October 2004
Johnny has won the Irish Film and TV AVICA Award for Best International Actor! WEBSITE
Did you order your Captain Jack doll from Kyrila? Update HERE
Until we get an exact transcript of Johnny's acceptance speech at the Actors Fund Gala, here is a summary. Photos are on our Actors Fun Gala page:
Before the award presentation several brief clips of some of Johnny's more memorable characters including Captain Jack Sparrow, Edward Scissorhands, Gilbert Grape and BonBon were shown.
Whoopi Goldberg introduced Johnny, who looked very young and handsome in his suit and spats sans glasses. He went up to join Whoopi on the stage and they hugged and kissed.(lucky Whoopi)
In his typical humble way, Johnny said he couldn't believe the award was being presented to him by Whoopi Goldberg. He studied the award itself and said: "Oh wow, it has my name on it."
He continued on saying that he hoped no one was be alarmed because he hadn't prepared a speech, and that he might talk for a few seconds or several minutes. He confessed he felt he might vomit, or faint or mess himself.
Johnny went on to talk about the type of roles he chose, saying that he had heard it said that many of his choices were weird. He said after seeing the compilation of film clips, "I guess they were!" Ichabod Crane was one of the characters shown and Johnny admitted he'd based his character on Angela Lansbury, who was also there as one of the night's recipients. He told the story of how the producer arrived on the Sleepy Hollow set and after seeing his work said "Ichabod Crane, girl detective."
Johnny said he was very honored by the award. He thanked Tracy Jacobs his agent for standing by him for the past 17 years through all the weirdness and said that the award was as much hers as his. Johnny also thanked his sister, Christi, without whom, he said, he could not have done it. He thanked the Actors Fund, held up the statue before leaving the stage to much applauds.
Photos of Johnny at the Actors' Fund Gala are coming out. I will get as many up as possible in a few hours.
As mentioned above (in the red box) Johnny will be on Oprah Winfrey and apparently continue on after on the Oxygen Channel - and we have our wonderful Web Spy Lady Ashleen to thank for seeing that he and Vanessa both went into the Harpo Studio lot for the taping. If you know anyone who was at the taping and has news for us, please encourange them to send it to us, or send it yourself!
It is the network of fans that keep us all informed on what's going on with Johnny. He will be at the Actor's Fund Awards tonight in New York City as mentioned in the article below, to receive the 2004 Lee Strasberg Artistic Achievement Award.
From Angie
French magazines are speculating on Vanessa possibly being pregnant:
Several people have reported they go to their Fandango website for local theatres and they are giving away passes to screenings of FINDING NEVERLAND for Oct 30th. Check it out.
Found by Emma - two more pictures of Johnny filming "Charlie and the Chocolat Factory" 
More photos on our Chalrie & the Chocolate Factory page.
Found by Peace161 at the Scotsman
From The Scotsman:"JOHNNY HAS A MAGIC TOUCH"
October 28, 2004Depp's superb portrayal of Scottish author JM Barrie merits an Oscar, writes Rory Ford
It is rarely an encouraging sign when studios decide to leave films on a shelf for a long period of time. Movies aren't bottles of wine and don't mature - they gather dust.
There is, of course, the occasional exception that tests the rule. Zhang Yimou's recent Hero was one, Marc Forster's Finding Neverland is another.
This enchanting study of JM Barrie, the Scottish author of Peter Pan, has been knocking around the offices of Miramax for over a year. They were quite right to hold it back. First, it avoided a clash - and being tarred by association - with PJ Hogan's clunky CGI-heavy version of the classic tale that was released last Christmas.
Second, it proves to be a perfect commemoration of the centenary of the first performance of the play, which was in December 1904. Finally it gives Johnny Depp - who is magnificent as Barrie - a second crack at the Best Actor Oscar after his rollicking turn as Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates Of The Caribbean lost out to Sean Penn earlier this year.
Too soon to be talking Oscars? Not at all. In fact, it is very hard to imagine who exactly could possibly stand in Depp's path to the statuette next March. Recent biopics such as The Life and Death Of Peter Sellers and the Cole Porter snoozeathon De-Lovely have shown how difficult it is to distil an artist's life into a satisfying film. Often all we get are an edited selection of scenes from a life with no story arc or even character development.
Adapted by David Magee from Alan Knee's play, The Man Who Was Peter Pan, Finding Neverland shows how it should be done. Importantly, the film does not try to encapsulate all of Barrie's life, just how he came to write Peter Pan.
Barrie is already a success (of sorts) when the film opens. We're treated to the polite but quietly bored audience reaction to the opening night of his 1902 play Quality Street. Depp plays Barrie as a hyperactive, nervous kid - always seeking approval yet knowing deep down that he’s failed to do himself justice. "The play's bullspizzle - just say it," he demands of a nervous usher within five minutes of curtain up. "The play's bullspizzle Mr Barrie."
"I knew it!"On the surface Barrie has it all. A lucrative career bankrolled by the long- suffering theatrical impresario Charles Frohman (Dustin Hoffman) and a beautiful wife, Mary (Radha Mitchell). However, the marriage is sexless and the look of bewilderment on Hoffman's face suggests that he’s not going to back too many more duds.
While walking his St Bernard in Kensington Park a chance encounter with the recently widowed Sylvia Llewelyn Davies (Kate Winslet - never more loveable) and her four young sons provides Barrie with the initial spark of imagination he so desperately needs. The desire to tell stories is timeless but the desire to invent them is essentially child-like and Barrie was more child than most.
The danger here becomes apparent. What about that other boy that never grew up, Michael Jackson? Isn't there something more than a trifle creepy about a man who doesn't sleep with his wife hanging around with four young boys? While Depp and Winslet make a fetching couple and the film does ever so gently hint at a tentative romance between the pair, it doesn't skirt around ugly rumours. The boys' grandmother Emma du Maurier (Julie Christie) sternly disapproves and Mary is none too thrilled with her husband toddling off to visit the beautiful widow either. "People are beginning to talk," warns a friend (Ian Hart). Let them.
Sylvia's youngest son Nico is on record as saying that Barrie was uninterested in sex. "He was innocent, which is why he could write Peter Pan." Which is good for theatre history (and the Great Ormond Street Hospital which still receives royalties on the work) but disastrous for Barrie's marriage to Mary. There's a beautiful moment there that superbly illustrates the chasm in their relationship. As Mary heads off to bed Foster's camera shows the prim Edwardian furniture framed in the doorway as Mitchell firmly closes the door. Barrie then opens the door to his study and is greeted by a startling sun-dappled vista of mountains and a waterfall. How's that for "my wife doesn't understand me?"
The film is remarkably sensitive in not painting Mary as a shrew. The failure of their marriage was at least as much Barrie's fault as it was hers - in fact, it may have been doomed from the outset.
Mitchell - who Tony Scott made look like a hard-faced porn star in Man On Fire - gives a remarkably touching performance, but this is a film absolutely crammed with them. Chief among these is Depp. His Scottish accent alone is worth the price of admission and probably the best appropriation of the dialect since Peter Sellers played an elderly Scottish accountant in The Battle Of The Sexes in 1960.
Brogue aside - you fail to notice it after five minutes anyway - Depp is perfect casting. As a man who once said that spending time with his children was "like hanging out with a bunch of drunks" obviously understands more about childhood than most people.
Ian Holm played the Kirriemuir born author (very well too) in a BBC TV series in the 80s, but it's hard to imagine that distinguished thespian turning up at a dinner party dressed as a Red Indian and carrying a wooden duck under one arm. As for Depp, well, you imagine that's how he dresses around the house anyway.
There's genuine adult emotion here, the slightest whiff of romance and more than a hint of tragedy as Winslet's cough starts to get ever worse, but Finding Neverland succeeds by never trying to manipulate the audience's emotions.
Other films tell you how to feel, this one reminds you of what it was like the first time you visited Neverland as a child. Truly magical.
Found by Carol from MSN EntertainmentNever Bland
Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis look like the coolest kids at the prom as they do that kooky fashion thing they do so well. The pretty pair proudly refuses to grow up as they style vintage costumes, er, clothes, at the "Finding Neverland" premiere in London. Johnny evokes the '30s in a double-breasted suit stolen from the closet of Cary Grant; black-and-white spectator shoes; and Harry Potter-esque specs that put a serious dent in the sexy, smoldering vibe he's got going. Vanessa, meanwhile, is a thrift-store poster child in a flowered, fur-collared jacket and peach-hued drop-waisted gown that had many wondering if she has a bun in the oven -- not the reaction one should shoot for when choosing red carpet raiment. Paradis also unwisely pairs black tights with pale Mary-Janes, which, despite what the fashion magazines say, is more kindergarten than haute couture.
Found by Peri from the Tribute
Actors:Johnny Depp, Kate Winslet, Dustin HoffmanDirector: Marc Forster
Locations: Hungary, Great Britain
Outtake: Depp got into his character by working on an authentic Scottish brogue, which he felt gave Barrie the quiet air of a man who on some levels was always an enigma to those around him.
Fans of Johnny Depp's swishbuckling performance as the rascally pirate Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean will see a completely different side of the actor in his new role, playing Peter Pan author J.M. Barrie in Finding Neverland.
The film is filled with the same themes that make Barrie's original play such an enduring classic: The wonder of imagination, nostalgia for childhood innocence and the longing to believe in something more enchanted than everyday life.
Director Marc Forster (Monster's Ball) said Depp was the perfect choice for the role because, as much as any modern leading actor, he's kept his own childlike spirit vibrantly alive. "Johnny is perfect to represent a man who never wants to grow up, because you can see that he has this very accessible child inside him from the choices of movie roles he makes," Forster said.
Depp also tapped his inner child in films like Edward Scissorhands, Don Juan DeMarco and the upcoming Charlie and the Chocolate Factory remake. And he gleefully admits he did his best to bring out the mischief hiding just beneath the professional manners of his co-stars and crew. "For the dinner party scene, for example, Marc and I planned in advance that I could use my fart machine at certain moments," Depp said. "We hid the machine under the table and waited until the boys' close-ups and then I just started nailing them, and it worked like a charm."
"Johnny was so able to be a child on the set that it was sort of like workingwith five children for me," said Kate Winslet, who plays the widow who befriends Barrie and whose children inspire him to create Peter Pan. According to Winslet, Depp helped her rediscover the joy of acting. "He made me and the boys constantly laugh with his cleverness, which is exactly what we needed to create the spirit of the story."
"The film never seems to go quite where you expect it to go," Depp said. "It never turns into a sentimental love story of two people destined to be together or that sort of thing. Instead, it's a much more complicated and moving relationship between two people who need each other on a level that's really beyond explanation or words."
Or course, playing the man behind the boy who never grows up had another appeal for Depp. "It's truly a work of genius," he said of Peter Pan. "It's a masterpiece of imagination, and the result of the most remarkable inspiration. It's one of those rare perfect things in the world that will always be with us, and this was a wonderful opportunity to explore where such a powerful story might have come from."
Academy Award winner Dustin Hoffman, who plays Barrie's theatrical agent, said working with Depp was one of the reasons he agreed to do the supporting part. "I think he's one of our greatest young actors," Hoffman said. "He has a quality that I highly admire—he tries everything in his power not to be a star. He takes chances on the roles he chooses and eludes being a pin-up, despite being so handsome."
-- John Black
From TelegraphThursday 28 October 2004
It's a child's job, being an actorJohnny Depp's career went into overdrive after his over-the-top, Oscar-nominated performance in 'Pirates of the Caribbean'. Now, he's taking another shot at Oscar glory with his outstanding portrayal of J M Barrie in the delightful 'Finding Neverland'. He talks to David Gritten
What a difference one film can make. Before starring in last year's mega-hit Pirates of the Caribbean, Johnny Depp's reputation in Hollywood was as a talented, personable but capricious actor, who seemingly chose roles with no apparent idea of a career arc in his mind.
