Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Johnny Depp
Discover the career path of Johnny Depp, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.
John Christopher Depp II is a highly successful American actor and musician, celebrated for his diverse roles and eccentric characters. He has won a Golden Globe Award and received multiple nominations for prestigious awards like the Academy Awards and British Academy Film Awards. Depp's films have collectively grossed over $8 billion globally, establishing him as a prominent and financially successful figure in Hollywood.
1935: Peter Lorre's Mad Love influenced Sweeney Todd role
In 1935, the movie Mad Love was released starring Peter Lorre. Depp cited Lorre's performance in Mad Love as his main influence for his role as Sweeney Todd in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
1984: Release of A Nightmare on Elm Street
In 1984, Johnny Depp starred in the critically and commercially successful film A Nightmare on Elm Street.
1990: Release of Edward Scissorhands
In 1990, Johnny Depp starred in the critically and commercially successful film Edward Scissorhands.
1993: Depp Co-owns The Viper Room
In 1993, Johnny Depp co-owned the nightclub The Viper Room in Los Angeles.
1993: Release of What's Eating Gilbert Grape
In 1993, Johnny Depp starred in the critically and commercially successful film What's Eating Gilbert Grape.
1994: Release of Ed Wood
In 1994, Johnny Depp starred in the critically and commercially successful film Ed Wood.
1997: Release of Donnie Brasco
In 1997, Johnny Depp starred in the critically and commercially successful film Donnie Brasco.
1999: Release of Sleepy Hollow
In 1999, Johnny Depp starred in the critically and commercially successful film Sleepy Hollow.
2000: Release of Chocolat
In 2000, Johnny Depp starred in the critically and commercially successful film Chocolat.
2000: The Man Who Cried, Before Night Falls and Chocolat Releases
In 2000, Johnny Depp's films included "The Man Who Cried", where he played a Roma horseman, "Before Night Falls", and "Chocolat", where he played a Roma man and love interest. While "The Man Who Cried" wasn't a success and "Before Night Falls" was critically acclaimed, "Chocolat" achieved both critical and commercial success.
2001: Blow and From Hell Releases
In 2001, Johnny Depp starred in "Blow" as George Jung, a cocaine smuggler, and in "From Hell" as inspector Frederick Abberline investigating the Jack the Ripper murders. "Blow" underperformed, while "From Hell" had mixed reviews but moderate commercial success.
2001: Filming of Blow
In 2001, Johnny Depp was involved in the filming of the movie Blow, which later led to allegations of verbal abuse from actress Lola Glaudini that she recalled in January 2024.
2003: Depp No Longer Owns The Viper Room
In 2003, Johnny Depp no longer owned The Viper Room in Los Angeles.
2003: Pirates of the Caribbean and Once Upon a Time in Mexico Releases
In 2003, Johnny Depp starred as Captain Jack Sparrow in "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl", receiving widespread acclaim and several award nominations. He also played a corrupt CIA agent in "Once Upon a Time in Mexico", which was moderately successful with praise for Depp's performance.
2003: Release of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
In 2003, Johnny Depp starred in the critically and commercially successful film Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.
2004: Depp Founds Infinitum Nihil
In 2004, Johnny Depp founded the film production company Infinitum Nihil to develop projects where he will serve as actor or producer. He serves as its CEO.
2004: Secret Window, The Libertine, Finding Neverland Releases and Foundation of Infinitum Nihil
In 2004, Johnny Depp starred in "Secret Window", "The Libertine", and "Finding Neverland", earning his second Academy Award nomination for "Finding Neverland". He also made a cameo in "Happily Ever After" and founded his film production company, Infinitum Nihil.
2004: Release of Finding Neverland
In 2004, Johnny Depp starred in the critically and commercially successful film Finding Neverland.
2005: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Corpse Bride Releases
In 2005, Johnny Depp starred in Tim Burton's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" as Willy Wonka, and voiced Victor Van Dort in Burton's stop-motion animation "Corpse Bride". "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" received positive reviews and earned Depp a Golden Globe nomination.
2005: Release of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
In 2005, Johnny Depp starred in the critically and commercially successful film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
2006: Dead Man's Chest Release
In 2006, Johnny Depp reprised his role as Jack Sparrow in "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest", a major box office success.
2007: At World's End Release
In 2007, Johnny Depp reprised the role of Jack Sparrow again in "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End", a major box office success. He also voiced Jack Sparrow in the video game "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Legend of Jack Sparrow".
2007: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Release
In 2007, Johnny Depp starred as Sweeney Todd in "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street", his sixth collaboration with Tim Burton. He prepared for the role by recording demos with Bruce Witkin. The film was commercially and critically successful, and Depp won a Golden Globe and received an Academy Award nomination for his performance.
