ME A MOVIE STAR? NEVER
Translated by Jes

Johnny Depp is now to be seen in the horror tale Sleepy Hollow, but...

To the outsider it doesn't look like Johnny Depp changed much. He still looks really good and he's still a person who does his own thing and surprises with his strange movies time after time. But with the arrival of his daughter the life of Johnny has changed a great deal. Instead of trashing a hotel room once in a while, he now loves to change diapers a lot more...

IN SLEEPY HOLLOW WE CAN SEE YOU, AN AMERICAN, SPEAK WITH A PERFECT ENGLISH ACCENT. DIFFICULT?
Most of all, funny. It's nice to play a character that isn't that close to yourself. That makes acting interesting. It was something I had never done before, but I did have certain ideas about my part. I knew how the voice of my character, Ichabod, should sound. I think the producers didn't want an English accent at all, but I thought it was necessary though.

SPEAKING ABOUT ENGLISH, YOU'R BECOMING MORE AND MORE A EUROPEAN, RIGHT?
Yes, Europe has always had an attraction for me. I mean, America is a very beautiful country, and a nice place to grow up. So now I have a house in France and one in LA.

WHAT'S THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MOVIESTAR IN EUROPE OR IN HOLLYWOOD?
Well, in Hollywood I'm being chased everywhere. Nine out of ten times when I'm drinking coffee with my girlfriend, some guy pops up with an enormous zoom lense. But when I go to a restaurant in Europe, or with my friends to a bar, we talk about the normal every-day things that keep us busy. And not about movies. But when I, for instance, go to LA for a quick visit, I'm on the plane for 11 hours. So when I arrive, I want to eat something. So first we go to a restaurant. Then, within 45 minutes there will be at least two people around me with a script, who want to talk about business. And I don't thing it's good to be busy with movies all the time, 365 days a year.

WHERE DO YOU WANT YOUR DAUGHTER TO GROW UP?
At this moment, I prefer Europe.

HAS SHE CHANGED YOUR LIFE?
I can say that she is the best thing that has ever happened to me. It's a real miracle. She gave me life and clarity.

HOW DO YOU LIKE CHANGING DIAPERS?
It's great! Yes, I think it's nice. It's great to wake up in the morning and see that little smile. I can't explain how happy she makes me. I see it like this: before May 27 1999 I was alive and happy for most of the time, but I don't think I ever really smiled until Lily-Rose was born. I'm also a real cliché father. The kind of father that has pictures with him and all that. And I have taped everything with a camcorder. She will probably call me names for that later, like: 'Dad, why did you have to tape that?'

YOU HAVE BEEN PRAISED AS AN ACTOR A LOT OF TIMES. HOW COME YOU NEVER TAKE ON TOO BIG COMMERCIAL SUCCESSES?
Look, I really don't mind when the movie is a success. But what I do hate is to make a movie, for only that reason. That you think that it will be a great success and that you, therefore, accept the part. Look, none of us are here forever. There will be a day when my time has come, but I really like to leave something good behind. Something that is a bit different as well, so that my kids and their kids will hopefully be proud of it. I have been doing this kind of work for a long time now, sometimes it amazes me that I still get movie parts offered to me. I have always gotten a lot of support from the people that watch my movies. I almost feel obligated to choose something different every time and most of all something strange.

WHEN DID YOU FIRST FEEL LIKE A MOVIE STAR?
I don't. I have never had that feeling. I have never felt like a movie star and I hope it never happens. No, really. When you feel like a moviestar, I think it's over for you.