Johnny Depp as J M Barrie
Depp as Barrie: 'he seems to come alive only when playing imaginative games with the boys'Worse, as suspicious studio execs saw it, Depp had a weakness for art-house movies, even - perish the thought - European art-house movies. Clearly, he did not play Hollywood's game.
But that was then. So dominating was Depp's playful portrayal of Captain Jack Sparrow in the otherwise forgettable Pirates of the Caribbean (famously, he modelled the character on his friend Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones) that Hollywood has been forced to re-appraise him. No film since Titanic has been such a huge hit because of one actor's contribution, and Depp was duly rewarded with an Oscar nomination.
Now he can write his own ticket in Hollywood. But gratifyingly, Depp, 41, still prefers to go his own way, ignoring the commercial potential of the roles he chooses.
"It's kind of a child's job, being an actor," he told me. "It's play, it's a fun time to some degree. It's a great job, being irresponsibly responsible. It's how I make my living, but I've also used it as an avenue towards another education. You do research on these [roles], and you get to learn so much."
Depp as Barrie with one of the boys
'Being a father helped a lot, going into this film. It made stuff new again for me. It was a blessing'For this precise reason, Depp cares little for roles that do not teach him something. We met at the Venice Film Festival, where his new film Finding Neverland had its world première. It is about the circumstances that led J M Barrie to write Peter Pan, specifically, his friendship with the four young boys of the Llewellyn Davies family and their widowed mother (played by Kate Winslet).
Depp plays Barrie as a sober Scottish gent in stiff collars and heavy tweedy suits; unhappily married and diffident in adult company, he seems to come alive only when playing imaginative games with the boys.
Directed by Marc Forster (Monster's Ball), Finding Neverland is a striking film, though, from a studio viewpoint, its commercial prospects pale beside Pirates of the Caribbean. Depp is outstanding, and it would be no surprise to see him in contention for an Oscar again: he plays Barrie as alternately playful and darkly brooding, with an impeccable Scottish accent.
"I had a great dialect coach, and her background is Scottish, which helped," Depp said. "The accent didn't come easily to me because, although it's musical, and I've trained as a musician and have a pretty good ear, it just didn't register at first. I don't think there are any recordings of Barrie in existence, so that didn't help.
"The clothes certainly helped with the character. Barrie was not a social animal. There were just a handful of adults he felt comfortable around. So those suits and tight collars added to his uncomfortable nature. He was a stiff guy. But, when he got around kids, he felt he was on the same level as some of them."
Children play a big part in Depp's life. He has two by his girlfriend, the French singer and actress Vanessa Paradis, and dotes on them. The name of his two-year-old son, Jack, is tattooed on his arm, and around his wrist he wore a ragged little bracelet of coloured beads and string - a gift from his daughter, Lily Rose, aged five.
"Being a father helped a lot, going into this film," he said. "You spend 12 hours a day minimum with a bunch of little kids, and I learned a lot watching the boys - spending time on their level, doing the things they wanted to do, doing the things that made them laugh. It made stuff new again for me. It was a blessing."
Many critics have noticed Depp seems to have a hotline to the child-like side of his character.
"Well, I do like all fairy tales," he admitted. "When I made Edward Scissorhands, I read Bruno Bettleheim [The Uses of Enchantment], which was an insight into fairy tales. I think Peter Pan is this great gift J M Barrie has given us.
"Unfortunately, I wasn't one of those kids who read the book and the play before I saw the Disney cartoon. That came years later. But I love the cartoon and watch it to this day with my kids."
He agrees that inside many actors there's a Peter Pan figure who likes to play. "I don't know about all actors. Some actors are great accountants. Not me. I'm the worst accountant there is."
Depp divides his private time between Los Angeles and the house in the South of France he shares with Paradis and their children.
Professionally, too, he spends long periods away from America; his last three films (including Finding Neverland) have all been shot in Britain. And the roles he chooses tend to contrast wildly with the ones preceding them.
As a case in point, his next part is the title role in The Libertine, directed by John Malkovich and shot in the Isle of Man. Depp plays John Wilmot, the second Earl of Rochester, the 17th-century poet and man about town.
"His life was like a whirlwind," he said. "He was dead of drink and syphilis at 33. He was like the first punk rocker in a way. He's overlooked in English literature and was written off as a pornographer."
He prefers not to divulge too many details about the film, which co-stars Samantha Morton. "Suffice to say it's about as debauched as you can get."
Then comes another wild swing back into kiddie-friendly entertainment: he has been in London, shooting the new screen version of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, in the Willy Wonka role that Gene Wilder first immortalised on screen.
"It's child-orientated," he said carefully, again not wanting to give much away. "Roald Dahl's novels can be fun, but they're dark at times. Some of his stuff you wouldn't want to read to your kids. Even in Charlie there are these dark subtle messages."
Some time in the next year Depp will start work on the sequel to Pirates of the Caribbean; he is hoping Keith Richards will agree to take a cameo role as Captain Jack's father.
It adds up to a strange and rather wonderful career for a man who, remember, was not even trained as an actor. He thought he would be a rock musician until he was cast in the TV teen-cop series 21 Jump Street. He hated that role, but it kick-started his life on screen.
In fact, Depp has been largely influenced by Method acting, and in particular by Marlon Brando, with whom he worked in the rarely seen film Don Juan de Marco in 1995. The unpredictability, even perversity, of the roles he chooses recalls no one as much as Brando, who died this year.
"It's true," said Depp, with a sad little shrug. "I miss Marlon. And I still think about him every day."
From Filter MagazineKeith Richards Sets Sail With 'Pirates'
by Ellen Houlihan | 10.27.2004Jumping Jack News Flash! Captain Jack Sparrow, Johnny Depp's pirate counterpart from Disney's immensely successful Pirates of the Carribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl film, will be joined by his swashbuckling father in the film's two planned sequels by none-other than the Rolling Stones' flamboyant guitar virtuoso, the esteemed Mr. Keith Richards.
After much reluctance, Richards signed on for four guaranteed days of shooting in great part from Depp's pleading persistence, as Depp told the press he modeled his character's style and attitude on Richards while promoting Pirates. Explained Depp, "I sort of thought that pirates would be the rock and roll stars of the 18th century. And the greatest rock 'n' roll star of all time is Keith Richards. Hands down."
The two sequels are set to shoot back-to-back beginning in February, the first of which will be titled Pirates of the Caribbean: Treasures of the Lost Abyss.
Win passes to see FINDING NEVERLAND in San Diego, CA HERE is the info.
Radio interview with FINDING NEVERLAND director Marc Forster HERE
Found by Emma at The Providence
The Province
October 26, 2004Dutiful Depp didn't dump Jump
By Sorelle SaidmanJohnny Depp may not have loved doing the Vancouver-shot 21 Jump Street, says Stephen J. Cannell, but he had too much class to walk away. And, contrary to popular belief, series creator Cannell didn't force Depp to stick around.
Jump Street first aired in the spring of 1987 as the first show broadcast on the fledgling Fox network and it was an unexpected hit. It was well-crafted and tackled important issues but Depp didn't want to do TV. And he most certainly did not want to be a teen idol.
"I think he probably sensed that Marlon Brando was not going to be on next week's Teen Beat cover and that he probably shouldn't be there either," says Cannell, whose first season of Jump Street is out on DVD today.
"At the end of the fourth year we were beginning to hear that he was going to walk and do these big movies. Johnny calls and says, 'Hey, Steve, have you heard the rumour I'm leaving 21 Jump Street to do movies?' And I said, 'Yeah, Johnny, I have.' He says, 'I just want to tell you I hope we get cancelled but I signed a deal with you and I intend to live up to it. If we get renewed, I'll be there. I don't want you to worry about it.' It was one of the classiest things he could have done. I'll never forget him for that."
21 Jump Street had debuted with a cast of virtual unknowns -- Depp, Holly Robinson, Peter DeLuise and Dustin Nguyen -- as young undercover cops on the high school circuit. The biggest star was Oscar nominee Frederick Forrest (The Rose), although he was turfed after just six episodes.
"He was a good guy," says Cannell, "but he was a strange flavour. We had young actors on the show and they needed a role model and Frederick was really not a good role model."
Forrest, recalls Cannell, wasn't too keen on shooting in Canada, anyway, because he hated crossing the border. "Every time he went through Customs he would get body-searched because he had some stuff in his back story that made him a real target."
In March of 1990, Fox shelved Jump Street (although it returned as a mid-season replacement minus half the cast). Depp was free to pursue his Oscar.
Cannell was already one of the best-known creators of American programming in the U.S. with The Rockford Files, The A-Team, Hunter and many more when he single-handedly put Vancouver on the TV map with shows such as Jump Street, Wiseguy, Booker and The Commish, and he says we can thank Canadian actor Nick Mancuso for the business. Mancuso asked Cannell if he would consider shooting Stingray in Canada.
"My actors are my partners so, out of deference to him, we checked out Toronto, because I figured that was the film centre of Canada," says Cannell. "It wasn't workable because of the time differences but then somebody pointed out that the dollar was trading at $1.25. I was a totally private studio, and a million dollars cashed in Canada would be worth a million two hundred fifty thousand. I realized the place to shoot was going to be Vancouver."
Cannell went on to build North Shore Studios, now Lions Gate. There were only two crews in town when he first moved in, he says -- Danger Bay's and the 'B' crew, who were in training. "They still had stickers on their hammers," says Cannell, laughing. "They were really green. They would construct sets and hang the doors the wrong way."
Cannell focused on training and expanding, and now pretty much everybody believes that Vancouver crews are every bit the equal of what's in Hollywood, he says.
Cannell, looking tall, fit and ageless, was recently back in town for a day to oversee production of a new movie, It Waits -- his first visit since wrapping The Commish six years ago. The classic over-achiever has also been writing novels, doing a little acting and developing scripts, including a movie version of 21 Jump Street. It's too early to speculate on casting or release dates, says Cannell.
You can now VOTE FOR JOHNNY at the People's Choice Awards - HERE
Found by Colby
Johnny as Wonka!At long last a picture of Johnny as Willy Wonka from Tim Burton's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." Apparently, playing the character more darkly than Gene Wilder did in the 1971 "Willy Wonka," which was a musical version of the children's classic story by Roald Dahl. If the picture was actually taken while Johnny was acting, then it looks like he wears sunglasses as Willy. Time and more pics will tell.
Gene Wilder
Johnny now.
From Contact Music
DEPP'S PLAYFUL CAREERActor JOHNNY DEPP compares his Hollywood career to a "child's job", because he has such a fun time shooting films.
The critically acclaimed EDWARD SCISSORHANDS actor accepts he's fallen into an industry which offers him excitement on a daily basis, in contrast to the mundane jobs most people have to undertake to make a living.
He says, "It's kind of a child's job, being an actor. It's play, it's a fun time to some degree. It's a great job, being irresponsibly responsible.
"It's how I make my living, but I've also used it as an avenue towards another education. You do research on these (roles), and you get to learn so much."
From Herald.com
'Ed Wood' stands the test of time
By BRUCE WESTBRO0K
Houston ChronicleLike the films of its title character, ''Ed Wood'' was a flop. Released 10 years ago, it earned just $5.8 million in theaters. A black-and-white movie about a failed filmmaker would be no ''Batman'' for director Tim Burton.
But unlike Edward D. Wood Jr.'s horror and sci-fi schlock of the '50s, ''Ed Wood'' was an artistic triumph. It won rave reviews and two Academy Awards, and its long-delayed DVD arrival is cause for celebration.
The film itself stands the test of time. Arguably Burton's best work, ''Ed Wood'' is a funny, sad look at a guy with big dreams and small talent -- and the washed-up star who propped up his efforts.
The star was Bela Lugosi, famed for 1931's classic ''Dracula,'' but a morphine addict and a forgotten has-been by the '50s, when he was the first star to openly enter rehab. For his feisty, soulful portrayal of Lugosi, Martin Landau won an Oscar as best supporting actor, and Rick Baker's Oscar win for the makeup in ''Ed Wood'' was clearly a salute to his transformation.