2007: Release of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
In 2007, Johnny Depp starred in the critically and commercially successful film Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
2009: Public Enemies and The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus Releases
In 2009, Johnny Depp portrayed John Dillinger in "Public Enemies", which was commercially successful. He also starred in "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus", stepping in to play the character initially portrayed by Heath Ledger, who passed away before filming was completed. Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell donated their salaries to Ledger's daughter.
2009: Release of Public Enemies
In 2009, Johnny Depp starred in the critically and commercially successful film Public Enemies.
2010: Success of Alice in Wonderland
In 2010, Alice in Wonderland became the biggest commercial hit of Johnny Depp's career and one of the highest-grossing films in history at the time.
2010: Alice in Wonderland and The Tourist Releases
In 2010, Johnny Depp starred in Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland" as the Mad Hatter, which grossed over US$1 billion. He also starred in "The Tourist" opposite Angelina Jolie. Depp received Golden Globe nominations for both films.
2011: Rango, On Stranger Tides, and Hugo Releases and Infinitum Nihil Productions
In 2011, Johnny Depp voiced the title character in the animated film "Rango". He also starred in "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides", and released two projects co-produced by his company, Infinitum Nihil: "The Rum Diary" and Martin Scorsese's "Hugo".
2011: The Rum Diary and Hugo Released
In 2011, the first two film releases of Johnny Depp's production company, Infinitum Nihil, were "The Rum Diary" and "Hugo".
2012: Highest-Paid Actor in American Film Industry
In 2012, Johnny Depp became the highest-paid actor in the American film industry, earning as high as $75 million per film.
2012: Depp Performs With Marilyn Manson at Revolver Golden Gods Awards
In 2012, Johnny Depp performed with Marilyn Manson at the Revolver Golden Gods Awards.
2012: Highest-Paid Actor and Dark Shadows Release
In 2012, Johnny Depp was listed as the world's highest-paid actor by Guinness World Records. He also starred in and co-produced "Dark Shadows" with Tim Burton, based on the 1960s television soap opera.
2012: Highest-Paid Actor
In 2012, Johnny Depp was recognized as one of the world's biggest film stars and was listed by the Guinness World Records as the world's highest-paid actor, earning US$75 million in a year.
2012: Underperformance of Dark Shadows
In the 2010s, Johnny Depp's films were less successful, with many big-budget studio films such as Dark Shadows (2012) underperforming at the box office.
2013: House of Earth Published
In 2013, Johnny Depp and Douglas Brinkley edited folk singer Woody Guthrie's novel, "House of Earth", which was published.
2013: The Lone Ranger Release
In 2013, Johnny Depp starred as Tonto in "The Lone Ranger". The film was not well-received, causing Disney a US$190 million loss.
2013: Underperformance of The Lone Ranger
In 2013, Johnny Depp's film The Lone Ranger underperformed at the box office.
2014: Transcendence, Into the Woods and Tusk Releases
In 2014, Johnny Depp starred in "Transcendence", which was a commercial failure. He also had a supporting role in "Into the Woods" and appeared in "Tusk" as Guy LaPointe.
2014: Yoga Hosers, a sequel to Tusk, produced in 2014, was released in 2016
In 2014, the movie Tusk was produced. In 2016, the sequel to Tusk called Yoga Hosers was released, in which Johnny Depp appeared with his daughter, Lily-Rose Depp.
September 2015: Hollywood Vampires Release Debut Album and Make Live Debut
In September 2015, Johnny Depp's supergroup Hollywood Vampires released their self-titled debut studio album and made their live debut at The Roxy in Los Angeles.
2015: Mortdecai and Black Mass Releases, Dior Sauvage Campaign and Disney Legend Induction
In 2015, Johnny Depp starred in "Mortdecai", which was a critical and commercial failure, and "Black Mass", which was better received. He also became the face of Dior's Sauvage fragrance and was inducted as a Disney Legend.
2015: Release of Black Mass
In 2015, Johnny Depp starred in the critically and commercially successful film Black Mass.
March 2016: Severing Ties with The Management Group
In March 2016, Johnny Depp ended his association with his management company, The Management Group (TMG), preceding a lawsuit against them in January 2017.
November 2016: Joins Imprisoned for Art campaign
In November 2016, Johnny Depp joined the campaign Imprisoned for Art, advocating for the release of Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov from Russian custody.
