Who He Is in the Movie: The Improv-Friendly, Robust Hero Who He Is in Real Life: Your Alcoholic Best Friend Who Finds Their Alcoholism Endearingly Appropriate You know that friend who only admits their problem when it's "funny?" The people who say, "Oh, my gosh, I'm such an alcoholic!" before they swig down another shot and laugh as they try to slide in "Hit me with another" in the next three minutes when you're mid-story? That's not too far from Sparrow, only add in the factor that this drunkard is always right and gets what they want through a series of strange predicaments. We're able to laugh and distance ourselves from Jack Sparrow's alcoholism because it helps add to the likableness of the character. Honestly, would Sparrow be as interesting if he weren't always just a bit lolly? It's never played up in a serious fashion, and comes off more like an Irish stereotype than anything worth being concerned over. If you'll notice in the Pirates movies, Sparrow's popularity doesn't exactly ride on his personality as much as his legacy for being able to...not die a lot. All the other characters are pretty adamant on their distaste for his inclusion into groups unless absolutely necessary, because Jack's unpredictable, disloyal, and always hammered. Can we really blame them? When I'm picking a dodgeball team and my choices lie between anyone that can dodge a ball and a sword-fighting Nicolas Cage from Leaving Las Vegas, I'm going to pick-- Okay, if my options were anyone that can dodge a ball and someone who is constantly drunk, I'm most likely going to pick the less inebriated fellow. Who are some movie characters you love, but know you would hate in real life?