If Johnny Depp had had as much momentum a decade ago as he does now, chances are he too would have been nominated for his zany, sunny portrayal of the cross-dressing Wood. Bill Murray also steals the show as an actor in Wood's troupe of weirdos and losers.
Though Wood's films were awful, they were sincere, and as a fellow fanboy misfit at heart, Burton seems to sincerely appreciate them.
On DVD the film has many extras, including some of the best deleted scenes not to make a final cut.
One shows Wood having dinner with wrestler-turned-actor Tor Johnson (George Steele) and his family. Another shows Murray's character singing ''Que Sera Sera'' with a mariachi band in the meat-packing plant where Wood held the wrap party for ''Bride of the Monster.''
But the best new scene has Wood dumped by his girlfriend (Sarah Jessica Parker) and then taking refuge at Lugosi's humble home. ''You're a special guest,'' Lugosi says, tucking him in on a couch. ''You get a fluffy pillow.'' The two then have a heart-to-heart talk, ending with Lugosi's false hopes of making a comeback and Wood assuring him that ''the next film will be the one.''
The eight-minute ''Making Bela'' has recent interviews of Baker and Landau.
''The Theremin'' explains the film's electronic music, while the 14-minute ''Pie Plates Over Hollywood'' shows the art behind re-creating Wood's cheap sensationalism.
Also offered are the theatrical trailer and a music video. Choreographed by former pop star Toni Basil, who co-directed it with Burton, it shows a Vampirella-style dancer performing against a montage of bizarre imagery.
Most impressive is ''Let's Shoot This %r!,'' a revealing 14-minute look at Burton's meticulous direction of some scenes, including Landau flailing in the water with a giant rubber octopus. Depp -- in angora drag -- acts as host in framing scenes shot on the meat-plant set. Save for a few color shots, the on-set footage also is black-and-white.
As with other Burton DVDs, such as ''Sleepy Hollow,'' ''Ed Wood'' lacks a strong commentary track. Burton is joined by Landau, two screenwriters, his cinematographer and costume designer Colleen Atwood.
We'd prefer to hear more about heart, not art. Burton may be big-time now, but he and Wood seem such kindred spirits that this film almost plays like a warped autobiographical fever dream. When Depp's Wood says of ''Plan 9 From Outer Space,'' ''This is the one I'll be remembered for,'' you can't help but feel the same thing could be said of Tim Burton and ''Ed Wood,'' his touchingly affectionate masterpiece.
Review of a new book on the poems of John Wilmot, Earl of Rochester at the Guardian
Ed Wood Review by Kazren
I want to write a quick review of the SPECIAL EDITION of ED WOOD.Not only is the writing, acting, directing, and even sound score superb, but for me the best feature of this film is Ed Wood's kindness. This is brought to full focus in a scene in which Bill Murray's character is complimenting Ed on getting so many friends involved in a pool baptism. Ed (and I'm paraphrasing) basically says he doesn't judge people. How many characters have ever said that in the movies or in real life? That was the hook for me. It's not sugar-sweet, but due to a performance done with integrity by Johnny Depp, we come to appreciate a man who came to be known as the worst director of all time.
If you read the information below you know that Martin Landau (whom I've admired since Space 1999) won an Oscar for his role as Bela Lugosi in ED WOOD. He and Johnny's characters had a special bond that was very touching. But that is just one of the very interesting relationships of Ed's. He is portrayed as a person who touched people and this film touched me.
Of course, you'll have a great time watching the behind-the-scenes footage with the special introduction by Johnny in drag with a mustache. You can see glimpse of he and Tim Burton working together making their special brand of magic.
Have fun with ED WOOD. Buy it, rent it, but it is a must see for all Johnny Depp fans or just plain fans of good movies.
This Saturday October 30, 2004 Johnny to be award the prestigious Actor's Fund Award. Johnny is listed as being there to accept: "Johnny Depp - The 2004 Lee Strasberg Artistic Achievement Award" and tickets are available at the above link.
October 25, 2004
Kazren's Report on DeppCon 2004 is here and soon to come are photos and memories of other convention members.
From Movies.com
Madman
Rumor has it that Johnny Depp will star in this Robert Rodriguez–directed adaptation of Mike Allred's comic book about a guy who becomes a superhero after being brought to back to life. Rumors are always unreliable, of course, but it would certainly be cool.
From StuffSUPER SKINNY: Johnny Depp's wife Vanessa Paradis says she owes her figure to drinking lots of water. In an article about gossip, it says: Vanessa Paradis, Johnny Depp's missus and French lightweight, says she owes all her emaciation to drinking lots of water. She doesn't say whether she has anything else.
From Newsweek Magazine On sale now.
Next Stop, 'Neverland'
Johnny Depp gets in touch with his inner child playing the man who dreamed up Peter Pan and taught him to fly
Clive Coote
Making believe: Depp and Winslet on an adventure with a few 'lost boys'
By Sean Smith
NewsweekNov. 1 issue - At the moment when Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet needed to believe most, they just couldn't. During a crucial scene in "Finding Neverland," the entire wall of a living room literally lifts away to reveal a breathtaking fairyland. "We were all, like, 'What the f--- is that?'" Winslet says, laughing. "I confess, Johnny and I were, like, 'That is never going to work.' I mean, how wrong can you be?"
Directed by Marc Forster, who led Halle Berry to an Oscar two years ago in "Monster's Ball," "Neverland" is about the events that inspired J. M. Barrie (Depp) to write "Peter Pan." With his childless marriage, as well as his career, faltering, Barrie befriends four boys—Jack, George, Michael and Peter—and their widowed mother, Sylvia (Winslet). The "lost boys" help Barrie relocate his passion as a writer. He teaches them that imagination can stave off grief and age, among other things—that you can grow up without growing old. "The loss of childhood is just so ... sudden," Depp says. "One day you're a boy, and the next there's a job and responsibility, and you're a man. It happens real quick."
This movie did not. It's been five years since Miramax first optioned the screenplay, and the studio has been running an obstacle course to the cineplex ever since. The biggest hurdle was finding a director. The film needed someone who could handle the fantasy elements, but also keep the sentimental story from slipping into schmaltz. "It was no, no, no, no, to a lot of directors," says producer Richard Gladstein. Forster among them. When the Swiss director first read the script in 1999, he'd just finished his first feature, a drama about a woman who loses her child to sudden infant death syndrome. Miramax wouldn't even consider him. "My agent called and said, 'They don't see the relationship between this and your dead-baby movie'," Forster says, laughing. Two years later, with the buzz on "Monster's Ball" building, Miramax's Harvey Weinstein not only met with Forster but offered him the movie on the spot. "Not a lot of other studios would have hired someone with two intensely dark movies to direct this," Forster says. "I mean, it doesn't make sense to any rational, thinking person."
The result, though, is a film made more powerful by its restraint. Its most painful moments feel as if they're played by a lone violin, rather than by a full orchestra. "Marc's such a subtle director," Winslet says. "After a take he'd say, 'That looks great, but maybe a little less.' There were times when I thought a scene should be more emotional, but I happily followed his lead, and what you end up with are these measured, balanced performances. It feels real." Depp's portrayal of Barrie is far quieter than his Oscar-nominated role as Capt. Jack Sparrow in "Pirates of the Caribbean," but it's infused with the same sense of play. "I wanted to find someone who was sort of the fifth boy," Forster says. "And the child within Johnny is very much intact." Case in point: for a formal dinner scene in which the boys needed to crack up at the adult seriousness around them, Depp helped them by installing a "fart machine" under the table without informing them. "I had the remote control in my hand, and when Marc called 'action,' I just let loose on the thing," Depp says. "The boys went crazy. I mean, they lost their minds." He laughs. "You'd be surprised how often it works. It doesn't get old too quickly."
Although Depp seems like an ideal choice to play Barrie, Miramax was looking for a bankable star, and in early 2002 the actor was not. The studio said yes anyway. A year later "Pirates" made Depp the hot-test commodity in Hollywood; his price instantly leaped to $20 million per picture. "I think Johnny now costs the entire budget of this film," says producer Gladstein. "In fact, I'm certain of it."
Launch • Trailer: 'Finding Neverland'
Johnny Depp is author James Barrie in a movie about four fatherless children who inspire him to create the classic fantasy novel 'Peter Pan'NEWSWEEK
With all the buzz around Depp in the summer of 2003, "Neverland" looked like a hit, and an Oscar contender. But then Miramax got into a tussle with Columbia Pictures and lost. Columbia was about to release a live-action version of the actual "Peter Pan" and, worried that "Neverland" would siphon off its profits, refused to let Miramax use certain lines from Barrie's play in its film. Forster and Miramax made the torturous decision to put "Neverland" on the shelf for a year, rather than lose the lines. "I just had to let go," says Forster, who threw all his energy into his next film, "Stay." "If I'd sat at home waiting, I would have gone nuts."Had it been released last year, Depp would have competed against himself for a best-actor nomination, and "Neverland" would likely have been steamrolled by "The Lord of the Rings." Now "Neverland" looks like a best-picture front runner, and nominations for Depp, Winslet and Forster seem possible. And if Winslet has her way, the boy who plays Peter, Freddie Highmore, will be a shoo-in. "He is the most breathtaking child actor I have ever worked with, seen or experienced in my life," Winslet says. "It's a scary gift he's got there."
The only remaining hurdle "Neverland" needs to clear is the suspicion that the real-life Barrie may have been a pedophile. Andrew Birkin, author of the biography "J. M. Barrie and the Lost Boys," insists the rumor is absolutely false, a conclusion he reached after reading decades' worth of Barrie's correspondence and interviewing Nico Llewelyn Davies, one of the boys in the family that inspired this film. "Nico was 100 percent certain that Barrie harbored no lust for man, woman, child or beast," Birkin says from his home in Wales. "Barrie was essentially asexual, clearly impotent. He was a lover of children, yes, but not sexually."
In any case, the filmmakers are not pretending that "Finding Neverland" is some rigorously factual biopic. It is, as Forster likes to say, a fictional story inspired by true events. What will matter most to viewers is that it is indeed inspired—though, for a moment two years ago, when he was waist-deep in the material, the director himself wasn't so sure. "When I read the script, I cried," he says. "But as I was watching the first cut of the movie, I didn't feel anything. I thought, 'What have I done to this movie!' "The moment didn't last. "I looked over at my editor, and he was in tears," he says, and laughs. "And I was, like, 'Oh. OK. Good'."
From the Herald Sun
Depp models himself on Rolling Stone25oct04
JOHNNY Depp based his character in Pirates of the Caribbean on his rock 'n' roll hero, Rolling Stone Keith Richards.
Now Richards is to make his film debut as Depp's father in the sequel.
After months of persuasion by Depp, Richards, 60, will star in two follow-ups to the blockbuster movie.
Filming on the first, Pirates of the Caribbean: Treasures of the Lost Abyss, is due to begin in February.
Depp says pirate captain Jack Sparrow's slurred speech, fondness for rum, braided hair and eye-liner were inspired by Richards.
"I sort of thought that pirates would be the rock 'n' roll stars of the 18th century," he said.
"And the greatest rock 'n' roll star of all time is Keith Richards. Hands down."
From The Times of India
Destiny India for Hollywood biggiesAdd to ClippingsTIMES NEWS NETWORK[ SUNDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2004 08:09:04 PM ]
Here's a poser? In which city do you stand a great chance of brushing shoulders with Bollywood stars?Mumbai apart, chances are that you can spot them easily at Cape Town, Switzerland or New York, since many of our filmmakers pride themselves in shooting abroad. But a whole band of Hollywood biggies are dialling I for India for locations. Jackie Chan is already shooting in Hampi, Karnataka, with Mallika Sherawat for The Myth . And, hold your breath. Johnny Depp will fly down to Mumbai for his next film, Shantaram: A Novel.
