Interview by Christophe d'Yvoire
Translation by Corinne

Instead of cultivating a teenage leading man image, he owes to the series "21 Jump street", he'd prefer shooting with "The Time of the Gypsies" director. We met the "Arizona dream" hero, a rebel with a pure heart.

When you look at him, what may seem provisory seems eternal and fragility seems solid. The 28 years old Johnny Depp kept intact this teenage allure and from his face emanates an absolute innocence. The one that belongs to great romantics and rebels pure hearted. After a cameo in "Platoon", in 1987, Johnny Depp became all of a sudden the idol of the teenage Americans thanks to the "21 Jump Street" series (at this time he used to get up to 20,000 letters a day from fans ! Five years later, he changed the way of this golden destiny and after voluntary smashing down his image against John Waters' reefs ("Cry Baby"), he has build step by step his own universe as voluntary and unique as "Arizona Dream" shows us and of which he is one of the heroes. The one who once dreamed about becoming a rock guitarist, the one who in response to the American press harassment on his personal life tattooed a provocative "Winona forever" on his shoulder (Winona Ryder is his girlfriend) has turned today into one of the leaders of this young American actors generation on which Hollywood ostentation seems to have no hold over. When he arrived for the interview, he asked us the permission to play a tape he brought with him : a kind of heavy guitar music hold back by a massive rhythmic section. Turn the music on ...

Studio : When we look back at your three last movies, John Waters "Cry Baby", Tim Burton "Edward Scissorhands" and the upcoming "Arizona dream", it gives us a wide range of different genres...
Johnny Depp : I waited quite a lot between every film because I only fall for scripts that move me deep inside. It's true at first, these three movies may seem absolutely different but they do have something in common : a "sentimental link". They happen to be three movies I deeply wanted to play in. It's true too that John Waters, Tim Burton and Emir Kusturica have very different personalities but the three of them love extremes, they do not fear the risks. They also share a common kind of inner peace which happen to disturb you when it has to and you can feel it through their movies. A subtle scene by Emir or Tim can, without excepting, move the audience deeply. John, in a let's say more obvious way, has also his own way to provoke this kind of effect on the audience.

"With the "21 Jump street" series, they gave a wrong
image of who I really was. That created a big
confusion."

Studio : Working with Emir Kusturica turns to be your first steps with an European director...
JD : Yes, and I'm so damn lucky. Emir is someone so special. He is so clever and so complicate at the same time, he has this so natural behavior, very human you know. When you meet someone like him and you work with, the process which happens to be very difficult at the beginning is that at the end of it you become part of a genuine family. Emir and I get along pretty well. We met several times since the shooting ended and we plan to do another movie together. You find in him a truth and an honesty I admire more than anything else in the world.

Studio : Few years back, you knew a huge success on television due to your character in "21 Jump Street", let's say a direct opposite to the one you coveted in the movie industry. What was your reaction facing such a success ?
JD : It was such a weird experience. In "21 Jump street" I was playing a character I didn't like that much. But, hell, it was part of the job. The people that produced the series thought this character was a reflection of the real me and that created a great confusion. People when they met me, they really expected to meet the guy from the series they saw on TV.

Studio : Did you suffer from this situation ?
JD : Yes, in a way they tried to turn me into a commercial product which had nothing to do with me. While shooting "21 Jump Street", I was just doing my acting job and they tried to sell that as if it were my real image and all of the sudden I had to face the circumstances. I think it's really important for a young actor like me, to fight against these clichés, all these beliefs they want people to take for granted. That's the reason why I waited so long before playing in another movie. I started the shooting of "21 Jump Street" seasons in December 1986. Three months later, all the scripts I did received were so stupid and ridiculous that I couldn't make myself answer "yes" to any of them. I had to wait till 1989 before playing in "Cry Baby".

Studio : "Cry Baby" was your first movie role. How did John Waters choose you ?
JD : To tell the truth, I think he first offered me the part without thinking I would say "yes" for it was so obvious if I went for "Cry baby", my public image would suffer a lot from this choice. After reading the script, we talked a lot on the phone and suddenly I realized it was a great opportunity for me to break with this image the audience had of me and to mock it deliberately. So, I signed on - even though many people in my close circle didn't want me to - and I had no reason to regret it, it was a wonderful experience. Such a shame this movie didn't reach the success it did deserve. In fact, I think the studios didn't really understand John Waters' sense of humor. They thought it would please a teenage audience, on the contrary it happened to be a satire of the grown ups world.

"The problem with this job is either you are a whore
or either your are a pain in the ass."

