Trivia

Donated $2 million to the Great Ormond Street Hospital in London. He gave the gift as thanks for the treatment his daughter Lily-Rose received at the facility in March 2007 after contracting an E. Coli infection that caused kidney failure.

Made a voice message for seventeen-year-old British girl who has been in a coma for five months. Parents of the girl asked him to tape a voice message because he's the favorite actor of their daughter and they will play that message to her every day hoping she'll wake up. Depp was touched by the letter and he said that he'll do whatever he can to help. (March 25, 2008)

Once painted on a billboard featuring his 21 Jump Street (1987) character because he didn't like his picture or the message the billboard gave. He was stopped by a security guard who actually let him finish what he was doing when he realized it was Johnny's own face.

He was good friends with Hunter S. Thompson until his death. Depp helped to fulfill Thompson's last wish after the writer died. Thompson wanted his remains to be shot out of a 150 foot long canon.

Named beaches on his own island in Bahamas after his once-girlfriend Vanessa Paradis, his children and public figures like Hunter S. Thompson and Marlon Brando. There is also a patch of water named "Heath's Place" after Heath Ledger.

Suffers from near-sightedness since birth, and is nearly blind in his left eye. He claims that the condition cannot be corrected by surgery.

Donated his salary earned for The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009) to the daughter of the late Heath Ledger, who passed away in the middle of filming. Jude Law and Colin Farrell did the same thing after Depp gave that idea.

Great admirer of Marlon Brando. He was also good friends with the legendary actor, who described Depp as one of the greatest actors of his generation.

Nicolas Cage got him his first acting job.

Closed down the "Viper Room" for two weeks after River Phoenix died there and he also closed it on every 31 October until 2004 (when he sold his share of the club), which was the date of Phoenix's death.

Based the character of Captain Jack Sparrow on rock legend Keith Richards and the Looney Tunes character, Pepe Le Pew.

Learned French to be able to converse with Vanessa Paradis' parents.

Dropped out of high school at age 16 to pursue a career as a musician.

Depp has said that he wears two silver skull rings to remind him that life is short and every moment needs to be lived to the fullest.

Adopted Goldeneye, the one-eyed Andalusian horse who played Gunpowder, Ichabod Crane's steed in Sleepy Hollow (1999), thereby saving him from the glue factory.

As a child, he was allergic to chocolate.

Will not allow paparazzi to take photos of his children because he feels they didn't ask for the celebrity attention.

Is a godfather of Tim Burton's children Nell and Billy Burton with former partner Helena Bonham Carter.

Dated Vanessa Paradis from May 1998 to June 2012.

Sports his son's nickname, Jack, tattooed on his arm and a beaded bracelet made by his daughter Lily Rose.

Shot all of his scenes in nine days for Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003), but after his filming was done he didn't want to leave. So he suggested to Robert Rodriguez that he play a small part, the priest that Antonio Banderas talks to in the church, and use his Marlon Brando impression.

Turned down the role of Bruce Banner in Hulk (2003).

Arrested for trashing a New York hotel room, Depp claimed that an armadillo was responsible, saying that he had found the animal hidden in a closet and it had gone crazy, wrecking the hotel room before leaping out the window. (1994)

As a teen, he and his punk rock/New Wave band "The Kids" opened for Iggy Pop, Duran Duran, and The B-52's, among others.

His ownership of the Viper room ended in 2004 when he signed it over to Amanda Fox, the daughter of his missing partner in the club, Anthony Fox.

His performance as Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) was ranked at #79 by Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Performances of All Time.

He was considered for Dr. Ian Malcolm in Jurassic Park (1993).

Is a fan of the popular British series Midsomer Murders (1997). He also stated that he would like to make a guest appearance in this long-running show.

Is hugely interested in Jack the Ripper. He starred in From Hell (2001), which was about Jolly Jack.

Originally cast as John Smith in Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005), but turned it down after being overworked with other movies he was shooting.