2016: Yoga Hosers, Donald Trump's The Art of the Deal: The Movie, Alice Through the Looking Glass and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Releases
In 2016, Johnny Depp appeared in "Yoga Hosers", played Donald Trump in "Donald Trump's The Art of the Deal: The Movie", reprised his role as the Mad Hatter in "Alice Through the Looking Glass", and made a cameo in "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them".
2016: Hollywood Vampires embark on first world tour
In 2016, Johnny Depp's band Hollywood Vampires embarked on their first world tour.
2016: Underperformance of Alice Through the Looking Glass
In 2016, Johnny Depp's film Alice Through the Looking Glass underperformed at the box office.
2017: The Black Ghiandola, Dead Men Tell No Tales and Murder on the Orient Express Releases
In 2017, Johnny Depp appeared in the short film "The Black Ghiandola", reprised his role as Jack Sparrow in "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales", and was part of the ensemble cast in "Murder on the Orient Express".
September 2018: City of Lies Pulled From Release Schedule
In September 2018, the film "City of Lies", starring Johnny Depp as Russell Poole, was pulled from its release schedule after a crew member sued Depp for assault. The film is about an LAPD detective who attempts to solve the murders of Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G.
October 2018: Richard Says Goodbye Premieres at Zurich Film Festival
In October 2018, Johnny Depp's film "Richard Says Goodbye", where he plays a professor with terminal cancer, premiered at the Zurich Film Festival.
2018: Settlement with The Management Group
In 2018, Johnny Depp settled the lawsuit with his former management company, The Management Group (TMG).
2018: City of Lies originally scheduled for release
In 2018, Johnny Depp starred in "City of Lies" as Russell Poole. The film was originally scheduled for release in 2018, but was pulled after a crew member sued Depp for assault.
2018: Hollywood Vampires embark on second world tour
In 2018, Johnny Depp's band Hollywood Vampires embarked on their second world tour.
2018: Release of London Fields Delayed Until 2018
The general release of the film "London Fields", starring Johnny Depp's then-wife Amber Heard, which was originally planned for 2015, was delayed until 2018 due to litigation.
June 2019: Hollywood Vampires Release Rise
In June 2019, Hollywood Vampires, Johnny Depp's band, released their second studio album, "Rise", which consists mostly of original material, including songs written by Depp.
2019: Settlement of bodyguards' lawsuit
In 2019, Johnny Depp settled the lawsuit filed by his former bodyguards regarding unpaid wages and unsafe working conditions.
2019: Settlement with Bloom Hergott
In 2019, Johnny Depp settled the lawsuit with his lawyers, Bloom Hergott.
2019: Waiting for the Barbarians Premieres at Venice International Film Festival
In 2019, the independent drama "Waiting for the Barbarians", starring Johnny Depp, premiered at the 76th Venice International Film Festival. The movie is based on a novel by J. M. Coetzee.
November 2020: Depp Resigns from Fantastic Beasts Franchise
In November 2020, Johnny Depp resigned from his role as Grindelwald in the "Fantastic Beasts" franchise at the request of Warner Bros. after losing his UK libel case against The Sun, which had accused him of domestic abuse. Mads Mikkelsen replaced him in the role.
November 2020: High Court Ruling and Resignation from Fantastic Beasts
In November 2020, the High Court of Justice ruled that 12 of the 14 incidents of physical violence alleged by NGN occurred and that Johnny Depp had put Amber Heard "in fear of her life". Depp resigned from the Fantastic Beasts franchise after being asked to do so by Warner Bros.
2020: Tenth Highest-Grossing Actor Worldwide
As of 2020, Johnny Depp is the tenth highest-grossing actor worldwide, with his films having grossed over US$3.7 billion at the United States box office and over US$10 billion worldwide.
2020: Depp and Beck Release Cover of Isolation
In 2020, Johnny Depp and Jeff Beck released a cover of John Lennon's "Isolation".
2020: Release of Minamata
In 2020, Johnny Depp starred in the critically and commercially successful film Minamata.
2020: Minamata Premieres at Berlin International Film Festival
In 2020, the film "Minamata", in which Johnny Depp portrayed photographer W. Eugene Smith, premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival.
March 2021: City of Lies Released in Theaters and Streaming Services
In March 2021, "City of Lies", a film starring Johnny Depp that was originally scheduled for release in 2018, was finally released in theaters and on streaming services.
July 2021: Minamata Director Accuses MGM of Burying the Film
In July 2021, Andrew Levitas, the director of "Minamata", accused MGM of trying to bury the film due to Johnny Depp's involvement. Depp claimed he was being boycotted by the Hollywood industry.
August 2021: Minamata Released in the UK and Ireland
In August 2021, the film "Minamata", starring Johnny Depp, was released in the UK and Ireland. It received positive reviews, with many praising Depp's performance.