"Suddenly India is being noticed and our films have been gaining importance globally," says trade analyst Komal Nahta. "Tarsem Singh shot The Fall in India and Depp's movie, an adaptation of Shantaram, will be filmed in Mumbai. It makes business sense for international production houses to come to India now. Dubbed English films are doing well and having Indian locales will make more Indians identify with their films," reasons Nahta.
A good part of the credit for having popularising destination India goes to filmmakers like Mira Nair and Gurinder Chaddha who've shot here for Vanity Fair and Bride and Prejudice recently.
From ContactMusic
DEPP'S BATTLE WITH ALCOHOLISMMovie hunk JOHNNY DEPP became an alcoholic to numb himself from the emptiness of his Hollywood lifestyle.
The FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS star has finally realised his dependence on alcohol was not recreational and is thrilled he is able to continue his movie career without the need of "hard liquor".
Depp explains, "My drug of choice was alcohol more than anything - hard liquor, spirits. It's very difficult to see the ignorance of it when you are spinning around in it.
"But when you are doing that to yourself, it is to avoid feeling. There is a degree of me, me, me that you can't escape. And it might have had the facade of being recreational but even then I knew it wasn't.
"I'd go to these functions, and back in those days I literally had to be drunk to be able to speak and get through it.
"...you get liquored up or whatever and then once you are in that spiral you don't even get hangovers any more.
"You wake up and have a drink again."
Found by Veronica
PDF file from Biography Magazine on Johnny HERE
Send your Burning Question for Johnny to Access Hollywood theburningquestion@accesshollywood.com.
From Female First. co.uk
Johnny Depp to star in more family films
October 22, 2004, 12:40:49
Johnny DeppJohnny Depp wants to star in more family films so his children can watch his movies.
The Hollywood actor - who has two young children, Lily-Rose and Jack, with partner Vanessa Paradis - has recently starred in a string of children's films, including 'Finding Neverland' and 'Pirates of the Caribbean'.
While the 41-year-old star insisted he won't be turning his back on adult roles for good, he admits he is thrilled his children can now watch more of his movies.
He said: "'Finding Neverland' was great because it was much more accessible to my kids than, say, 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas'. I want my children to see daddy's work."Depp's next movie is a re-make of 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory', directed by Tim Burton, and the heartthrob is confident movie-goers will be impressed.
** Johnny Depp Article Continues Below **
** The Johnny Depp article continues now **He explained to Britain's Empire magazine: "Tim's version will be much truer to the Roald Dahl book. It's darker."
From the Daily Prophet
Editorial by Pricilla LambidwaterAfter pursuing the trail of the elusive Mr. Harry Potter (photo at left) I found myself with several people of the female persuasion sitting in a muggle theatre for a presentation of Finding Neverland. Yet, what did I discover? The muggles know all about magic. It seems this fellow, Sir James Matthew Barrie wrote an entire play about it back some time near 1905 and the muggles have had an intimate understanding not only of magic, but fairies and the effects of fairy dust.
Further investigations are in order. I intend to attend another viewing of this film, perhaps more, in an attempt to get to the bottom of this and find out what the connection to Mr. Potter might be. Could he have had some sort of blood relation with Mr. Barrie? Is it possible Mr. Barrie is a Wizard too?
As usual, the Daily Prophet will left no stone unturned (except for Mr. Keith Richards who hates being awoken early for stone-turning) in our quest for the latest most up-to-date news.
Pascalle found this radio interview with Johnny from April HERE
From NewKerala.com
Johnny Depp used a fart machine during a shoot: Kate Winslet!:[Hollywood News]: London, Oct 20 : Kate Winslet has revealed that Johnny Depp, her co-star in forthcoming flick 'Finding Neverland', disrupted the shoot by secretly using a fart machine.
The 'Titanic' beauty also said that Depp was the eternal prankster during the filming and played practical jokes during intense scenes.
"There was one scene when we were having dinner together. It was a difficult scene and that's when Johnny did one of the most triumphant things I have ever seen an actor do - he had a fart machine under the table," The Sun quoted Kate as saying.
The stunning actress went on to say that the crew members were unaware that the stunt was a joke, and they thought that someone has really farted.
Kate said that her four child-co-stars tried hard to ignore the fart, as they didn't know how to react.
"The first take was priceless. The boys didn't want to speak, to say, 'Somebody's farted.' But then it happened again and we were bursting with laughter," she added.
Kate, however, was all praise for Depp's trick, and said that his fart machine actually helped them to relax and laugh, which made the shoot a success.
"That was the thing that made the scene work. That was totally down to Johnny," said she. (ANI)
From the Welwyn Hatfield Times
Pan-orama
EDITORIAL
20 October 2004FINDING Neverland (PG) details the experiences of Peter Pan author James Barrie, which led him to write the children's classic.
Barrie got to know four children who have no fathers and drawing from the experience he wrote the story about children who don't want to grow up.
Johnny Depp plays the lead in this creative journey of magic and fantasy, set in London in 1904.
A star cast also includes Kate Winslett, Julie Christie, Dustin Hoffman with a cameo by Paul Whitehouse.
From the Belfast Telegraph
October 20, 2004
Finding Neverland: Will Johnny get his gong?By David Thomson
20 October 2004In advance of Finding Neverland, there were whispers that this could be Johnny Depp's Oscar. The reasoning in this was not obscure. First of all, in Neverland, Depp would be playing J M Barrie, the author of Peter Pan, a respectable fellow. Second, the film was directed by Marc Forster, who recently guided Halle Berry to her Oscar for Monster's Ball. More important than those helpful circumstances, there was Depp himself, the actor of the moment, the coolest of stars, the nonchalant handler of his own career, the man who so steadily does the unexpected that he makes most other actors look starchy and cravenly professional.
Now, that is an intimidating package of reasons, and any student of Oscar knows that the Academy has yielded to less potent cases - they gave acting Oscars to Yul Brynner in The King and I, and Grace Kelly in The Country Girl. Anything can happen. Still, any such award next year to Mr Depp is going to have to overlookFinding Neverland, which is schmaltzy to a degree and a woeful looking away from the more creepy and intriguing aspects of the strange celebration of boyishness that Mr Barrie led. Depp does a very pretty Scots accent and he is always good to look at. You can believe that he might have written Peter Pan. His Barrie may certainly rate as further proof of his adventurousness. But it would be a travesty of the Depp cult to give it for Barrie when his Ed Wood was ignored.
Depp turned 41 this year, and I suppose that for a long time he has seemed a little too young to be taken seriously, or is it that he handles himself with such lightness that he does not make his own acting job seem hard enough for an Oscar? This is not facetious. Last year, Sean Penn in Mystic River (and 21 Grams) demonstrated the virtues of making acting seem like an immense travail, like passing a very large kidney stone and doing something you really don't want to do. Ever since Marlon Brando, a school of actors have let their own stunned exhaustion, and their tears, speak for quality. I don't always buy it (I think Penn can be a self-regarding ham), but if I were advising Depp on getting his Oscar I'd have to say, make it seem like hard work. (This has also become a basic part of George W Bush's presidential campaign.)
When Depp got a nomination (his first) in the same class as Penn's, the contrast was uncontainable. After all, even if he never quite settled on one accent for Pirates of the Caribbean, the sheer enjoyment in that film put it in a world religiously rejected by Sean Penn. Depp's was the drollest of movie pirates, and it was a performance founded in the confidence that we would find the whole venture as silly as he did and a perfect excuse for doing comic turns.
More than a decade ago, while still a child, Leonardo DiCaprio got a supporting actor nomination for his brilliant, strenuous performance as a mentally disabled boy in What's Eating Gilbert Grape. Depp gave a stronger, subtler performance in the same film and went unnoticed. But everything about Depp is so innately smart, it's hard to see him ever pretending to be anything less than hip. I begin to wonder whether the same, amused ease that kept all of Cary Grant's great performances out of the honours may not also be Depp's curse. But curse is a strong word - it suggests that Depp had come to the party seeking prizes, instead of fun.
If I tell you that Grant got not just no nominations, but hardly any campaign, for The Awful Truth, Bringing Up Baby, Holiday, Only Angels Have Wings, His Girl Friday, The Philadelphia Story, Suspicion, Notorious or I Was a Male War Bride you may begin to gauge the dreadful misunderstanding of acting. Yes, Grant got nominated for Penny Serenade (but he cried in that one) and for None But the Lonely Heart (where he played the sort of fellow he might have been if he'd never left England for America). Johnny Depp could do worse than study these lessons: tears are nearly as good as mental illness or being crippled for getting an Oscar, and a direct nod to your own humble origins is taken very well by that illustrious club the Academy. But no, Johnny Depp prefers to pretend, and he makes a habit of lending his presence to films so wayward or outrageous they do not have a chance at Oscar.
That eccentric list begins with Edward Scissorhands; doing Buster Keaton in Benny and Joon; Arizona Dream, that most unlikely of American romances, done for Emir Kusturica; the lead in Jim Jarmusch's Dead Man; superb as the "lost" cop in Donnie Brasco; as Hunter S Thompson in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas; The Ninth Gate for Polanski; Sleepy Hollow for Tim Burton - his most inspired partnership; Chocolat for Lasse Hallstrom; Blow for Ted Demme; and a London policeman in From Hell.
Few of those films ever sought to qualify as mainstream, but Tim Burton's Ed Wood was a deliberate excursion into the netherworld of Hollywood - indeed, it says more about Peter Pan than Finding Neverland. In addition, Depp sought out Marlon Brando, acted with him in Don Juan DeMarco and then directed the great man in The Brave, a picture that was never properly released.
It's plain that Depp's sentiments as an actor cling not just to Brando's quality but to the marked way in which Brando felt himself an outsider. In time, that status became self-perpetuating: Brando became the actor who would not act. It was as if he was teaching us a lesson about the desperate state of our movies.
Where will Depp stand in that story? On the surface, he seems so much more tolerant and amiable than Brando, and so much readier to look outside America. But when I listed those Cary Grant films that slipped by without a nomination - in all of which I can see Depp - it has to be noted that his world is less generous than Grant's, especially in the matter of comedy. So far, Johnny Depp has given every sign of realising that he is responsible for his career. That means going off and finding ventures worthy of him. And the list of films is varied enough. But are there enough great opportunities there, and does Depp have the box-office power or the will to insist on the big pictures?
DiCaprio is coming to our screens as Howard Hughes. I'd rather it was Depp (in truth, I'd rather it was the young Warren Beatty - but that moment has passed). Actors these days are in charge of their careers, for good and ill. And if it is hard to do good work, it is as hard to ensure the setting for it on a regular basis. I wonder if one day the Academy may not have to give Johnny Depp an honorary Oscar - that indicator of a failure in the system.
'Finding Neverland' is released on 29 October
October 19, 2004Is out today on DVD. Details from HERE(you can also order it at the link)
Ed Wood Special Edition Tim Burton's Hilarious, Heartfelt Homage Available On DVD October 19
SPECIAL EDITION, on DVD on October 19, 2004. An offbeat, comical, moving film from acclaimed director Tim Burton ("Big Fish," "Batman," "Edward Scissorhands"), ED WOOD SPECIAL EDITION is the hilarious true-life story of Ed Wood, the wackiest filmmaker in Hollywood history. On DVD this hugely entertaining cinematic gem features an outstanding slate of DVD bonus material with deleted scenes (including Bill Murray's rendition of "Que Sera Sera" with a mariachi band in a meat locker!); audio commentary with Tim Burton, Martin Landau and filmmakers; incredible "on the set" footage outrageously hosted by Johnny Depp; visits with the production designer and composer; recollections from Martin Landau and Rick Baker on Bela Lugosi, and more.ED WOOD SPECIAL EDITON features red-hot Hollywood star Johnny Depp ("Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl") as Ed Wood. Martin Landau ("Tucker: The Man and His Dream," "Crimes and Misdemeanors") earned an Academy Award®, Best Supporting Actor (1994) for his role in the film as Bela Lugosi. The all-star cast includes sexy Sarah Jessica Parker (TV's "Sex And The City") as Ed Wood's wife, Jeffrey Jones ("Sleepy Hollow") as Criswell the B-movie psychic and Bill Murray ("Lost In Translation," "Rushmore") as Ed Wood's friend Bunny. Patricia Arquette ("Holes") and Vincent D'Onofrio (TV's "Law and Order: Criminal Intent") also star. Special Edition DVD available for $29.99 (S.R.P.).