Wrote the foreword to Mark Salisbury's biography of Tim Burton, "Burton on Burton." He credits Burton's belief in him for rescuing him from being "a loser, an outcast, just another piece of expendable Hollywood meat."

As of 2011, his favorite characters played are Jack Sparrow, Edward Scissorhands and Ed Wood.

Depp's family has lived in Kentucky for many generations and many of his ancestors have lived in the United States, in general, since the 1600s. His ancestry includes English as well as Irish, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, Scottish, Welsh, French/French-Canadian, Dutch, Belgian Flemish, and German. In 2013, researchers for Ancestry.com established that Depp has remote African ancestry; they traced his lineage to Elizabeth Key, a biracial woman, born c. 1630, who was the first woman of African ancestry to successfully sue to emancipate herself from slavery in the North American colonies (she emancipated her son as well). Depp has frequently stated that he believes that he has Cherokee or Creek heritage, although this ancestry has never been verified by any tribe or genealogists. Asked the origin of his last name by James Lipton on Inside the Actors Studio, Depp stated, perhaps jokingly, that his name means "idiot" in German.

While dining at Chicago's famous Gibsons Bar and Steakhouse with a group of friends, including Public Enemies (2009) co-star Marion Cotillard and director Michael Mann, Depp dropped a mammoth tip in the amount of $4,000 on a bill for $4,400, in effect, leaving an incredible 90% gratuity. The party of 15 were celebrating a red carpet screening of Depp's then latest release Public Enemies (2009). (June 2009)

Has been described as the "jester of cinema, the Method clown." His incredibly bizarre on-screen persona brings to mind the off-screen behavior of the late Marlon Brando, who was famously eccentric and quirky once he retired from acting.

He was considered for Christian Slater's roles in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991) and Mobsters (1991).

He wanted some of his teeth to be gold-capped for Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) but thought the producers would never agree. He found a dentist and had lots more capped than he wanted. Disney boss Michael Eisner like them but thought there were way too many and told Depp to remove all but a few.

Was considered one of the top three actors of his generation by Dustin Hoffman, his co-star in Finding Neverland (2004).

Has 2 children: daughter, Lily-Rose Depp (b. May 27, 1999) & son, Jack Depp (b. April 9, 2002) with ex-girlfriend, Vanessa Paradis.

Has twice recorded with British band Oasis. Most notably, he plays lead slide guitar on the track "Fade In-Out", from the 1997 album Be Here Now. Noel Gallagher, Oasis's lead guitarist, was allegedly too drunk to perform it himself, so celebrity pal Depp stepped in and nailed the lead on one take.

Had a nightclub named after him in Tartu, Estonia. The nightclub was called "Who wouldn't like Johnny Depp?".

Is good friends with actress Helena Bonham Carter, partner of his best friend Tim Burton.

He has made six films with Helena Bonham Carter: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), Corpse Bride (2005), Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007), Alice in Wonderland (2010), Dark Shadows (2012) and The Lone Ranger (2013).

He is the youngest of four children.

Has expressed interest in getting French, British or Australian citizenship when he retires from an active movie career.

A movie buff with a somewhat encyclopedic knowledge of older films, he admits he watches few movies anymore, other than the children's films that his "kiddies" prefer. He also enjoys most of them.

Considers renting a silent movie theater for a date with Vanessa Paradis as the most romantic gesture he's ever done for a date.

Although unable to attend, he was awarded the Gary Cooper Spirit of Montana Award at the 2005 HatcH audiovisual festival in Bozeman, Montana. HatcH honored Depp for his outstanding career and his role as a mentor and inspiration to young and aspiring artists.

He has appeared in three films that have been nominated for the Best Picture Oscar: Platoon (1986), Chocolate (2000) and Finding Neverland (2004). Platoon won in the category.

Resides in France, Los Angeles, and an island he owns in the Bahamas. Divides his time in France between Meudon, a suburb of Paris and a villa in Plan-de-la-Tour, an hour outside of St Tropez in Southern France.