September 2021: Depp Launches IN.2 Production Company
In September 2021, Johnny Depp launched IN.2, a London-based sister company to his production company, Infinitum Nihil, and announced a new development fund for TV and film projects with A Contracorriente Films.
September 2021: Launch of IN.2, A European Sister-Company to Infinitum Nihil
In September 2021, Johnny Depp's company, Infinitum Nihil, launched a European sister-company entitled IN.2. The goal of the company is to build a space where artists can be artists, and where they will be free to create art.
December 2021: Minamata Released in North America
In December 2021, the film "Minamata", starring Johnny Depp, was released in North America and received positive reviews.
2021: Pirates of the Caribbean Franchise Earnings
As of 2021, the five films in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, featuring Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow, have earned US$4.5 billion.
2021: Depp paints Five auto portrait
In 2021, Johnny Depp painted an auto-portrait entitled "Five" which represents the fifth year of a dark phase in his life.
May 2022: Depp Joins Jeff Beck Onstage
Beginning in May 2022, Johnny Depp joined Jeff Beck onstage for a number of concerts in the United Kingdom, where Beck announced they had recorded an album together.
May 29, 2022: Depp Makes Surprise Appearance at Jeff Beck Gig
On May 29, 2022, Johnny Depp made a surprise appearance at a Jeff Beck concert in Sheffield, playing guitar alongside Beck.
July 15, 2022: Depp and Beck Release 18
On July 15, 2022, Johnny Depp and Jeff Beck released their joint record, titled "18".
July 2022: Tentative settlement in on-set assault lawsuit
In July 2022, a tentative settlement was reached between Johnny Depp and a crew member regarding the dismissal of a lawsuit alleging on-set assault during the filming of "City of Lies".
July 2022: Depp's Artwork Sells Out at Castle Fine Art
In July 2022, artwork made by Johnny Depp quickly sold out after debuting at Castle Fine Art in London. The "Friends & Heroes" collection, featuring paintings of people who have inspired him, made nearly $4 million.
August 2022: Depp Makes Cameo Appearance at MTV Video Music Awards
In August 2022, Johnny Depp made a cameo appearance at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards.
March 2023: Friends & Heroes II Collection Released
In March 2023, a second installment in Johnny Depp's "Friends & Heroes" collection, entitled "Friends & Heroes II," was released, featuring prints of Heath Ledger, Bob Marley, River Phoenix, and Hunter S. Thompson.
May 2023: Depp Performs at Jeff Beck Tribute Concerts
In May 2023, Johnny Depp performed at the Jeff Beck tribute concerts held at the Royal Albert Hall in London, sharing the stage with Eric Clapton, Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood and Kirk Hammett.
July 2023: Depp Unveils "Five" Auto Portrait
In July 2023, Johnny Depp unveiled an auto-portrait titled "Five", painted in 2021. According to Depp, the number five represents the fifth year of a dark phase in his life.
September 2023: Principal Photography Commenced for Modi in Budapest
In September 2023, principal photography began in Budapest, Hungary, for "Modì", Johnny Depp's first directorial effort in over 25 years.
2023: Depp Stars as King Louis XV in Jeanne Du Barry
In 2023, Johnny Depp starred as King Louis XV in the French film "Jeanne Du Barry". It was Depp's first film where he acted in French.
2023: Hollywood Vampires embark on third world tour
In 2023, Johnny Depp's band Hollywood Vampires embarked on their third world tour.
July 17, 2024: Depp Performs with Andrea Bocelli at Anniversary Concert
On July 17, 2024, Johnny Depp was a special guest at one of Andrea Bocelli's 30th-anniversary concerts, where they performed "En Aranjuez Con Tu Amor" in honor of Jeff Beck. Depp played the guitar while Bocelli sang.
September 24, 2024: Modì Premieres at San Sebastián International Film Festival
On September 24, 2024, "Modì", directed by Johnny Depp, premiered at the 72nd San Sebastián International Film Festival, receiving a warm reception.
September 30, 2024: Special Preview Event for Depp's Art Exhibition
On September 30, 2024, a special preview event for Johnny Depp's art exhibition, "A Bunch of Stuff," took place with Depp and his friends and family, including Jim Jarmusch and Jerry Bruckheimer.
October 4, 2024: Depp Opens Art Exhibition "A Bunch of Stuff" in New York City
On October 4, 2024, Johnny Depp opened his first art exhibition, "A Bunch of Stuff", at the Starrett–Lehigh Building in New York City, featuring artworks spanning many decades.
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