Empire Online shows the UK release date of LIBERTINE as December 31, 2004
Discovered by Chris M.
IF you were unable to pre-order you Jack Sparrow...er Captain Jack Sparrow action figure (18 inch) from Kyrila earlier this year, this site has them at a very good price.
From Contact Music
October 19, 2004
DEPP DENIES SOLELY LIVING IN FRANCEJOHNNY DEPP struggles to stay away from America for too long, because he loves his homeland too much.
The actor laughs off press reports that claim he spends all his time at his French homes, a converted farmhouse near St Tropez and an apartment in Paris - insisting he travels between the US and Europe with his partner VANESSA PARADIS and their two children.
He says, "The big lie is that I live in France now. The French papers are always making out that I do, but I don't.
"In fact I divide my time equally between LA and France. Sure I like France, and it has some pretty good wines, but I really miss America."
and
DEPP'S FART PRANK
Hollywood star JOHNNY DEPP lightened the mood on the set of FINDING NEVERLAND, by setting off a fart machine.
The actor had co-stars including KATE WINSLET doubled-up in laughter after pulling the prank during a tricky scene - but she insists it actually helped the shoot.
Winslet says, "There was one scene where we were having dinner together.
"It was a difficult scene and that's when Johnny did one of the most triumphant things I have ever seen an actor do - he had a fart machine under the table."
"The first take was priceless and nobody wanted to speak. But then it happened again and we were bursting.
"That was the thing that made the scene work. That was down to Johnny."
and
DEPP TO DISCOVER GRAVITY
Hollywood heart-throb JOHNNY DEPP is set to don tights and a wig to play 17th century scientist SIR ISAAC NEWTON in a forthcoming biopic.
MIRAMAX movie mogul HARVEY WEINSTEIN is currently planning to bring the famous Brit physicist, who developed the theory of gravity, to the big screen and is desperate for Depp to land the leading role.
Weinstein enthuses, "While I'm over in England, I intend to convince Johnny to sign for the role.
"I think he'd be perfect for it.
"It's one of my last remaining ambitions to make a film about Sir Isaac Newton. He was the most brilliant scientist in history, but he also spent considerable amount of time working as detective, which tells you a little of how fascinating his story is."
Found by Emma - a chance to win tickets to Finding Neverland in the UK HERE
From Contact Music
DEPP TO DISCOVER GRAVITYJOHNNY DEPP
Hollywood heart-throb JOHNNY DEPP is set to don tights and a wig to play 17th century scientist SIR ISAAC NEWTON in a forthcoming biopic.
MIRAMAX movie mogul HARVEY WEINSTEIN is currently planning to bring the famous Brit physicist, who developed the theory of gravity, to the big screen and is desperate for Depp to land the leading role.
Weinstein enthuses, "While I'm over in England, I intend to convince Johnny to sign for the role.
"I think he'd be perfect for it.
"It's one of my last remaining ambitions to make a film about Sir Isaac Newton. He was the most brilliant scientist in history, but he also spent considerable amount of time working as detective, which tells you a little of how fascinating his story is."
Found by Emma at the Daily Mail
October 19, 2004Wicked Whispers
Movie mogul Harvey Weinstein was so impressed with Johnny Depp's performance in Finding Neverland that he wants to sign him up to play Sir Isaac Newton. The Miramax boss told me: 'It's one of my last remaining ambitions to make a film about Newton. He was the most brilliant scientist in history, but he also spent considerable time working as a detective. He was absolutely fascinating.'
From DailyCamera.com
Depp says he has a weird jobLONDON — Johnny Depp reckons he's no great movie pinup — he just has a "weird job."
Arriving for the premiere of his latest movie, "Finding Neverland," at London's Leicester Square, Depp played down his movie star image as fans lining the red carpet screamed his name.
"I wouldn't say I'm a heartthrob," he said, as his wife, French singer and actress Vanessa Paradis, looked on. "I just have a very weird job."
Depp has been touted to win his first Oscar for his role as "Peter Pan" creator J.M. Barrie, but 41-year-old actor dismissed such talk.
"I can't say that occupies my every thought or every moment," he said. "That's not my job to think about that, but if people want to say that, that is really sweet."
Co-star Kate Winslet, who plays the mother of the four young brothers who inspired Barrie to write "Peter Pan," also gave a knock to Depp's reputation as a movie hunk.
"Everybody asks me this, whether I'm slightly annoyed that I didn't get to kiss Johnny Depp," said Winslet, 29. "We would have laughed."
From Leeds Today - about the Film Festival
Ster Century Cinema, in The Light complex in Leeds city centre, hosts the first screening on Thursday, October 28. Finding Neverland, starring Kate Winslet and Johnny Depp, screens at 6.30pm and 8.45pm.
News Flash
The Daily Prophet
Harry Potter spotted in London Sunday.
The master wizard, Harry Potter was seen at a charity film event in London, Sunday. This event was strictly for muggles, so the DP had to wonder why a wizard of his talent was mingling. When asked this very question, Mr. Potter responded, "This is for the children." At his encouragement, our investigative staff will be seeing this film on the night of Tuesday October 19th and and a full report will follow.
From HELLO!KATE AND JOHNNY FLY AWAY TO NEVERLAND
18 OCTOBER 2004
Once famous for her curves, Kate Winslet looked strikingly svelte when she arrived for the UK premiere of her latest flick, Finding Neverland, in London.
Setting the flashbulbs blazing in a sky-blue Ben de Lisi gown and with a new shorter hairstyle to complement her size eight figure, the 29-year-old English Rose insisted she had not been on a diet. "I have not lost any weight," she said. "I had a baby and now I am back to normal. People always tell me I look like I have lost weight, but this is just me."
Also keeping the press pack busy and the fans happy at the glitzy event was leading man Johnny Depp. In the movie he plays the Scottish writer JM Barrie, who created the classic children's book Peter Pan. The film tells the story of how he was inspired to write the novel by a young mother, played by Kate, and her four sons.
And although he is regarded as one of the finest actors of his generation, Johnny admitted to having some trouble with the Scottish accent. "Musically, rhythmically, I initially couldn't quite get a hold of it," he revealed. "Luckily, I found this dialect coach who helped me out a great deal."
As for his reputation as a sex symbol, the 41-year-old remained humble. "I wouldn't say I'm a heart-throb," he said. "I just have a very weird job."
From The Enquirer
Tuesday, October 19, 2004Depp: 'I just have a weird job'
Johnny Depp reckons he's no great movie pinup - he just has a "weird job."
Arriving for the premiere of his latest movie, Finding Neverland, at London's Leicester Square, Depp played down his movie star image as fans lining the red carpet screamed his name.
"I wouldn't say I'm a heartthrob," he said, as his wife, French singer and actress Vanessa Paradis, looked on. "I just have a very weird job."
Depp has been touted to win his first Oscar for his role as Peter Pan creator J.M. Barrie, but 41-year-old actor dismissed such talk.
"I can't say that occupies my every thought or every moment," he said. "That's not my job to think about that, but if people want to say that, that is really sweet."
Co-star Kate Winslet, who plays the mother of the four young brothers who inspired Barrie to write Peter Pan, also gave a knock to Depp's reputation as a movie hunk.
"Everybody asks me this, whether I'm slightly annoyed that I didn't get to kiss Johnny Depp," said Winslet, 29. "We would have laughed."
From the Irish Examiner
18/10/2004
Fairytale opening for JM Barrie filmHollywood stars Kate Winslet and Johnny Depp turned on the charm to give the new film on the life of Peter Pan creator JM Barrie a fairytale beginning.
The box office A-listers descended on London’s West End for the premiere of Finding Neverland, which tells the story of the inspiration behind the boy who never grew up.
American heart-throb Depp, 41, plays the Scottish author in the Hollywood blockbuster while British co-star Winslet, 29, plays Sylvia Llewelyn Davies.
It was Davies’ young sons who gave Barrie the idea for the children’s classic after he befriended them.
Arriving at the Odeon Leicester Square last night, Winslet told how she took the young stars of the film under her wing.
Wearing a floor-length turquoise Ben de Lisi dress, she said: “I had to whip them into shape every now and again but there was lots of hugging and it was all very family-like.”
Finding Neverland, which also stars Julie Christie and Dustin Hoffman, tells the story of how Barrie, who never had children of his own, met Davies’ boys in London’s Kensington Gardens and became their playmate.
American critics have touted Depp, who arrived with French singer girlfriend Vanessa Paradis, for his first Oscar.
But the Pirates of the Caribbean star, who struggled to perfect the necessary Scottish accent, shrugged off the potential glory.
Depp, who has two children with Paradis, said: “I can’t say that occupies my every thought or every moment.
“That’s not my job to think about that, but if people want to say that, that is really sweet.”
The other star in the film is 12-year-old British actor, Freddie Highmore, who plays Peter Llewelyn Davies, the inspiration for Peter Pan himself.
And his more famous co-stars were quick to praise the youngster, who is also set to appear as Charlie in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Depp said: “He doesn’t need advice from me. I need help from him.”
Highmore said he still did not know whether he wanted to be an actor but said of his heroes: “Johnny Depp is fantastic. He will turn an ordinary scene into one which you will always remember.
“Kate is amazing. Off camera she was really loving and always looking after me.”
Earlier, Winslet, who is married to film director Sam Mendes, said having two children of her own had helped her play the movie’s mother.
“There is something about the physicality of being a parent that you don’t know about until you become one,” she said.
The movie has been accused of playing down the ambiguous nature of Barrie’s obsession with children.
Some descendants of the Llewelyn Davies family are also said to have expressed some disappointment for not “sticking to the facts”.
But Depp said: “All this happened around 100 years ago so there are always going to be questions about the exact truth.”
And director Marc Forster added: “For me the film was about how JM Barrie was inspired to write Peter Pan. You have to take out certain characters because you are just dealing with those who inspired the story.”
The premiere comes in the centennial year of the creation of Peter Pan, which was first performed as a play in 1904 at the Duke of York’s Theatre, London.
The event hoped to raise thousands of pounds for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity.
Barrie donated the lucrative rights to Peter Pan to the hospital before his death in 1937.
Finding Neverland is released on October 29.
Found at ABS CBN News
Depp and Winslet attend UK 'Neverland' premiereLONDON - Throngs of screaming girls braved a chilly London night to get a glimpse of U.S. actor Johnny Depp Sunday as he arrived at the UK premiere of the film "Finding Neverland."
Depp was greeted by hundreds of squealing young women, some crying, as they clamored for an autograph of the Hollywood heart-throb at Leicester Square in central London.
The 41-year-old star, who has been tipped to win an Oscar for his role as Peter Pan author JM Barrie, obliged and took his time greeting fans as he strolled slowly along the red carpet.
Depp attended the premiere along with co-star Kate Winslet, who plays the mother of the boy who gave Barrie the inspiration for the classic tale.
The British actress said she couldn't have played the role of Sylvia Llewelyn Davies if she wasn't a mother herself.
"It just changes how you are physically and it made a huge difference in playing this part," she told Sky News.
The film, which also stars Julie Christie and Dustin Hoffman, will be released in Britain on Oct. 29.
Found by Cassady at the Sunday MercuryOctober 17, 2004, Sunday
LUKE WHO'S JOHNNY DEPP'S PAL; MIDLAND BOY IN HOLLYWOOD FILM
by EMILY ANDREWSAS big-screen stars go, Luke Spill is a little on the young side. But the Midland schoolboy is set to make a big splash in Hollywood when new blockbuster Finding Neverland premieres tonight.
Little Luke is the child star of the film, and appears alongside Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet.
The movie tells the story of Peter Pan creator JM Barrie and is tipped to sweep the board at the Oscars next year.
