10 Actors Who Perfected Roles YEARS Before The Movie

When discussing Johnny Depp's most iconic and unforgettable performances, it is impossible to ignore his turn as drug-addled journalist Raoul Duke in Terry Gilliam's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

Duke is of course based on the author of the source novel himself, Hunter S. Thompson, and in order to prepare for the role, Depp spent four months living in the basement of Thompson's home, studying his mannerisms, reading his journals, and even wearing his clothes.

But Depp's work for the part actually began several years prior when he first met Thompson at a December 1994 party.

After getting acquainted, the two went back to Thompson's house and built a bomb out of propane tanks and nitroglycerin, which Depp then exploded with a 12-gauge shotgun.

Depp called the pair "inseparable" after this introduction, resulting in Thompson becoming convinced that nobody but Depp could play him on screen.

And so, from that very first meeting, Depp was preparing himself to play one of the most distinctive roles of his decorated career.