9 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Johnny Depp
1. Disney Nearly Fired Him
Pirates of the Caribbean has been a major feather in Disney's cap over the last decade. The series has brought in massive revenue for the company and has essentially re-ignited the popularity of the ride the films are based on.
However, things could've been very different if the Disney executives had swung their axe when they so desperately wanted to. It appears that the bigwigs wanted a stereotypical portrayal of a pirate for their big budget epic - think Long John Silver or even Geoffrey Rush's performance as Hector Barbossa opposite Depp.
Disney couldn't understand what Depp was doing with the character of Captain Jack Sparrow and were very confused when he performed with a pseudo-British accent. Depp tried to allay the studio's fears by claiming he was emulating ageing rocker Keith Richards.
He was offered the chance to prove himself and he delivered a performance that is now utterly iconic. The money Disney have spun off the back of the fictional pirate is beyond staggering and it's all thanks to Depp's decision to blend Pepe le Pew, Keith Richards and his own utterly bizarre personality into Jack Sparrow.