel of “Pirates of the Caribbean”, “Pirates of the caribbean 2: Dead Man’s Chest”
“Chanteys and Sea songs” will be a project of 2 double albums. The first one will be sold this summer when “pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man’s Chest” opens in theaters (...). Depp is the executive producer of “Chanteys and Sea Songs” and Hal Willner is the musical producer. The second album will be sold in spring 2007, possibly when the third movie opens.
(...), in “Chantey and Sea Songs” will be included sailors’ songs that will be sung by Bryan Ferry, Anthony and The Johnsons, Nick Cave, Gavin Friday, Bono (U2), Andrea Corr (The Corrs), Ralph Steadman, Richard and Linda Thompson and Loudon Wainwright, Marta and Rufus Wainwright’s father. Tom Waits is not yet confirmed.
The last thing that we have discovered about “Chantey and Sea songs”, is that it could include a duet by Bryan Ferry and the lider of Anthony and The Johnsons.
Moreover, Bono has recorded a song named “The Dying Sailor to his Shipmates”
and Gavin Friday (ex-Virgin Prunes) will be in the two albums volumes.
The songs interpreted by Friday are “The Baltimore Whores” and Tommy’s
Gone to Hilo”, that last one with Andrea Corr (The Corrs). This will be
the second duet of the couple since “Time Enough for Tears” 2003, included
in the “In America”’s OST.
The Trigg Ison gallery announces that Johnny was one of the producers of the Gravleur exhibition HERE
Photos can be found HERE
Repost: From Shelle
Starz "Behind the Scenes Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Man's Chest"
Friday June 23rd 1:30 AM ET - set your calendar reminders now!
From Syakura
She found an article about Hutchence's biopic in a spanish magazine called "Fotogramas" (June). She scanned and translated it (the mostimportant things):
"More rumors about musical biopics. The last one will be about Michael
Hutchence performed by Johnny Depp. (...) Nick Egan, the maker of many
of the band's videos, will direct the film, that will be called "Slide
Away"
because that was the name of one of Hutchence's songs sung with Bono.
And Eric Bana, Julie Walters, Naomi Watts, Eva Green, Hayden Chrsitensen
and Stephen Rea would complete the cast. (...)"
Note from Kazren: Until the papers have been signed, this is still
all talk (which we have seen many times when a production company is trying
to create buzz for their film)
Platoon' special edition adds depth, more Depp
By Mike Snider
USA TODAY
Oliver Stone considers the new ''Platoon 20th Anniversary Collector's Edition'' an improvement over the three previous DVD editions of his 1986 best-picture winner.
This version has been remastered for slightly better visuals and adds scenes with then-rising star Johnny Depp.
The new two-disc edition (Sony, $25), Stone says, ''is the fullest intention
of the filmmaker.
Found by Emma - there is a new move about Gypsy life called "Where the Road Bends" the trailer there has Johnny in some scenes.
"It would be great if by experiencing the Romani people and their music,
people can learn more about them and understand that - what you've believed
about these people has been a lie your entire life."
- Johnny Depp
June 1, 2006
The old guest book died after over 30,000 entries, so we have a brand new one as of today. You'll find it at the bottom of this page.
From Bloomberg News
(excerpt)
Disney Begins Selling Internet Film Downloads With CinemaNow
May 31 (Bloomberg) -- Walt Disney Co., the second-largest U.S. media
company, today began selling films including ``Chicken Little'' and ``Pirates
of the Caribbean'' over the Internet using the CinemaNow Inc. download
service.
From InTooDepp found in USA Today May 30, 2006
and a color version of the photo 
From Amazon
Or Search
| Want to help the animals effected by Hurricane Katrina? Here
are some links:
http://www.noahswish.org/Donations.htmhttp://www.bestfriends.org/ http://www.nsalamerica.org/ar/index.htmlwww.peta.com http://www.puppymillrescue.com/donate.htmInternation Fund for Whild Animals "For people who left animals in homes or at boarding facilities in the New Orleans, please call 225-578-6111 and leave their name, address of confined animal, species, number of animals, and when food would have run out. We will go house-to-house as soon as we can. The phones are being manned by the LSU Veterinary School and Department of Agriculture." |
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