Luke, aged nine, plays Michael - one of the five brothers who were the inspiration for Peter and the Lost Boys.
Kate Winslet plays his mum,who is dying of cancer, and Depp is Barrie, who creates the fairytale to help the boys escape.
Luke, from Longbridge near Warwick, was plucked from the unknown after a chance meeting with an agent.
Now he wants to do much more acting and has set his sights on becoming the new Harry Potter.
'I'm really excited by the film and looking forward to seeing myself at the premiere,' he said.
'I haven't seen the finished film yet. It will be weird seeing myself on screen but I think it'll be good fun, too.
'Johnny Depp was my favourite person on the whole set. He was like my best friend.
'He was very kind and always played football with me.'
The youngster said that Depp almost saved his life when they were filming a pirate scene.
'There was one time when I was scared because we were filming on a big pirate ship in lots of water,' he said.
'There were loads of water canons spraying everywhere.
'I couldn't really swim and I was knocked over but Johnny saved me. He comforted me because I was crying.
'I can't wait to see him again at the movie tonight. I'd love to be a big film star like him.
'But I'd also like to be the next Harry Potter, too.'
Doting dad Richard Spill, 55, and mum Elizabeth Steventon, 47, are driving Luke to London'sWestEnd tonight for the premiere.
Winslet and Depp are both expected to attend, as well as Depp's wife Vanessa Paradis and their young children.
Richard, a legal executive for the Law Society, said: 'We're very proud of Luke. He's a little star to us, anyway.
'He did the movie when he was six during his school holidays so it all fitted in very well.
'It was actually shot two years ago but this is the first time we'll see it so it's all very exciting.
'He's never done any acting before so he's done really well.
'We've been told that it's being released now because it's the best time for Oscar nominations. It would be fantastic if it were to win.'
When Luke isn't hobnobbing with stars, he attends Warwick Junior School and lists playing with his toys and playing football as his favourite pursuits.
Johnny related article at PLAYBILL on the Musical version of CRY BABY going to the stage. Also, echos of Donnie Brasco in this morbid article at CNN.
From Contact Music
WINSLET LOVES NEW MOVIEKATE WINSLET has given her new movie FINDING NEVERLAND the ultimate compliment - it's the first of her films she has enjoyed watching.
The British actress stars alongside JOHNNY DEPP in the movie, about the life of PETER PAN author JM BARRIE.
She says, "I actually felt very comfortable watching the film, which is new for me because I usually can't handle that at all.
"Peter Pan is such a wonderful idea. I remember trying to fly when I was a child."
Monday October 18, 05:59 AMFrom Reuters
Depp and Winslet revel in "Neverland"
DEPP AND WINSLET
Click to enlarge photoLONDON (Reuters) - Throngs of screaming girls braved a chilly London night to get a glimpse of U.S. actor Johnny Depp as he arrived at the UK premiere of the film "Finding Neverland".
Depp was greeted by hundreds of squealing young women, some crying, as they clamoured for an autograph of the Hollywood heart-throb at Leicester Square in central London on Sunday.
The 41-year-old star, who has been tipped to win an Oscar for his role as Peter Pan author JM Barrie, obliged and took his time greeting fans as he strolled slowly along the red carpet.
Depp attended the premiere along with co-star Kate Winslet, who plays the mother of the boy who gave Barrie the inspiration for the classic tale.
Winslet said she couldn't have played the role of Sylvia Llewelyn Davies if she wasn't a mother herself.
"It just changes how you are physically and it made a huge difference in playing this part," she told Sky News.
The film, which also stars Julie Christie and Dustin Hoffman, will be released in Britain on October 29.
From BBC
Johnny thinks Wonka's a stonka
Last updated 18 October 2004
It was Johnny Depp mania in London last night - he made a rare appearance in the UK for the premiere of his latest movie 'Finding Neverland' alongside co-star Kate Winslet.
There's already Oscar buzz about the film which tells the story of how JM Barrie came to write 'Peter Pan'.
Johnny was also keen to talk about his next movie, the much anticipated 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory':
Johnny plays Willy Wonka in the film and told us how happy he is to be working with Tim Burton again, who he previously worked with on 'Edward Scissorhands':
"The 'Wonka' experience has been great - good news is that I haven't been fired yet, which one is always expecting."
"It's great being back with Tim (Burton) - it's like coming home. So we've been having a great time."
"I think Tim's making a really amazing, amazing film - a combination of Tim Burton and Roald Dahl is just a match made in heaven, so it's very exciting."
From Contact Music
DEPP THRILLED WITH NEVERLAND ACCENTHollywood hunk JOHNNY DEPP was petrified he wouldn't be able to master a Scottish accent for his latest movie FINDING NEVERLAND.
The actor underwent gruelling voice coaching sessions to enable him to play PETER PAN author JM BARRIE in the movie, but the work paid off because he's tipped to win an OSCAR for his convincing performance.
He says, "Musically, rhythmically, I initially couldn't quite get a hold of it. Luckily I found this dialect coach who helped me out."
From stltoday.com
Who shrank Kate Winslet?
By FROM NEWS SERVICES
10/18/2004
WHO SHRANK KATE? Kate Winslet is proud of her curvy figure, so when British newspapers ran photos of the svelte-looking "Titanic" star in a floor-length Ben de Lisi gown and speculated that the actress had slimmed down to a British size 8 - the equivalent of a U.S. size 4 - Winslet told them to ... well, stuff it. The tabs, who photographed her at the London premiere of her latest movie, "Finding Neverland," speculated that she had been dieting to regain her figure after the birth of her second child.
"It is so insane; I haven't lost any weight," Winslet, 29, said in a television interview. "Everybody likes to think it is a great story to talk about my fluctuating weight. The reality is I have had two children in four years and the only time my weight goes up and down is when I'm pregnant, which happens. I have stayed the same weight apart from those times," she said.
Meanwhile, "Finding Neverland" co-star Johnny Depp tried to play down his Hollywood hunk image as fans lining the red carpet screamed his name. "I wouldn't say I'm a heartthrob," he said within earshot of his wife, French singer-actress Vanessa Paradis. "I just have a very weird job."
Depp, 41, also downplayed the buzz that he's an Oscar favorite for his role as "Peter Pan" creator J.M. Barrie. "I can't say that occupies my every thought or every moment," he said. "That's not my job to think about that, but if people want to say that, that is really sweet."
Winslet also took a stab at deflating Depp's reputation. "Everybody asks me this, whether I'm slightly annoyed that I didn't get to kiss Johnny Depp," Winslet said. "We would have laughed."
VIDEO - if you go to this page and click on the button at the TOP RIGHT that says WATCH BBC NEWS IN VIDEO - on the right side is a menu. Slide down - there is an interview with Johnny and the London Premire of Finding Neverland plus some new clips we have not seen before.
ALSO - the Reuter's video HERE or HERE
Important Announcement and Information for DeppCon Convention Goersand Particularly for Those of You Who Plan to Register the Day of the Convention
Please check the DeppCon Website www.deppcon.com for the timetable of convention events. Some of the events require a reservation, so please notify DeppCon immediately if you plan on attending. If you do not make a reservation, it is possible that you will not be able to participate in a planned function. Some of the events requiring a previous reservation are the bus trip to Ojai to see Finding Neverland on Saturday night and the special viewing of Ed Wood on Sunday afternoon. We are planning a side trip to the Hollywood Wax Museum in conjunction with the trip to see Johnny’s star on Hollywood Boulevard on Friday afternoon. If you would like to visit the museum to see the wax figure of Captain Jack Sparrow, we need to know that also. If you just want to see the star, you do not need a reservation. Your response is very important so that we can get a "head count" for each event. Thanks in advance for your cooperation.
DeppCon Committee
From ITV
Stars out for fairytale premiere
10.03PM, Sun Oct 17 2004
Film stars Kate Winslet and Johnny Depp have turned on the charm to give a film about Peter Pan creator JM Barrie a fairytale beginning.
The box office A-listers descended on London for the premiere of Finding Neverland, which tells the story of the inspiration behind the boy who never grew up.
American heart-throb Depp plays the Scottish author in the Hollywood blockbuster while British co-star Winslet plays Sylvia Llewelyn Davies.
Arriving at the Odeon Leicester Square, Winslet told how she took the young stars of the film under her wing.
Wearing a floor-length turquoise Ben de Lisi dress, she said: "I had to whip them into shape every now and again but there was lots of hugging and it was all very family-like."
Depp has played down the Oscar buzz surrounding his role, adding: "I can't say that occupies my every thought or every moment. That's not my job to think about that, but if people want to say that, that is really sweet."
The other star in the film is 12-year-old British actor, Freddie Highmore, who plays Peter Llewelyn Davies, the inspiration for Peter Pan himself.
The premiere comes in the centennial year of the creation of Peter Pan, which was first performed as a play in 1904 at the Duke of York's Theatre, London.
The event hoped to raise thousands of pounds for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity.
Barrie donated the lucrative rights to Peter Pan to the hospital before his death in 1937.
Yahoo News UK
Sunday October 17, 09:08 PM
Slimline Kate is star of show
Actress Kate Winslet showed off her svelte figure at the premiere of her latest movie, Finding Neverland, at the Odeon, in London`s Leicester Square
The 29-year-old graced the red carpet with heartthrob Johnny Depp, who plays Peter Pan author JM Barrie in the film.
The British actress plays Sylvia Llewelyn Davies, a mother whose young son gave Barrie the inspiration for the classic.
The other star in the film is a 12-year-old British actor, Freddie Highmore who plays Peter Llewelyn Davies, the inspiration for Peter Pan himself.
Hollywood stars Winslet and Depp praised the young actor, who is also set appear as Charlie in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Wearing a stunning floor-length turquoise Ben de Lisi dress, Winslet said she was no thinner than normal but that she had just got back into shape after giving birth to her second child.
She said: "People have been saying, 'you've lost so much weight' but I'm back to normal after having a baby. I'm normally like this."
She said it was great to work with the youngsters, Joe Prospero, 15, Luke Spill, nine, Nick Roud, 15, and Freddie, who played the boys which Barrie meets in London's Kensington Gardens and becomes their playmate.
The actress said: "I had to whip them into shape every now and again but there was lots of hugging and it was all very family-like. It's just part of my job.
"Freddie is quite extraordinary. He was brilliant. He always knew his lines, he was wonderfully consistent and sometimes he would be angry with himself. He was more like a 30-year-old."
From the Daily Recordr
JOHNNY DAPPER
Oct 18 2004STAR'S PREMIER OUTFIT
By Sherna NoahDAPPER Johnny Depp donned his two-tone shoes for a night out on the town - and looked as if he had stepped straight out of kids' gangster flick Bugsy Malone.
But the movie heart-throb's retro look thrilled cheering fans at the London premiere of his new film last night.
Depp, 41, and co-star Kate Winslet posed for snaps and signed autographs at the first showing of Hollywood blockbuster Finding Neverland, the story of Scots Peter Pan author JM Barrie.
Winslet, 29, plays Sylvia Llewelyn Davies, a mother whose young sons gave Barrie the inspiration for the classic story. Barrie, who never had children of his own, met the boys in London's Kensington Gardens and became their playmate.
Depp, who lives with French singer Vanessa Paradis and their two young children,has been tipped for an Oscar for his performance.
But the Pirates Of The Caribbean star admits he struggled to master a Scottish accent for the role of Barrie.
He said: 'Musically, rhythmically, I initially couldn't quite get a hold of it.'
Finding Neverland also stars Julie Christie and Dustin Hoffman.
From Reuters
Depp and Winslet Attend UK 'Neverland' PremiereSun Oct 17, 2004 06:59 PM ET (Photos are on the Neverland Pages starting HERE
LONDON (Reuters) - Throngs of screaming girls braved a chilly London night to get a glimpse of U.S. actor Johnny Depp Sunday as he arrived at the UK premiere of the film "Finding Neverland."Depp was greeted by hundreds of squealing young women, some crying, as they clamored for an autograph of the Hollywood heart-throb at Leicester Square in central London.