Studio : How did you meet Tim Burton for your role in "Edward Scissorhands" ?
JD : Tim is really complex and the beginning was very difficult. It was so difficult to communicate with him, much more than communicating with Emir, and Emir comes from Yugoslavia ! With Tim I had to cope with a real linguistic handicap and he is from Burbank, California you know ! (Laughs). Tim speaks in a staccato style, without finishing his sentences. It was really embarrassing first. And then, step by step, it solved itself without me really knowing why : he just had to tell me two or three words, or to look at me in a certain way and I understood what he was excepting from me. We were connected.

Studio : Before playing in his movie, did you know him ?
JD : No, but I did love "Beetlejuice". The point is, I first met the movie producer and I realized they were interested in me for the part but also they had someone else in mind. And the fact is, few days later, they called me to tell me the studio preferred the other actor.

Studio : Who was he ?
JD : Tom Cruise... I was really disappointed to have to give up for from the moment I read the script I knew I had to play in it. At the same time I did truly understand that the studio wanted to put their money into a box office superstar. And then, a miracle happened, my agent called me a while after to tell me that finally they wanted me to play the part. Tom Cruise does interesting things, I do not have any criticize to give him, but I think the movie would have been totally different if he were in it...

Studio : Did you receive scripts very different after "Edward Scissorhands" ?
JD : Yes, it was obvious. The image they had of me because of "21 Jump Street", was already cut because of "Cry Baby" and this time I ruined it. (Laughs).

Studio : Do you have the feeling you belong to a certain type of actors ?
JD : I don't know and it's really something I don't care about. Some actors play in as many movies as they can play in, they get a lot of money and become famous. It's very good for them but this scheme doesn't suit me. Despite playing in a TV series for three years and liking it partly, I'd rather only do what I feel like doing. Believe me I don't say that to be snobbish, for you know it's a choice and it's not always the easiest one. Sometimes I say to myself "Look at you, you're 29, you are going to get a lot of money really quickly so you can retire peacefully !" and the day after I tell myself exactly the contrary : "Take your time, do what you really like to do and nothing else. Stay in as long you possibly can !" The problem with this job in fact is either you are a whore or you are a pain in the ass... (Laughs)

Studio : When did you first decide you wanted to be an actor ?
JD : By chance. I was a guitarist in a band back in 1983, we left from Miami where we were living for Los Angeles. Then, I became friend with Nicolas Cage. At this time, I sold pencils on the phone as the band didn't have any money. Nic introduced me to his agent who gave me some scripts to read and here I am.

Studio : Does this mean you initially wanted to be a musician ?
JD : Yes, but the band split while I was shooting my first movie... (Laughs) So I started to learn the acting job.

Studio : Do you sometimes regret this choice ?
JD : No, I surely miss music but as an actor I'm pretty successful and if I happen to come back to music they wouldn't mind labeling me "the actor who tries music" and I don't feel like being that.

Studio : When you were a kid, who were your favorite actors ?
JD : As a kid I remembered being into music most of the time. I started playing guitar when I was 12 and quickly dreamed about becoming a professional musician. At this time, the ones I admired, like all my friends did, were Aerosmith, Kiss, The Clash, Sex Pistols, Alice Cooper, Iggy Pop... I dreamed about rock'n roll, I didn't care very much for my studies and my parents parted when I was 15... Quite an usual childhood huh ! (Laughs)

Studio : Did you attend classes to be an actor ?
JD : I surely did, private ones and we worked with books... (Laughs) In fact I think you can sum up everything in one word : instinct.

Studio : Did you first like being an actor ?
JD : Not at all. My first movie was "A Nightmare on Elm Street". It was awful, I was scared to death. I couldn't move right in front of the camera, I couldn't follow the track, I couldn't stop at a precise place and say my lines. All this technical aspect did terrify me. In fact, I have to admit it, the real school in for acting was "21 Jump Street". During it I could train five days a week for months and months. Television gave me a sort of self assurance nothing could replace. Today, I feel no fear on a set, just pleasure. Especially when I happen to shoot with someone like Emir Kusturica, he gives his actors a freedom I never knew before. Some directors are so much into discussing every scene or details that they end killing any mystery or freedom about the movie. Emir, on the contrary, leaves you all the empty space you need. You go for it without thinking, we shoot and after seeing what it's like, either it works and it's good enough to keep it or else we do it again. I believe as an actor it's very important to surprise yourself.

Studio : You've been living in Hollywood for ten years now. How do you feel in the city ?
JD : I always feel like I'm not home. I always have this impression of temporary as if all of this was just a step. At the same time, it perfectly suits me : I'm not really ready to put my bag down somewhere. Talking about settling down, I'll see that later. (The tape Johnny put on at the beginning of the interview is still on : a kind of trash rock, the funny one). Do you like the music ?

Studio : Yes, not so bad. Who is it ?
JD : Lemonheads, freinds of mine. It's their first album. The name is "It's a shame about Ray".

Studio : Who is Ray ?
JD : You, me, anyone I think ...*

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