10 Movies That Hired Famous Actors Solely To Kill Them Off
2. Johnny Depp - 21 Jump Street
Since 21 Jump Street was the show that made Johnny Depp a star, there was naturally a lot of buzz about the idea of him making a cameo in the film. The producers refused to confirm or deny, leaving it up to audiences to discover for themselves.
It turns out he did, and it’s easily the best thing he’s done in years. He plays the grown-up version of his TV show character, who is undercover with a gang of bikers. Our bumbling heroes spoil his operation, so he’s forced to reveal himself after years of hard work. Depp is clearly having a ball turning his clean-cut hero into a foul-mouthed jerk.
It’s also an open secret Depp hated working on the show, finding the premise and storylines dumb. When he left he wanted to be killed off, but the producers refused. His one request for the cameo was to die horribly, so his character is riddled with bullets when the villains gain the upper hand, and his death is both funny and weirdly touching at the same time.