The 41-year-old star, who has been tipped to win an Oscar for his role as Peter Pan author JM Barrie, obliged and took his time greeting fans as he strolled slowly along the red carpet.
Depp attended the premiere along with co-star Kate Winslet, who plays the mother of the boy who gave Barrie the inspiration for the classic tale.
The British actress said she couldn't have played the role of Sylvia Llewelyn Davies if she wasn't a mother herself.
"It just changes how you are physically and it made a huge difference in playing this part," she told Sky News.
The film, which also stars Julie Christie and Dustin Hoffman, will be released in Britain on Oct. 29.
The Calcutta Telegraph
Sabya speak
SABYASACHI MUKHERJEE’S TIPS ON AVOIDING FASHION-VICTIM STATUS
EVERYONE SHOULD STAND IN FRONT OF THE MIRROR AND TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT THEMSELVES. LOOK HARD, SEE THE PROS AND CONS. KNOWING YOUR BODY GIVES YOU AN INNER CONFIDENCE THAT HELPS DISCOVER A PERSONAL LOOK.
Clockwise from far left: Audrey Hepburn, Johnny Depp, Madonna, Indira Gandhi, Alokananda Roy and Suchitra MitraStyle as soul search
Style is not about the clothes you wear. A stylish woman is someone who is absolutely comfortable with who she is. She is original. That can only come from being honest with yourself. While you can cultivate a sense of fashion, style is something you are born with. You can hone it, give it a nudge here or there to bring out the best, but you can’t fake it. It is not about being “with it”, it is identifying what works for you.
Everyone should stand in front of the mirror and take a good look at themselves. Look hard, see the pros and cons. Knowing your body gives you an inner confidence that helps discover a personal look.
These are a few people who stand out in my mind because of their effortless style:
Madonna: She is the ultimate diva. She is living proof that if there is a will, there truly is a way. She was not born beautiful and she is a mediocre talent. She has made herself from scratch and has become an icon who started so many trends through the years. All new-generation pop stars — including the likes of Britney Spears — are wannabes in comparison.
Audrey Hepburn: She is stylish in an understated, utterly elegant way. She understood her limitations and her strengths. She never felt pressured by trends to become someone else.
Indira Gandhi: She personified less is more. Limitations of her job aside, she still managed to look powerful, dressing within the confines of her image. And Sonia Gandhi is following in her footsteps rather well.
Suchitra Mitra: I love her salt-and-pepper hair. I love her Bohemian attitude, which comes out in the way she sings, in her diction. I love the way she drives her little car around town. She is completely at ease in her tangail saris.
Alokananda Roy: Her flawless skin and hair — all messed up and piled on top of her head — are extremely stylish. She can carry a vintage bag with sneakers and not look out of place. Her sense of style is not borrowed. She has her own confidence.
Johnny Depp: He is the only man that makes the list because he is his own man, entirely. He has a rather eclectic way of dressing, as opposed to the carefully cultivated charm of Hollywood. He is the only man who can wear a satin shirt and drawstring pyjamas and Gucci loafers with unkempt hair and get away with it. He is a man whose clothes acutely reflect his razor-sharp mind.
Some tips to avoid the fashion-victim trap: It is better to be a late follower of fashion rather than a fashion victim. Look at trends, only take what you are comfortable with, what you identify with. How you are wearing what you are wearing is most important.
A stylish woman is someone who doesn’t have to try very hard. The moment you are trapped in an image, you are no longer stylish. Which is why Madonna scores so high, she can constantly reinvent herself. She breaks an image and evolves.
Style is about not playing safe. It is a five-foot-tall woman who can wear flats to a ballroom party and carry it off with elan. Women go wrong when they blindly follow fashion without understanding the limitations of their own bodies and surroundings. You should look different, but also blend in. Women who look conspicuous are fashion victims. Someone who keeps pulling up a neckline and pulling down a hemline is glaringly self-conscious.
From winktv.com
LONDON (AP) _ Johnny Depp reckons he's no great movie pinup _ he just has a "weird job." Arriving Sunday for the premiere of his latest movie, "Finding Neverland," at London's Leicester Square, Depp played down his movie-star image as fans lining the red carpet screamed his name. "I wouldn't say I'm a heartthrob," he said, as his companion, French singer and actress Vanessa Paradis, looked on. "I just have a very weird job."
From the News Herald
Oct 17, 6:39 PM EDTJohnny Depp Says He's No Heartthrob
LONDON (AP) -- Johnny Depp reckons he's no great movie pinup - he just has a "weird job." Arriving Sunday for the premiere of his latest movie, "Finding Neverland," at London's Leicester Square, Depp played down his movie-star image as fans lining the red carpet screamed his name.
"I wouldn't say I'm a heartthrob," he said, as his companion, French singer and actress Vanessa Paradis, looked on. "I just have a very weird job."
Depp has been touted to win his first Oscar for his role as "Peter Pan" creator J.M. Barrie, but the 41-year-old actor dismissed such talk.
"I can't say that occupies my every thought or every moment," he said. "That's not my job to think about that, but if people want to say that, that is really sweet."
Co-star Kate Winslet, who plays the mother of the four young brothers who inspired Barrie to write "Peter Pan," also gave a knock to Depp's reputation as a movie hunk.
"Everybody asks me this, whether I'm slightly annoyed that I didn't get to kiss Johnny Depp," said Winslet, 29. "We would have laughed."
From This Is London
Stars attend Peter Pan premiere
17 October 2004Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet are to attend the London premiere of a movie about Peter Pan author JM Barrie.
Finding Neverland sees Depp as the author while Winslet plays Sylvia Llewelyn Davies, whose young sons gave Barrie the inspiration for the classic.
The event at the Odeon Leicester Square aims to raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity.
From the BBC
Depp and Winslet launch NeverlandJohnny Depp
Depp says he struggled with the Scottish accent
Actors Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet are expected to attend the premiere of Finding Neverland in London on Sunday.The film tells the story of Peter Pan author JM Barrie, played by Depp, and the inspiration for his famous tale.
Proceeds from the premiere, being held at Leicester Square, will go to the Great Ormond Street Hospital, which treats sick children.
Winslet plays Sylvia Llewelyn Davies, a mother whose young sons inspired Barrie to write the classic.
Tipped
Barrie, who never had children of his own, met the boys in London's Kensington Gardens.
I don't think I could have played Sylvia if I wasn't a mother
Kate Winslet
US critics had tipped Depp to win an Oscar nomination for his performance as the Scottish writer.Depp has admitted he had trouble with the Scottish accent required for the role.
"Musically, rhythmically, I initially couldn't quite get a hold of it.
"Luckily, I found this dialect coach who helped me out a great deal."
Winslet has said that being the mother of two young children helped her with the part.
"I don't think I could have played Sylvia if I wasn't a mother," she said.
"There is something about the physicality of being a parent that you don't know about until you become one."
The film also stars screen legends Julie Christie and Dustin Hoffman.
The movie has been accused of playing down the ambiguous nature of Barrie's obsession with children.
Some descendants of the Llewelyn Davies family are also said to have expressed some disappointment that the film does not "stick to the facts".
But film studio Miramax has the production was meant to be a fictional retelling rather than a biopic.
The film is released in the UK on 29 October.
From the Irish ExaminerWinslet and Depp turn out for Barrie biopic
Hollywood stars Kate Winslet and Johnny Depp will tonight attend the premiere of Finding Neverland, the movie about the life of Peter Pan author JM Barrie.
American heart-throb Depp, 41, plays the Scottish author in the Hollywood blockbuster.
British actress Winslet, 29, plays Sylvia Llewelyn Davies, a mother whose young sons gave Barrie the inspiration for the classic.
Finding Neverland, which also stars Julie Christie and Dustin Hoffman, tells the story of how Barrie, a jobbing writer in London, created Peter Pan, or The Boy who Wouldn’t Grow Up.
Barrie, who never had children of his own, met the boys in London’s Kensington Gardens and became their playmate.
American critics have touted Depp, who lives with French singer Vanessa Paradis and their two young children, for his first Oscar for performance in the film.
But the Pirates of the Caribbean star has said he struggled at first to develop a Scottish accent for the part, saying: “Musically, rhythmically, I initially couldn’t quite get a hold of it.
“Luckily, I found this dialect coach who helped me out a great deal.”
Winslet, now married to film director Sam Mendes, has told how having two children of her own helped her with the role.
“I don’t think I could have played Sylvia if I wasn’t a mother,” she said.
“There is something about the physicality of being a parent that you don’t know about until you become one.”
A 12-year-old British actor Freddie Highmore plays Peter Llewelyn Davies, one of the boys.
The movie has been accused of playing down the ambiguous nature of Barrie’s obsession with children.
Some descendants of the Llewelyn Davies family are also said to have expressed some disappointment for not “sticking to the facts”.
But Miramax says the production is meant to be a fictional retelling rather than a biopic.
Tonight’s premiere takes place on the centennial year of the creation of Peter Pan, which was first performed as a play in 1904 at the Duke of York’s Theatre, London.
The event at the Odeon Leicester Square aims to raise thousands of pounds for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity.
Barrie donated the lucrative rights to Peter Pan to the hospital before his death in 1937.
Finding Neverland is released on October 29.
From The Heartland
Heartland Film Festival
Heartland's big hitters
Upcoming major pictures highlight this year's festival scheduleBy Bonnie Britton
bonnie.britton@indystar.com
October 17, 2004This may be remembered as the year Heartland Film Festival went to the major leagues. And we're not talking baseball.
During this year's event, Thursday through Oct. 29, audiences will see "Because of Winn-Dixie," "Dear Frankie," "Les Choristes" and "Finding Neverland" -- all major motion pictures -- weeks or months before their national release dates.
That's a coup, and a first for the nonprofit festival, which was established in 1991 and, according to its statement of purpose, honors "filmmakers whose work explores the human journey by artistically expressing hope and respect for the positive values of life."
Twenty-one 2004 Crystal Heart Award winners, including "Dear Frankie" and "Les Choristes," and one past winner ("Hardwood Dreams") will be shown and honored at various venues. There also will be an awards gala, filmmakers' brunch, a sing-along "Mary Poppins" with Academy Award-winning songwriter Richard M. Sherman, an educational seminar, a Truly Moving Musicals sidebar, and opening ("Winn-Dixie") and closing ("Neverland") films.
Even with all of these offerings, the significance of having several movies with distributors and release dates isn't lost on Heartland president and co-founder Jeffrey Sparks.
"Think about 'The Emperor's Club' (starring Kevin Kline) from two years ago. We were one of two or three festivals that got the filmmaker. But there were 20 festivals that had 'The Emperor's Club.' "
According to Sparks, few Crystal Heart Award winners have made it beyond the festival circuit to theatrical releases. Many have gone straight to VHS or DVD, and in some cases to television. Some didn't make it that far. But over the last 12 festivals, the quality of these films has increased, along with Heartland's visibility in Hollywood.
To get to this level, Sparks has knocked on a lot of doors, and filmmakers have spread the word that Heartland is a festival that nurtures them. Walt Disney Studios gave Heartland early support and has continued a relationship with the festival.
Greater efforts have been made in the past couple of years to give Heartland a higher profile in the trade press. One result of more aggressive marketing has been a sharp increase in the number of entries -- up about 200 this year from last year. Even sponsorship and volunteer support have grown.
Next week, Sparks will announce a new partnership that is expected to increase attendance, which reached about 15,000 in 2003, and give Heartland more clout.
"As I've told many people, we'll look back and this will be the banner year Heartland took the step into the next level."
Still, getting this year's high-profile films took some work.
In June, Sparks went to New York to talk to representatives of "Because of Winn-Dixie" distributor Twentieth Century Fox. He had an extra day there and was able to meet with Miramax representatives, including Julie Fontaine, the company's vice president of publicity.
