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===1984–1989: Early Roles and 21 Jump Street===
Depp’s acting career began with a small role in the horror film A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), where he portrayed the boyfriend of the protagonist Nancy Thompson. His role in the film marked the start of a successful career, which would later lead to his iconic roles in television and film. Depp became a teen idol in the late 1980s after landing the lead role in the Fox series 21 Jump Street, where he played an undercover police officer infiltrating high school students. Although this series launched his career and brought him fame, Depp felt constrained by the “product” image it forced upon him. He later vowed only to take roles that resonated with him personally, setting the stage for the unconventional and varied career that followed.
===1990–2002: Independent Films and Early Collaborations with Tim Burton===
In 1990, Johnny Depp took on the role of the titular character in Tim Burton's *Edward Scissorhands*, a film that marked the beginning of a lasting creative partnership between the two. Depp portrayed the misunderstood, gentle scissor-handed man in a tale of beauty, isolation, and love, alongside Dianne Wiest and Winona Ryder. The film was both a critical and commercial success, grossing millions and cementing Depp’s status as a leading actor in Hollywood. Producer Scott Rudin once remarked that Depp seemed to embody Burton’s own creative essence, a sentiment with which Depp agreed, though Burton himself distanced from the comparison. Depp referred to Burton as "a brother, a friend, and a brave soul" in his foreword to *Burton on Burton*, a book of interviews with the director.
Depp’s first film release of 1990 was John Waters' *Cry-Baby*, a musical comedy set in the 1950s. Though it was not a commercial hit at the time, the film later achieved cult classic status among audiences.
The next two years saw Depp’s presence in the film world diminish, with the exception of a brief cameo in *Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare* in 1991, part of the *A Nightmare on Elm Street* franchise. However, Depp made a striking return to the screen in 1993 with three very different films. He starred in the romantic comedy *Benny and Joon* as an eccentric, silent-film enthusiast who becomes a quirky love interest to a mentally ill woman. The film became a sleeper hit. Later that year, Depp took on the role of Gilbert Grape in *What’s Eating Gilbert Grape*, alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Juliette Lewis. The film, a poignant portrayal of a dysfunctional family, earned Depp praise for his portrayal of a deeply compassionate and self-sacrificing man. His final 1993 release, *Arizona Dream*, a surrealist comedy-drama by Emir Kusturica, received positive reviews for its whimsical tone and Depp's engaging performance.
In 1994, Depp reunited with Tim Burton for *Ed Wood*, a biographical film about one of the most inept directors in Hollywood history. Depp’s performance as the optimistic, tirelessly enthusiastic Ed Wood was met with widespread critical acclaim, with *The New York Times* calling him "an established, certified great actor." Depp himself admitted that the role reignited his passion for acting, especially after a period of personal disillusionment with the film industry.
The following year, Depp starred in three very different roles. In *Don Juan DeMarco*, he played a man who believes he is the world's greatest lover, opposite the legendary Marlon Brando. Depp also appeared in Jim Jarmusch's *Dead Man*, a black-and-white Western that, despite its mixed critical reception, was lauded for its atmospheric and experimental nature. Depp’s final film of the year, *Nick of Time*, a thriller about an accountant forced to assassinate a politician to save his daughter, was both a commercial and critical disappointment.
In 1997, Depp took on the role of Joseph D. Pistone in *Donnie Brasco*, a crime drama about an undercover FBI agent infiltrating the mafia. His performance as a conflicted agent with a growing sense of loyalty to the criminals he was investigating was universally praised, with the film becoming both a box office and critical success. Also in 1997, Depp ventured into filmmaking, making his directorial debut with *The Brave*, a film in which he starred as a Native American man who agrees to appear in a snuff film in exchange for money to support his family.
Depp’s friendship with the countercultural writer Hunter S. Thompson led him to portray the author in *Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas* (1998), Terry Gilliam’s eccentric adaptation of Thompson’s famous novel. Depp’s portrayal of Thompson’s alter ego, Raoul Duke, became one of his most iconic performances. The following year, Depp returned to work with Burton once again, starring in *Sleepy Hollow*, a gothic retelling of Washington Irving’s classic tale. Depp’s portrayal of Ichabod Crane, a fragile and psychologically complex detective, was inspired by a variety of iconic figures, including Angela Lansbury and Basil Rathbone.
Known for his commitment to roles that piqued his personal interest rather than those designed for box office success, Depp often found himself cast as "iconic loners"—complex, misunderstood characters that stood apart from society. He has referred to some of his less commercially successful films as "studio-defined failures," noting that they often struggled with poor marketing and studio mismanagement.
===2003–2011: Pirates of the Caribbean and a New Era of Commercial and Critical Triumph===
In 2003, Depp achieved global fame with his role in *Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl*. The film, produced by Walt Disney Pictures, was a major box-office success, and Depp’s performance as the eccentric, swaggering pirate Captain Jack Sparrow became an instant cultural phenomenon. His portrayal of the character, which he based on rock star Keith Richards and the cartoon skunk Pepé Le Pew, earned him widespread acclaim and an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. Despite initial concerns from the studio, who were unsure of Depp's unconventional take on the character, Jack Sparrow quickly became a beloved figure among audiences.
In the following years, Depp continued to demonstrate his versatility. In 2004, he portrayed Scottish author J.M. Barrie in *Finding Neverland*, a film about the man who created *Peter Pan*. His tender performance in the film earned him another Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. Depp next collaborated with Burton once more in 2005 for the film *Charlie and the Chocolate Factory*, where he portrayed the eccentric Willy Wonka. The film, a commercial success, received positive reviews, and Depp was again nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance. That same year, Depp voiced the character Victor Van Dort in Burton’s stop-motion animated film *Corpse Bride*, once again showing his adaptability to both live-action and animated roles.
Through this period, Depp’s career was marked by a mix of commercial success and critical acclaim, as he continued to gravitate towards unconventional roles that allowed him to explore the quirks and complexities of his characters.