"We went out for breakfast, and they started talking about the great things they'd heard about Heartland and how they might have some movies. They submitted more than we chose," Sparks says.
Fontaine says she formerly worked for Cowboy Pictures. One of its films, "The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Expedition," received Heartland's Award of Excellence. "Since then, I've been following the kinds of films they're programming. I really loved the idea of a festival that caters to family-friendly films. I always wanted to go back and connect with them again. They're doing great stuff."
"Finding Neverland," one of the films offered by Miramax, was not entered into competition, but the company inquired about the Award of Excellence label that Heartland bestows on feature films its jury deems Truly Moving Pictures. The movie stars Johnny Depp as J.M. Barrie, the author who created Peter Pan.
After a hush-hush Indianapolis screening, there was no question among Heartland's jury: It had to be the closing-night film. But it lacked a sponsor.
"Laura George, Margot Eccles and Paul Kite went together and said, 'We'll sponsor it. We need to do this movie,'" says Sparks. "I called Miramax and said we'd like it to be our closing-night film."
The response wasn't an immediate yes. But Heartland made the cut.
Interest in the movie is high, in part because trailers already are showing in theaters, and several magazine articles have been written about the film, which is rated PG. Also, after his Oscar-nominated performance in Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean," Depp is hot again.
Heartland is one of just a few festivals, including the Venice Film Festival, where "Neverland" will be shown before opening nationwide Nov. 24. Heartland's Oct. 29 screening at the IMAX Theater is sold out.
"Are we going to get somebody in from the film? It's probably not likely, but that's OK," says Sparks.
But actors anf filmmakers from other movies will be in town.
In fact, Jeff Daniels and director Wayne Wang are coming in to support "Because of Winn-Dixie," which is based on the best-selling book by Kate DiCamillo (confirmed as a guest). Opening nationwide Feb. 18, the movie is about a girl named Opal (played by Annasophia Robb, also attending the festival) who adopts a dog she finds at a Winn-Dixie supermarket; Daniels plays her preacher father. The dog helps her make friends in her new town, brings the townspeople together, and aids in healing her troubled relationship with her father.
Heartland has arranged a free showing before the official sold-out, opening-night screening through the Indiana Youth Institute for underprivileged youths, and other groups serving youths.
"Dear Frankie," from Miramax, and a Crystal Heart Award winner, has been claiming awards at festivals all over the world. The movie, starring Emily Mortimer and Gerard Butler, is a tender story of a mother who tries to protect her deaf son from the harsh truth about his father. It opens March 4.
"Les Choristes," about a kind and talented teacher who achieves discipline and influences lives at a French boarding school where he puts together an angelic choir, was recently submitted as France's entry in the foreign-film category of the Academy Awards. The Miramax film is scheduled for wide release Jan. 28.
Winning filmmakers will be honored at Saturday's gala at Conseco Fieldhouse. They will receive $100,000 in prize money. A $50,000 grand prize will be given to one feature film, with smaller awards going to the other winners. (Award money comes from the Mel Simon Charitable Trust. Foundations, individuals and companies fund the festival.)
As for the other films in the festival: There isn't a loser among them.
Johnny Depp stars in "Finding Neverland," which will close this year's Heartland Film Festival on Oct. 29 at the IMAX. The showing is sold out.
Many of you have emailed asking us to start an Oh Johnny! forum. While that's not going to happen in the forseeable future, I would like to reccomend DEPPOGRAPHY FORUM to you. Why Deppography? Well, they made me an honorary "goddess" there. How can I not reccomend them? They're also a lot of really nice people running the forum, plus some very lovely people posting. So give it a try.
From ComingSoon
Ed Wood - Special Edition Reviewed by: Scott Chitwood - he says a MUST for Johnny fans. I agree.
Found in the Irish Examiner
Depp doesn't watch his moviesScreen icon Johnny Depp hates watching his own movies.
The Edward Scissorhands actor prefers to keep his memories of working on a movie pure and untarnished by the final product.
The 41-year-old says: "I don't watch most of my films. I always figured that once my job is done then anything beyond that is none of my business.
"So if I can avoid seeing the final product I will, because then all I have in my head is the experience, and I feel very good about the experience.
Found and typed by Karla-Bear
The Oct 22 EW in my hands, and Johnny is one of the 75 Actors who "Rocked Showbiz". No picture.
Johnny Depp, Actor, Writer, Producer
Age, 41
After 20 years of mincing and Methodizing in the margins, this was the year that Depp's career or quirky gambles finally hit the jackpot. Aside from being very lucrative for both Disney and himself (Hello, sequel money!), POTC: TCBP gave Depp his fist Oscar nod (and Finding Neverland looks like a good bet for a second), as well as the juice to launch Infinitum Nihil, his very own production company -- a future hotbed, we're sure, of quirk.
From the Mirror
SUNDAY: PANNING OUTJohnny Depp, Kate Winslet, Kelly McDonald and Freddie Highmore are among guests expected to attend the premiere of Finding Neverland at The Odeon, Leicester Square. The story tells how JM Barrie came to create Peter Pan after bonding with four fatherless kids next door.
From the Cumberland News
SEE JOHNNY DEPP’S ‘PIRATES’ WAISTCOAT
Published on 15/10/2004JOHNNY Depp’s waistcoat from Pirates of the Caribbean and a dress worn by Nicole Kidman in Portrait of a Lady are just two of the famous movie outfits to be seen at a Dumfries museum until the end of the month.
Shambellie House Museum of Costume, at New Abbey, near Dumfries, is holding a “behind the scenes” exhibition of eye-catching outfits from the wardrobe of Cosprop, one of the world’s leading film, theatre and television costumiers.
Visitors will be able to see costumes from well-known films, including an embroidered robe worn by Ben Kingsley in Thunderbirds, Liv Tyler’s costume from Onegin and Meryl Streep’s dress from Out of Africa. Also on display will be outfits from television dramas, such as Rufus Sewell’s red coat from Charles II, The Power and the Passion.
Each piece shows the attention to detail and historical accuracy demanded by top-flight productions. Everything has to be right, from underwear to hats and jewellery to parasols. Period costumes are even “aged” to add to their authenticity.
Margaret Roberts, acting manager of Shambellie House, said: ‘This is an exhibition that will appeal to everyone – it is a fascinating glimpse of the sheer hard work that goes into creating accurate period costumes.
“Many of them were worn by celebrities who are household names, and this is a special insight into the effort which went into creating their on-screen characters.”
Shambellie House Museum of Costume is seven miles south of Dumfries on the A710 and is open daily.
For more information visit www.nms.ac.uk/costume/index.asp or call 01387 850375.
From the San Francisco Chronicle A drugged Johnny Depp gives hope (funny article)
Scanned by Patience from a UK insert "3 a.m." Click thumbnail to see full size - very large
From Pascalle
Attention UK Fans.
http://www.uci.co.uk/index.php?page=synopsis&id=9381
Theres a Charity screening on FN on at the UCI in London on the 29th.- follow the link and select your cinema which will be London Empire and then the other link to win 3 nights in Scotland will show.
News story about the 'hate mail' resonse by Johnny
From the Radio Times (UK) October 16 - 22 2004 edition sent in by Judith:
Who's hot and who's not
Dishing out advice on condiments to Hollywood's finest was the last thing Kevin Woodford(tv chef) expected to be doing on the set of his kids' show Planet Cook(CBBC). "We film at Pinewood next to Charlie and The Chocolate Factory." says Woodford "One day this American comes over and starts telling me how he lives in France and is addicted to walnut mustard and is there anywhere he can buy it in the UK, I politely told him I had no idea. Later someone said 'You do realise that was Johnny Depp, don't you?"
From Contact Music
October 13, 2004
DEPP DOESN'T WATCH HIS MOVIESJOHNNY DEPP
Screen icon JOHNNY DEPP hates watching his own movies.
The EDWARD SCISSORHANDS actor prefers to keep his memories of working on a movie pure and untarnished by the final product.
The 41-year-old says, "I don't watch most of my films. I always figured that once my job is done then anything beyond that is none of my business.
"So if I can avoid seeing the final product I will, because then all I have in my head is the experience, and I feel very good about the experience."
and from this page
DEPP: 'CHILDREN GIVE ME STRENGTH'
JOHNNY DEPP
Having children has changed heart-throb actor JOHNNY DEPP's outlook on life and given him more strength.
The PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL star has two children with his partner, French singer VANESSA PARADIS: LILY ROSE, five, and JACK, two.
He says, "I would say that kiddies give you strength and perspective. There are things that would have made me upset or angry before, but now I can just go, 'Oh, p**s off. I'm going to play Barbies with my daughter!'"
An international Sex Survey shows Brad Pitt and Johnny Depp would have little trouble being admitted to the bedrooms of most women.
Related news: Possible law suit against Disney about Peter Pan - full article HERE
From Reuters
Johnny deals with critics by phone
Johnny Depp found a way of dealing with bad publicity after being quoted in a German magazine as calling the US an arrogant "puppy dog" nation.Depp was besieged with hate mail from patriotic Americans who were blasting him for being disloyal.
It didn't help that Depp was, and still is, living in France with wife Vanessa Paradis and their two kids and Americans were busy eating "freedom fries" because of the French resistance to the Iraq war.
Depp, who claims he was misquoted, went straight to the heart of the matter, personally phoning people who had penned the nasty letters to explain himself.
He claims they were all happy to believe his version of events.
From Contact Music
TOUCHING AUDIENCES MORE IMPORTANT TO DEPP THAN AWARDSJOHNNY DEPP
JOHNNY DEPP insists his movie performances are driven by the thrill of satisfying cinema audiences, not the possibility of winning major awards.
The 41-year-old actor deems creating a lasting magical memory for a child a far more worthwhile achievement than being awarded an OSCAR or other prestigious prizes.
He says, "Sure, I find (the Oscar speculation) touching, honestly, but awards are not as important to me as when I meet a ten-year-old kid who says, 'I love CAPTAIN JACK SPARROW.'
"They were really affected by this character and something away with them - that kid will have the memory in his head for a long time. That's real magic for me."
Found by Newbie
Revamped planned for People's Choice awardsEvent's relationship with Gallup dropped in favor of EW
By MICHAEL SCHNEIDERThe people have spoken -- and they have chosen to revamp the long-running People's Choice Awards.
Procter & Gamble has brought in a new production team for the kudofest and altered the award methodology for the first time in 31 years.CBS and P&G have dropped the show's relationship with the Gallup Organization in favor of a new partnership with Time Inc.'s Entertainment Weekly pub. In conjunction with new exec producer Carol Donovan ("GQ Men of the Year Awards"), nominees will be determined by a "Front Row Panel of over 6,000 entertainment enthusiasts" recruited by EW editors. The panel will vote on new categories, such as favorite onscreen chemistry, plus traditional picks like favorite male movie star.
Nominees will be announced on Oct. 26. After that, rather than a traditional Gallup-style poll, viewers can vote at PCAvote.com.
"We are creating a show that people will want to watch because they'll want to see how their votes pan out," said Donovan, who replaces longtime producer Walter Miller.
Eye will air "The 31st Annual People's Choice Awards" Jan. 9 at 9 p.m. While the People's Choice kudos are traditionally the first awards show of the year, this year's edition will miss that distinction by an hour; WB's first presentation of the "Critics' Choice Awards" starts at 8 p.m.
P&G fully sponsors the People's Choice Awards, which is a time buy on CBS. Bruce Gowers ("American Music Awards") will direct.
Yet more news about Shantaram from The Times of India'Shantaram' to get a Depp touch
CHIDANAND RAJGHATTATIMES NEWS NETWORK[ WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2004 12:07:06 AM ]
WASHINGTON: Shantaram will be hitting the silver screen soon. No, not that Shantaram – the great, late director of classics such as Dr Kotnis ki Amar Kahani and Do Ankhe Baara Haath .This is Shantaram: A Novel , a rollicking 944-page epic by Australian Gregory David Roberts that has debuted with a splash Down Under with ripples reaching all the way to Hol
